The Students' Perceptions of Online Collaborative Learning in ESL Writing Class

Abstract

The majority of OCL studies focused on the design of the OCL curriculum mode: organised, well-planned class activity with academic quality monitoring. According to Warnock (2009), there are numerous advantages to teaching ESL writing online, including the fact that the majority of students who use the internet to study are likely to be exposed to numerous online educational materials that can be used to improve their writing skills. Students have a more relaxed learning environment when they have unlimited access to educational materials. Consequently, the purpose of this research is to determine how students perceive the implementation of Online Collaborative Learning in ESL Writing Class. Examining the students of Centre for Foundation and General Studies (CFGS), Universiti Selangor as a case study, this paper investigates their perspectives on the implementation of Online Collaborative Learning for ESL Writing Class. One hundred students were given a closed-ended questionnaire containing six questions on demographic information and twenty questions based on Davis' Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Statistical analysis was performed on the questionnaire data by calculating the mean score for each question. Findings revealed that Online Collaborative Learning provided students with access to sources of learning materials, flexible learning time, self-discipline, and enhanced ICT skills, while the disadvantages of OCL included OCL language barrier, difficult OCL task, internet problem, technical problem, and improper interactions. Students' perceptions of the utility and usability of the OCL were addressed in this study.