Research on Peer Feedback and CMC.

Currently reading "Peer Feedback Through Blogs: Student and teacher perceptions in an advanced German class" by DORIS DIPPOLD found in European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning 21 (1) : 18-36. Published in 2009.

This article explores the question of how blogs can facilitate peer feedback in a second language acquisition environment. It concludes that blogs can be useful tools for collaboration and student feedback on peer writing in second language classrooms, but warns of dangers and need for training by both teachers and students. I appreciated the literature review which expressed ideas I take for granted that may not be common knowledge - and it exposed me to articles I need to track down. Dippold also notes that in educational writing "feedback" and "assessment," when used in discussions of formative assessment - are used almost interchangeably. The importance of this insight might be more important that she realizes.

Blogs allow student writers to reach a far larger audience than just a teacher and/or tutor, and help in the easier sharing or resources and ideas (Goodwin-Jones, 2003; Williams & Jacobs, 2004).

Because of the need to imagine and predict the possible reactions of their readers blogging promotes critical thinking (Williams & Jacobs, 2004; Oravec, 2003; Ducate & Lomika, 2005). Ducate & Lomika strove to build intercultural awareness in their research, which involved exchanges (travel as well as communication) between French and American students. Blogging uniquely enables peer feedback, which is essential to meeting objectives of audience analysis, tone, purpose, and the recognition of one's place in a discourse community united by an intellectual goal. Baggetun and Wasson (2006:460) explain:

We see that in order to generate feedback one needs certain skills, in particular, participation skills. As a student, you need to learn how to frame an issue you want to raise, relate it to a current issue, and know how to invite or ask questions so that someone feels tempted to reply. [y] SRL [self-regulated learning] also encompasses participation in learning communities and how to develop skills to engage in productive interactions with your peers.

There are several issues that make using peer feedback with ESL learners a tremendous challenge. Hyland and Hyland (2006) note that foreign language students prefer feedback from teachers to peers. This likely has something to do with the non-native speaking ability in English of their peers. If their "peer" were another comp. 1 or 2 student whose native language was English, then these results might be different. Also, ESL students resist having power over their peers and resist their peers having power over them (Liu & Carless, 2006).

Works Cited

Baggetun, R. and Wasson, B. (2006) Self-regulated learning and open writing. European Journal of Education, 41(3–4): 453–472.
Ducate, L. and Lomicka, L. (2005) Exploring the blogosphere: Use of blogs in the foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 38(3): 410–421.
Goodwin-Jones, R. (2003) "Blogs and wikis: Environments for on-line collaboration." Language Learning and Technology, 7(2): 12–16.
Hyland, F. and Hyland, K. (2006) State of the art article: Feedback on second language students’ writing. Language Teaching, 39: 83–101.
Liu, N. and Carless, D. (2006) Peer feedback: The learning element of peer assessment. Teaching in Higher Education, 11(3): 279–290.
Oravec, J. A. (2003) Blogs as an emerging genre in higher education. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 14(2): 21–44.
Williams, J. and Jacobs, J. (2004) Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in the higher education sector. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 20(2): 232–247.