Workshop: Learning to write and the role of learner characteristics

Martine Braaksma*University of Amsterdam

*In cooperation with Gert Rijlaarsdam & Huub van den Bergh

Program Introduction Main points lecture Examples of measuring learning characteristics Analyzing interaction effects Designing own experiments Discussion

Main points lecture Most experimental studies focus on main effects They assume that effective interventions are valid for

whole groups of participants, irrespective of differences in learners’ initial skills, knowledge, aptitudes, attitudes and beliefs

Interactions between learner characteristics and interventions remain hidden

Different kind of interactions Learning condition Learner characteristics Learning phase Grouping of learners Learning aim

Example: Learning conditions, learner characteristics, and learning aim

Experimental design:

01 X O2 Learning conditions (X):

Planning condition Revising condition

Learner characteristics (O1): Writing strategy

Learning aim (O2): Learning to write: writing skill Writing to learn: literary interpretation skill

Kieft et al, 2007, 2008

Learning conditions: Planning or revising

Course on learning to write complete and convincing argumentative texts about short literary stories in two conditions

Planning or revising condition

Intervention in two conditions

Main phases Learning activities Revising condition Planning condition

(1) R ead ing R ea d ing a lite ra ry s to ry + + (2) D iscove ry Generating ideas

• free writing + - • thinking scheme - +

(3) Theo ry Reading rhetorical theory + + A p p ly in g the ory in sh ort w ritin g ta sks + +

(4) Composing Planning • w ritin g d isco very d ra ft o f th e te x t + - • p la n n in g the te x t - + Writing and revising • re reading a n d revis ing the te x t + - • w ritin g the tex t - +

(5) S haring Sharing texts: Giving and receiving feedback + +

+ , pr esent; - , no t pr esent.

Learner characteristics Writing strategy (planning or revising): writing process

questionnaire Mixed strategies possible, it’s about preference Revising strategy preference

Thinking through the act of writing Producing free (pieces of) texts, drafts, and then reprocess, revise,

rewrite, select etc.

Planning strategy preference First planning, notes, schemes etc., then write Little revision on line, when writing

Sculptors (revising) Engineers (planning)

Learning aims Learning to interpret literary stories by writing about such

stories Learning to write argumentative texts (stand point,

argumentation) Students wrote as post-test an essay:

‘‘You are about to read a short story. Write a text about the story of at least 250 words, in which you tell a classmate what the story is about, and what your opinion about the story is.’’

Essays are rated on two different aspects Learning to write: writing skill (rhetorical attractiveness,

quality of argumentation) Writing to learn: literary interpretation skill (quality of

literary interpretation; understanding of the story)

Results

Aim: Learning to writeWriting to learn to improve text quality

Series1

Writing by Revising Writing by Planning

WEAK REVISOR STRONG

Tex

t Q

ual

ity

NON-revising style: revising

condition

Revising style: planning condition

WEAK PLANNING STRONG

Te

ks

t q

ua

lity

Writing by Revising Writing by Planning

Planning style: planning condition

NON-Planning style: revising

condition

Results

Aim: Writing to LearnWriting to understand a literary text

WEAK REVISORS STRONG

Qua

lity

of S

ubje

ct

Lear

ning

Writing by Revising Writing by Planning

Revising style: Revising condition

WEAK PLANNER STRONG

Qua

lity

of s

ubje

ct

Lear

ning

Writing by Revising Writing by Planning

Planning style: planning condition

SO? When improving writing skills If writing approach is outspoken?

Best learning via PLANNING condition

n

If writing approach is definitely not outspoken?

Best learning via EXPLORING / REVISING condition

SO? When improving content learning

In sum Be aware of the effects of learner characteristics when: Designing writing interventions (effects of conditions and

instructional aims) Designing and analyzing (quasi) experiments in writing

Measuring learner characteristics

Same as dependent variable (so target skill or learning aim, e.g., writing skill, domain knowledge, motivation)

Different as dependent variable (e.g., aptitude, motivation)

Used in previous studies: self-efficacy for writing, writing strategies, writing skill, aptitude, self-monitoring

Examples and hands on Self-efficacy for writing Writing strategy Self-monitoring

Complete the writing strategy questionnaire and perform the self test. Surprised?

Time left? Complete the self-monitoring questionnaire. Surprised?

Analyzing interaction effects in SPSS Preparing the data set Performing mixed models analysis Performing regression analysis Performing correlational analysis Interpretating the output

Designing own experiments

In pairs: think and talk about opportunities in your own research project to study interaction effects:

Possible? Which learner characteristics? Which measurement instruments? Expectations?

Discussion of findings and workshop

Thank you for your attention!

More information:

Slides and workshop materials at: http://www.rtle.nl/Conferences.html

Publications at: http://www.ilo.uva.nl/homepages/martine

Email: braaksma@uva.nl