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Peer-feedback and revision process in a wiki mediated collaborative writing

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Abstract

This study investigated the use of a wiki for collaborative writing among primary levels five (P5) and six (P6) students (n = 119) in a Chinese primary school in Hong Kong where English is taught as a second language (L2). Three classes of students and their English subject teachers participated in a three-month English language writing programme using a wiki. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed from activities recorded in the wiki system, including posted edits and comments, students’ group writings and student and teacher interviews. The wiki page history revealed information on the types of revisions that occurred, showing that different types of feedback elicited actual revisions, which may have resulted in better group writing. Findings from the study may shed light on how wikis can help provide support for students’ collaborative writing process with wikis, and how peer-feedback can influence this process.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China

    Matsuko Mukumoto Woo

  2. Division of Information & Technology Studies, Centre for Information Technology in Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China

    Samuel Kai Wah Chu

  3. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, No. 3, University Drive, Room, 113, Graduate House, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China

    Xuanxi Li

Authors
  1. Matsuko Mukumoto Woo
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  2. Samuel Kai Wah Chu
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  3. Xuanxi Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matsuko Mukumoto Woo.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Teacher provided wiki rules

  1. 1.

    I will not use my real name, address, email address or telephone number.

  2. 2.

    I will not give my password to anyone else. I will not change the password assigned by my teacher.

  3. 3.

    If I forget my password, I will ask my teacher to give me a new password.

  4. 4.

    I will not use another person’s Wiki name and password. I will not ask other students to tell me their passwords.

  5. 5.

    When I write about other students and teachers in our Wiki group, I will use their Wiki names. I will not use their real names, addresses, email addresses or telephone numbers.

  6. 6.

    When I write about other people, I will not use their full names, addresses, email addresses or telephone numbers. I will use their titles (e.g. “Mum”, “Dad”, “Aunty”) or their given names (e.g. “A-Ming”, “Mary”, “Sam”).

  7. 7.

    I will write encouraging comments about other students’ work on Wiki. If they have made a mistake, I will help them to see the mistake and change it without being unkind.

  8. 8.

    I will follow the teachers’ instructions and use the Wiki correctly.

  9. 9.

    I will add photos, pictures, videos, sound files or music that are free to use. If they are not free, I will get permission to upload them from the owners, or I will make my own photos, pictures, videos, sound files or music.

  10. 10.

    If I see information on our Wiki that should not be there, I will tell my teacher. I will not change or delete it. That is the teacher’s job.

  11. 11.

    I agree to participate in our Wiki and I give permission for my work and comments to be viewed by other students and our teachers as well as parents and other interested members of our community.

I have read the TCN Wiki Rules. I understand the rules and I agree to obey the rules.

Write your Wiki name to show that you agree. Write the date, then click the “Add comment” button.

(Adapted from XXXX Primary School Collaborative Writing 2008-2009).

Appendix 2

See Tables 14 and 15.

Table 14 Analytic scale in evaluating group writing
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Table 15 Rubrics for the scores
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Appendix 3

See Table 16.

Table 16 Types of revisions
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Woo, M.M., Chu, S.K.W. & Li, X. Peer-feedback and revision process in a wiki mediated collaborative writing. Education Tech Research Dev 61, 279–309 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9285-y

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