Rationalities of collaboration for language learning in a wiki

TLDR

Online environments that allow user‑generated content are increasingly important for language learning because they enable learners to elaborate on assignments and projects. This study examines how wikis can enhance group interaction by encouraging students to co‑construct texts and exchange peer feedback, and how such interaction promotes language learning from a sociocultural perspective. The authors analyze interaction within an English‑for‑Specific‑Purposes class, framing it by the wiki’s affordances and learners’ expectations, using a multilevel approach that focuses on interaction patterns and feedback. Collaboration in the wiki proved especially valuable for language learning, with students contributing to both local language and global content, revising co‑constructed texts to evaluate and suggest changes, and benefiting from the web‑based environment’s support for user‑generated content.

Abstract

Abstract For language learning, online environments allowing for user generated content are becoming increasingly important since they offer possibilities for learners to elaborate on assignments and projects. This study investigates what wikis can do as a means to enhance group interaction, when students are encouraged to participate in constructing text and exchanging peer response. The research focus is on exploring what interaction unfolds in the wiki and how it promotes language learning, from a sociocultural perspective. This interaction is framed both by affordances in the wiki but also by what is expected from students as language learners in an English for Specific Purposes class environment. The analysis has a multilevel approach, focusing on patterns of interaction and the nature of feedback. The study shows that collaboration becomes specifically interesting from a language learning perspective. In the findings, on the student wiki pages there are numerous contributions relating to both local language and global content. Revising co-constructed text opens up possibilities for the students to evaluate existing contributions and it also provides opportunities for them to suggest constructive changes. In addition, with the environment being web based, we discuss certain benefits arising from the fact that it allows for user-generated content.