Collaborative learning: Implication of online forum in English academic writing for engineering students

Abstract

This study utilizes a sample of 1494 subjects, collected from two consecutive academic years, predominantly from the engineering discipline to evaluate the effect of individual online activities (i.e. web exercises, choice making and forum activities) on students' academic writing assessments based on the assessment criteria (i.e. content, organization, language and referencing). The findings indicate forum activities are a prominent predictor to the four criteria in assessments. Language educators are encouraged to intensify efforts at facilitating students to engage in the process of forum discussion in terms of collaborative learning.