Mobile Applications for Developing Second Language Collaborative Writing

Abstract

Developing writing skills in a foreign language is one of the demanding tasks for both teachers and students. It not only demands extensive reading and intensive practice in writing both inside and outside the classroom but also timely feedback and error-correction. The experimental study aimed at studying the impact of collaborative writing tasks using mobile applications like WhatsApp, Google Docs, and Google Slides on enhancing the writing ability at the pre-intermediate level of Common European Frame of Reference (CEFR). The participants were tertiary level students of Cihan University who were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=28). One group used WhatsApp and the other group used the Google Docs and Google Slides apps on their mobile devices. The comparative study analyzed the impact of each application on improving the writing skills of the students with pretest and posttest results and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that the participants who used Google Docs and Google Slides apps have performed better than the participants in the WhatsApp group. The results have implications for teachers teaching writing skills and students who write using mobile applications.