Investigating the relationship between peer interaction and writing processes in computer-supported collaborative L2 writing : A mixed-methods study

Stiefenhöfer, Laura and Michel, Marije (2020) Investigating the relationship between peer interaction and writing processes in computer-supported collaborative L2 writing : A mixed-methods study. In: Writing and Language Learning : Advancing research agendas. Language Learning and Language Teaching . John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam. ISBN 9789027207746

Abstract

Twenty-first century technology has created new digital contexts (e.g., shared online writing platforms) that influence the potential of collaborative writing for second language (L2) learning. Making a methodological contribution to studying L2 computer-supported collaborative writing (CSCW), the present chapter reports on an exploratory yet innovative investigation triangulating data from text mining, interaction analyses, eye-tracking, and stimulated recall. Eight international students in the UK used Google Docs for paired collaborative writing tasks. Results of quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal the many ways in which peers interact with each other and the nature of the emerging text during CSCW. Findings illustrate the complexities of CSCW and indicate how triangulating different methods facilitates the study of the affordances of CSCW and its potential contribution to L2 learning.