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The impact of weblogs on the affective states and academic writings of L2 undergraduates
DISSERTATION

, University of Virginia, United States

University of Virginia . Awarded

Abstract

Writing for academic purposes in the United States presents a tremendous challenge for students whose native language is not English. Affective conditions such as sense of class community, self-efficacy, and writing apprehension are known factors in academic performance. Weblogs appear to afford teachers and students opportunities to develop writing skills in ways that may also promote positive affective conditions. This study explores the impact of blogging on the affective conditions of an undergraduate academic writing course for second language students. Quantitative results suggest that under the conditions of this study, blogging does not influence participants' affective conditions to the extent that overall performance is improved. Qualitative results, however, indicate that students associated improvements in writing with using blogs, and that students associate their positive sense of class community with using blogs. Further, the results suggest that blogs can facilitate and enhance the instruction of academic writing. Blogging remains promising as an educational tool that might enhance the academic writing of second language international students, as well as facilitate the instruction of academic writing.

Citation

Kelley, M.J. The impact of weblogs on the affective states and academic writings of L2 undergraduates. Ph.D. thesis, University of Virginia. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .

This record was imported from ProQuest on October 23, 2013. [Original Record]

Citation reproduced with permission of ProQuest LLC.

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