What Each Writer Learns in Groups: Roles in Collaborative Writing and Their Impact on Learning
Submitted by:
Sohyun Eum
Abstract:
Collaborative writing, an effective pedagogic approach embodying the dialogic and contextual nature of writing, has been demonstrated to scaffold learners' writing abilities through peer interaction. However, roles within collaborative writing groups, driven by diverse factors such as personality, peer status, gender, and race, can significantly impact learning outcomes (Floriani, 1994; Christianakis, 2010). While previous studies (e.g., Marttunen & Laurinen, 2012) attempted to categorize learner roles that emerged in small groups, the specific learning outcomes based on roles within small groups remain unexplored. This study aims to determine how emerging roles in collaborative writing affect cognitive, behavioral, and affective learning dimensions.
This study has two main objectives: (a) to analyze how learners negotiate their roles in collaborative writing groups and (b) to identify how those emerging roles affect cognitive, behavioral, and affective aspects of learning. Based on prior research on behavior functions in collaborative learning and activities following the writing process (Marttunen & Laurinen, 2012), this study first categorizes potential roles that may emerge in collaborative writing groups. Furthermore, as roles are negotiated during collaborative tasks (Mudrack & Farrell, 1995), the study investigates how each learner adopts and challenges one's role in groups. This finding leads to the discovery of the cognitive, behavioral, and affective learning that occurs according to the roles identified within groups.
This study qualitatively analyzes learners' dialogue and collaboratively written products. Middle school students write an explanatory text in groups based on what they have discussed in their language arts class. Groups comprise 3-4 learners with heterogeneous writing abilities, and the writing process is video-recorded. After work, learners write "learner's report" in the form of process logs, reflecting on their cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains of learning. In-depth interviews elaborate on how learners perceive their roles and learning outcomes.
This study aims to refine the dichotomized "leader and follower" or "expert and novice" roles in collaborative writing research, offering a thorough understanding of learning outcomes based on individual participation in tasks. It may contribute to uncovering what students adopting specific roles like "socio-emotional leader" may learn, who are previously considered high in "off-task" utterances.
Keyword : Collaborative writing, Collaborative learning, Roles, Role negotiation, Learning
Christianakis, M. (2010). “I don’t need your help!” peer status, race, and gender during peer writing interactions. Journal of Lite Racy Research, 42(4), 418–458.
Floriani, A. (1993). Negotiating what counts: Roles and relationships, texts and contexts, content and meaning. Linguistics and Education, 5(3–4), 241–274.
Marttunen, M., & Laurinen, L. (2012). Participant profiles during collaborative writing. Journal of Writing Research, 4(1), 53–79.
Mudrack, P. E., & Farrell, G. M. (1995). An examination of functional role behavior and its consequences for individuals in group settings. Small Group Research, 26(4), 542-571.