Tracing peer feedback to revision process in a wiki supported collaborative writing

Abstract

This study investigates how can peer comments lead to actual revision process in a wiki supported collaborative writing environment among primary five and six students from a Chinese primary school in Hong Kong where English is taught as a second language (L2). Students from three upper primary classes totaling 119 students from age ten to twelve and their three English subject teachers went through three months of English language writing using a wiki. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed from activities recorded in a wiki system, including posted edits and comments and students’ group writings. The wiki page history revealed information on types of revisions that occurred, allowing a trace of how different peer feedbacks lead to actual revisions, resulting in better group writing. Findings from the study may shed light on how wikis can help provide necessary support and how peer-feedback can affect students’ writing process with wikis.