THE EFFECTS OF COLLABORATIVE WRITING ACTIVITY USING GOOGLE DOCS ON STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITIES

ABSTRACT 

Google Docs, a free web-based version of Microsoft Word, offers collaborative features which can be used to facilitate collaborative writing in a foreign language classroom. The current study compared writing abilities of students who collaborated on writing assignments using Google Docs with those working in groups in a face-to-face classroom. The experimental research was conducted with students enrolled in EN 012 course in the first semester of academic year of 2013. Both groups were assigned to complete four writing assignments using different working methods: one group worked together outside class with Google Docs, while the other worked together in class. The instruments employed in the study were writing tests and two questionnaires. Data were analyzed by using means, standard deviations, percentages, and independent samples t-tests. The results indicate that a significant difference was found between the two groups’ writing mean score after the experiment. Students in the Google Docs group gained higher mean scores than those working in groups in a face-to-face classroom.  In addition, students reported that they had positive attitudes toward collaborative writing activity and high collaboration in their groups using Google Docs, while nearly all of them perceived that this learning tool is easy to use.