Campus Units
English
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
4-2018
Journal or Book Title
Assessing Writing
Volume
36
First Page
77
Last Page
89
DOI
10.1016/j.asw.2018.03.007
Abstract
Assessment for learning (AfL) seeks to support instruction by providing information about students’ current state of learning, the desired end state of learning, and ways to close the gap. AfL of second-language (L2) writing faces challenges insofar as feedback from instructors tends to focus on written products while neglecting most of the processes that gave rise to them, such as planning, formulation, and evaluation. Meanwhile, researchers studying writing processes have been using keystroke logging (KL) and eye-tracking (ET) to analyze and visualize process engagement. This study explores whether such technologies can support more meaningful AfL of L2 writing. Two Chinese L1 students studying at a U.S. university who served as case studies completed a series of argumentative writing tasks while a KL-ET system traced their processes and then produced visualizations that were used for individualized tutoring. Data sources included the visualizations, tutoring-session transcripts, the participants’ assessed final essays, and written reflections. Findings showed the technologies, in combination with the assessment dialogues they facilitated, made it possible to (1) position the participants in relation to developmental models of writing; (2) identify and address problems with planning, formulation, and revision; and (3) reveal deep-seated motivational issues that constrained the participants’ learning.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Copyright Owner
Elsevier Inc.
Copyright Date
2018
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Ranalli, Jim; Feng, Hui-Hsien; and Chukharev-Hudilainen, Evgeny, "Exploring the potential of process-tracing technologies to support assessment for learning of L2 writing" (2018). English Publications. 286.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/engl_pubs/286
Comments
This is a manuscript of an article published as Ranalli, Jim, Hui-Hsien Feng, and Evgeny Chukharev-Hudilainen. "Exploring the potential of process-tracing technologies to support assessment for learning of L2 writing." Assessing Writing 36 (2018): 77-89. DOI: 10.1016/j.asw.2018.03.007. Posted with permission.