With access to online education tools greater than ever, using them to improve English writing skills in a classroom setting can make perfect sense. That’s the view of Rab Paterson, director of the Asia Association for Global Studies and principal instructor at Toyo University/UCLA Extension Center for Global Education in Tokyo.
He believes free online tools such as Google Docs, LexTutor, Analyse My Writing, and StoryToolz encourage engagement and learning.
“Students today are functioning in an age where technology drives almost every aspect of their lives, so they feel comfortable using digital writing tools,” said Paterson, speaking at the recent 21st Century Learning Conference in Hong Kong. The event brings together teachers, school leaders and professionals in education technology to exchange insights on issues and challenges affecting the sector.
In particular, Paterson noted that Google Docs lets students post their compositions in designated folders where they can be read and critiqued by classmates. This feedback leads to revisions, clearer expression, improved structure, and more clearly expounded ideas.
“Constructive comments encourage students to write with greater clarity,” said Paterson, who noted that students were generally willing to accept these suggestions and rewrite where necessary. The approach worked equally well at senior secondary school level and with undergraduates.
“The evidence indicates that students formulate their thoughts, build on ideas, and focus on topics far more in a collaborative environment than when working alone on Microsoft Office,” Paterson said. He emphasised, though, that online tools should be used to support English writing classes, not replace them.
Another benefit of Google Docs is a function which allows students and teachers to track the creation and revision of a document. This is a good way of gauging improvement.
