the effect of google docs-based collaborative writing on the l2 writing quality of high school students in the uae public schools
This study investigated the effect of implementing collaborative writing using Google Docs on students’ writing quality in English. The study also explored students’ and the classroom teacher’s perceptions of Google Docs-based collaborative writing (GDBCW). Two intact classes with 46 students from a public school in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates participated in the study and were divided into an experimental group and a control group. To collect data, the researcher employed a pretest- posttest design, distributed a post-treatment student survey, and conducted an interview with the classroom teacher. Data were analyzed quantitively using a Mann-Whitney U test analysis, and students’ and teacher’s responses were thematically grouped and qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis. While findings from the post-test showed that collaborative writing using Google Docs did not significantly impact students’ writing levels, the student survey results revealed positive perceptions of the activity. Similar positive feedback was gained from the teacher interview. This study extends the frontiers of collaborative writing in the UAE from higher education to the school level. It also provides significant insights for classroom teachers, researchers, and language educators. (Author’s abstract)