Title: Improving Chinese composition writing through peer editing: an exploratory study on using Google Docs

Authors: Shu Jiang; Qiyun Wang

Addresses: Qifa Primary School, 50 West Coast Avenue, Singapore 128104, Singapore ' National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Singapore

Abstract: There has been little research on using technology to support peer editing in primary schools, especially for Chinese composition writing. This study explores the use of Google Docs to support students peer editing when they were writing Chinese compositions in a primary school in Singapore. A class of 36 primary five pupils participated in this study. They wrote two compositions by following the peer editing approach without and with the tool of Google Docs respectively. Data were collected from pupils' compositions together with teachers' observation and informal interview with pupils. The result showed that pupils made significant improvement from the first drafts to the revised drafts in two compositions. The improvement was observed on four aspects: spelling, punctuation, grammar, and the use of good words and phrases. In addition, pupils were more engaged in the peer editing process and having greater improvement when they were using Google Docs to do peer editing.

Keywords: peer editing; Google Docs; Chinese composition; composition writing; primary schools; Singapore; Web 2.0; social media; primary education; spelling; punctuation; grammar; use of words; use of phrases.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMILE.2013.055731

International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 2013 Vol.1 No.3, pp.304 - 314

Received: 27 Sep 2012
Accepted: 18 Oct 2012
Published online: 28 Feb 2014 *

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