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Two models of teacher response to students writing to learn in response journals Mackay, Elaine
Abstract
Although student response journals have been demonstrated to be effective aids to learning, primarily through case study reports and articles, there is little evidence to show the most effective ways for teachers to respond to what students write in their journals. The current study examines the influence of two differing modes of teacher response on writing fluency, skills and attitudes toward writing of grade-nine junior high school students. In addition, the study investigates the effects on participating teachers of using response journals in subject area classrooms. This study is a controlled experiment in which grade-nine students were randomly assigned to experimental and control classes in English and science. The treatment students received open, positive, encouraging comments by subject—area teachers on their response journals in the twelve—week school term during which the experiment took place. Control students received evaluative, corrective comments. An attitude measure, administered both pre— and post—experiment, was used to investigate student attitudes toward writing over all and on four sub—categories (source, audience, response and purpose). In addition, a pre— and post—instruction essay was given in order to ascertain the effects of treatment on writing growth overall and on two subscores, one for content and one for mechanics. Throughout the duration of the experiment students maintained response journals which were analyzed for changes in attitude using a chronological chart consisting of a core of fifteen common features perceived to be characteristic of good journals. Participating teachers were administered pre— and posttest interviews in order to elicit changes in their attitudes toward the use of response journals. As well, they were requested to maintain individual journals as a record of their impressions throughout the experiment. Results did not favour expected outcomes. The differences found were not only non—significant but also frequently in the wrong direction with the control group exhibiting more positive growth than the experimental group. A contaminating factor, failure to carry out the procedures as described, seems the most tenable explanation for this study’s failure to reject the null hypothesis.
Item Metadata
Title |
Two models of teacher response to students writing to learn in response journals
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1992
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Description |
Although student response journals have been demonstrated
to be effective aids to learning, primarily through case study
reports and articles, there is little evidence to show the
most effective ways for teachers to respond to what students
write in their journals. The current study examines the
influence of two differing modes of teacher response on
writing fluency, skills and attitudes toward writing of
grade-nine junior high school students. In addition, the
study investigates the effects on participating teachers of
using response journals in subject area classrooms.
This study is a controlled experiment in which grade-nine
students were randomly assigned to experimental and control
classes in English and science. The treatment students
received open, positive, encouraging comments by subject—area
teachers on their response journals in the twelve—week school
term during which the experiment took place. Control students
received evaluative, corrective comments. An attitude
measure, administered both pre— and post—experiment, was used
to investigate student attitudes toward writing over all and
on four sub—categories (source, audience, response and
purpose). In addition, a pre— and post—instruction essay was
given in order to ascertain the effects of treatment on
writing growth overall and on two subscores, one for content
and one for mechanics. Throughout the duration of the
experiment students maintained response journals which were
analyzed for changes in attitude using a chronological chart consisting of a core of fifteen common features perceived to
be characteristic of good journals. Participating teachers
were administered pre— and posttest interviews in order to
elicit changes in their attitudes toward the use of response
journals. As well, they were requested to maintain individual
journals as a record of their impressions throughout the
experiment.
Results did not favour expected outcomes. The
differences found were not only non—significant but also
frequently in the wrong direction with the control group
exhibiting more positive growth than the experimental group.
A contaminating factor, failure to carry out the procedures as
described, seems the most tenable explanation for this study’s
failure to reject the null hypothesis.
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Extent |
3403739 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2008-12-18
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0078071
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1992-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.