Applying dynamic assessment principles to online peer revisions in written English for specific purposes

Paper in proceeding, 2014

The aim of this paper is to explore the extent of the applicability of dynamic assessment with respect to peer written student online revisions. More specifically, it observes how groups of Swedish computer engineering students learning English for Specific Purposes engage in cooperative interactions and negotiations with their peers as they work together towards the revision of a written report. Using Google Drive as a means to engage in their report writing assignment in groups of three,students also discussed their text with another group in a peer response activity through comment insertions. Following a discussion of the progressive scale used to provide assistance, learners’ turns during corrections and revisions of linguistic,structural, and content features are analysed. Finally, implications for peer revisions and provision of feedback according to learners’ developmental level are discussed in relation to the outcomes of the study.