UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 11th This day I closed the linked to the Survey it had 7 questions and they were written in Spanish since after the piloting I realized students could not express well their ideas. Only 23 students answered the survey over 29 based on their answers I could proved students are interested in learning to write following some stages. Besides based on their answers, as a starting point of the first writing activity they will be free to choose the topic to write about bearing in mind the grammar aspects studied in class. | Reviewing the survey applied I realize students could express themselves better when answering the questions in Spanish. Students’ answers display their interest in how to make a good writing, it might mean they want to keep working in their language performance following the guidance of the teacher and showing they are eager to learn and progress. Then, taking into account students’ answers I think they want the teacher supports them by letting them choose the topic to write about for that reason in the first activity students will write about the topic they are interested in, it might mean for them the teacher listens to their voices. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 14th The project started. I told students about the percentage of the writing project (30%), I also explained students briefly about the five writing stages and solved questions they had. I told them how to write bibliography in case the needed information from other sources for this purpose I followed APA. I did it since according to the students’ answers they were aware they need information from other sources when writing, I also emphasis about plagiarism to make students aware about this issue. A chart with the activities and dates was handed in to let them know the extension of the activities. | It is expected students follow the writing stages in the sequence given and make them aware about the organization of the information. The explanation of the bibliography and the term plagiarism search to raise awareness about the importance about copyrights and the credit we must give to the people who write articles, books or magazines. As the teacher gives and hand out with dates students will know before hand when a task is set and when the deadline for hand it back is. This way, students might arrange their schedules and be punctual when uploading the assignments making them responsible of their own time and work. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 16th For first time, a virtual space in the university page was opened for an English class. There, I opened a Welcome Forum, to know students’ expectations, a Course question forum to have them write their doubts about questions they might have. Finally, the first writing activity was opened too, there is a space named Brainstorming and Drafting, in this place is where students will upload their first attempts in writing following the first 2 stages explained. | Having a virtual space in the university page for students to upload their written assignments might like students since by this mean the teacher offers students another environment (virtual) for learning because through USTAVIRTUAL students will always upload their papers and receive feedback from the teacher. I open the 2 mentioned forums with the purpose of having students share perhaps common expectations and this way try to address them and finally, the second forum to let them know I am present any time they need my help. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 21st Today students had to upload their first paper with the Brainstorming and Drafting in Moodle at 3:00pm, but most of the students did not respect deadlines so I had to give them more time, (an extension of 1 hour was given). Later this day, I started checking students’ writings and I realized students copied too much information from Internet and these papers did not show students’ language level; besides some of them did not reference sources and others did it but just copying the link. Once I read the students’ writings, I wrote a note to each student giving feedback on language by using and Error Analysis chart, besides I also focus that feedback on content. | Perhaps the delay in students’ assignment was because they did not give the importance of respecting deadlines, as it deserves, while others where responsible with their tasks. Given that most of the students handed in their papers late, they might think that the fastest way to complete the assignment was copying some ideas form other sources in internet and just complete the task. Perhaps, students thought the teacher would not realize where they took the information from i and given that they were in a hurry, it might happen they did not remember how to write the references. The error analysis chart might help students to discover their mistakes having them thinking of them and letting students think of how to correct them. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 22 As stated in the hand out students received their papers back. Unfortunately, as the web page of the university was being restructured today was not system; it was impossible to upload in Moodle students’ works. Then, I decided to send their papers by e-mailing them, fortunately, I found some students and I told them to check their e-mail accounts and asked them to tell the others about the problem. Any way as tomorrow we have class they will be told about the passed situation, although tomorrow it is expected they bring printed their paper with the given feedback to work in class. | It might happen that sometimes the university page does not work and it means the teacher needs a B plan as having students’ mail account to send them their papers back. The purpose of having tomorrow students with their printed papers is to solve any doubt they might have about the following two writing stages (Re writing and Revision). |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 23 Today students needed to bring the printed copy of their papers to class, most of them did. Today was a hard day, because students got upset at me about the given feedback since some students’ writings were copied from different sources in Internet. In addition, it was known because students´ writings are different since the language level is highly evident. Few students were honest and told the teacher about their writing product, some others told they looked for help from other people, some others copy certain information from different parts and some others used translators. Some students decided to change the topic since they did not feel sure about the topic after receiving feedback. But at least they knew that copying and posting information from other sources was not allowed. Other group of students feel worried about use of grammar in their writing productions because they sometimes did not understand what was wrong in some parts of their writing. And other students started their writings that day because they did not upload anything to the Platform. Today in class I had planned to have students receive peer feedback, but it was impossible because all students had questions at the same time and I could not sit with each one any way students’ questions were answered because any time they asked I gave them answers. | Some students’ reaction might mean they did not agree with the given feedback and consequently the written comments the teacher individually did. Honesty in some students might mean they are being aware of the process in which they start following and the importance of paraphrasing or referencing. Students might also think about the own language performance they want to achieve and for that reason some of them decided to change the topic, perhaps they felt the teacher’s support and understood the real purpose of the activity and how the feedback can help them to foster their language. Regarding the concerns about grammar issues, it might mean students want to be accurate in the use of some structures. Given that some students were really upset about the given feedback the class itself started late than usual, and as most of the students had questions at the same time it was impossible I sit with every single student. In addition, as on Wednesdays we have just one hour of class it was impossible to receive peer feedback. |
Comments: Today was a hard day because some students were kind of unrespectful with the teacher because they did not accept they copied information from internet knowing that their papers were almost error free and that their level of language is not that good. | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
September 28 Today students had to upload the Re/writing and Revision version of their writings based on the comments each one received from the teacher. Most of the students uploaded on time the task required for today just 4 people didn’t show up. While reviewing students’ papers I realized students’ writings improved a lot in the sense that some of the writing can be seen the students´ thoughts and point of views and their own way of writing. Interests towards raising awareness regarding grammar has been displayed by students, sometimes when being in class or outside some students ask explanation about word order or tense or verbs depending on their writings. Moreover, students kept some mistakes in their writing despite they had already received feedback. As eight days before, students´ writing were checked today. Tomorrow students will find in Moodle Platform their papers in order to have them finish with the last writing stage (Editing). | Most of the students are now familiar with the dates, respecting the deadlines. Perhaps those who did not upload the writings have not checked USTAVIRTUAL and follow the dates the teacher has given to them to complete the assignments. Noticing students’ language performance when writing the Re/writing and Revision version means that they have keeping in mind the feedback provided by the teacher, making them aware about their mistakes. Consequently, the given feedback has students thinking of the content, organization and grammar aspects of their papers. Students might give a high importance of improving grammar in their papers to have a good product to be read. Students keep realizing that as they need to respect a deadline the teacher commits too when giving back their writings. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
October 5th Today, the first writing activity closes. Students finished the circle of the five writing stages, since they uploaded their editing version. While checking students´ writings I realized in general most of the students have been improving and taken into account the given feedback. Meanwhile others continuing keeping some mistakes showing they did not follow the teacher´s feedback. As today the first writing activity closes I opened a Reflective forum in USTAVIRTUAL to have students write their perceptions. | After students finished writing a paper following the five writing stages they might feel they have improved thanks to the given feedback and the process followed. In the writings it is evident the language performance students had. Having the Reflective Forum students might feel this is a place where they can express what they felt when developing this activity and showing how their performance has been. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
October 7th Today I opened a new room for the second writing activity. This time based on the contents teachers must follow for this level I decided to give students 3 different topics to write about in order to avoid what happened in the first writing activity. | The second activity proposed might contribute to display in the students’ samples how much they have been improving, its samples might show organization since beforehand students know what to write about and how to do it when following the writing stages. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
October 12th Today as every Monday I closed the Forum since students had to upload the Brainstorming and Drafting. While checking students’ papers I realized some students missed the Brainstorming and just upload the Drafting. The students’ Drafting show a noticeable difference if I review some draftings from the first writing activity, students’ ideas are clearer, the paragraphs a more organized and the grammar issues are less. | As students know I am closing forums on Mondays, despite it was a day off most of the students uploaded their works. Perhaps students did not write the brainstorming thinking it was not necessary, they might think their own ideas were organized taking into account the whole process they went through. Evidently, students are being aware about the way they express their ideas paying attention to the grammar issues and connection among paragraphs. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
What happens | What it means |
October 19th
Reviewing students Re drafting and Revision version, I noticed a very good improvement in the quality of their work. Most of the students corrected their papers based on the teacher’s comments paying more attention to the grammar aspects. Despite have received previous feedback, some students did not upload their papers |
Students’ interest has increased towards writing and it is evident on the quality of their work. The feedback might have been supportive and encouraging. |
Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
| What happens | What it means |
| October 26th Today students uploaded their final paper of the second writing activity and while checking it I noticed students kept improving their writings based on the feedback provided. Their grammar was improved and their paragraphs organizations were more organized. As the project finishes at this point, students were asked to participate in the last reflective forum to know how much the liked these activities and how much the reached to learn. | Students finally accomplished the stated objective which was to foster their writing style evidenced in their final paper of the two writing activities. Students might realized they could improved their grammar and style when writing following some stages and bearing in mind the teacher’s feedback. This last reflective forum might collect students’ perceptions after following the writing cycle, and their answers might vary between the first reflective forum and this one. |
| Comments: | |
| What happens | What it means |
| October 28th Students participated writing in the reflective forum. Their reflections were pretty short but their responses aimed at the same target since all agreed that the process followed did help them to foster their writing style. | The project might have caused a positive impact since students felt it increased their English level and the way how to write even in Spanish. |
| Comments: | |
UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMAS TUNJA
FIELD NOTES
RESEARCH PROJECT 2009
| What happens | What it means |
| November 4th After implementing two writing activities following some stages in writing and, in order to finish collecting data using a new instrument, 6 students from this class were interviewed. Before doing this, the questions were reviewed by my research project tutor, and these questions were read beforehand by my students. At the end of the day, the researcher asked 5 questions. Preguntas entrevista Noviembre 4 de 2009 Mi nombre es Adriana Maritza Rivera, son las ………………. de la tarde, y hoy estamos a miércoles 4 de noviembre de 2009. En aras de reunir información para una investigación titulada Foster writing, le realizare unas preguntas al estudiante …………………………………………
The questions were asked in Spanish to have students express clearly their perceptions towards the activities developed after following some writing stages. Students’ responses were positive and they were will to answer the questions. | With the semi structured interview I closed the cycle of collecting data to finally start the triangulation of the instruments used during the implementation of this research project (field notes, students’ artifacts and semi structured interview). The questions were checked since it was important for me to avoid bias in the questions and I wanted to make sure they embraced they information I wanted to gather. Asking the questions in Spanish might contribute to have students express freely their thoughts and confident when answering since the feel more sure using their L1. So, by doing this I might make sure to collect the data I need for my research project. Based on students’ answers I might say they felt a change in their language performance meaning the stages to foster their writing and the feedback provided were meaningful, what it can be also reassured in their final papers. |
| Comments: | |
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario