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This thesis, an autoethnography, explores my own, personal experiences using technology in various writing situations: my writing process, collaborative publishing, my M.A. internship, online tutoring, and my first experience teaching college English composition in a computer classroom.

After a brief history of composition studies demonstrating a community realizing the need for more inclusive research practices, this thesis shows composition struggling with its identity as an academically legitimized discipline.

This project addresses writing instruction by teaching journal writing, interactive writing, and poetry instruction to Koreans in the English-as-a-foreign language situation. Writing and indentity construction and writing conferences are also addressed. The curriculum is designed for EFL teachers in Korea at the target-teaching level grades 3-6.

This action research study summarizes the investigation of journal writing and cooperative grouping with 8th grade geometry students in the construction of proof. Students written responses to prompts in journals were analyzed over the course of twelve weeks. Case studies of four students were developed from the researchers’ three geometry classes. All four students in the study participated in an academic program called Pre International Baccalaureate Preparation. Standardized test scores and an attitude scale categorized the four students. The ATMAT survey (Appendix A) measured each student’s attitude toward mathematics. Writing prompts focused on the students’ perceptions of the group process in constructing proofs and the development of geometric proof. The results suggested the students were engaged in learning within their cooperative groups but they also desired individual time before coming to a group setting. In addition, students’ written responses to journal prompts may provide an informal assessment and help students convey their own understanding of proof before any formal assessments.

This thesis reviews literature regarding English writing placement assessment and its impact on at-risk (under-prepared) college students.

This thesis reviews literature regarding English writing placement assessment and its impact on at-risk (under-prepared) college students.

For several years specialists in reading have debated on how pupils should learn to read. The debate has focused on two methods of teaching reading, that is, the phonic method and the whole language method. Some researchers have identified five elements of reading instruction that are critical to achievement in reading, namely; that reading instruction should include phonics, phonemic awareness, reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. These are the components that make up what is termed a balanced literacy approach. Although there is some debate on what constitutes the balanced literacy approach, this study adopted the understanding of the approach described above. The study investigated whether the use of the balanced literacy approach could improve standard four pupils’ achievement in reading and writing in English. The targeted population consisted of twelve schools located in Zomba rural district. Pupils were tested before and after the intervention. Teachers in the experimental group were trained twice on balanced literacy approaches, first before the intervention and midway of the intervention. Observational measures revealed that teachers generally implemented the treatment. The post intervention data indicated that pupils responded very well to the activities that were presented to them. The reading and writing achievement of pupils that were present for the post-test increased more than those of the control group. The results obtained suggest that the balanced literacy approach improved the reading and writing achievement of standard four pupils in the experimental group. / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)

This research explores peer review in the academic writing of ESL university students. It investigates the problem from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Overall findings showed no significant differences between the holistic coherence ratings given to the original and final drafts of the group of students exposed to a process approach to writing with peer review. Similarly, there were no significant differences between the holistic coherence ratings of this experimental group and control group on their final drafts. However, the findings of finer-grained comparative analyses of each experimental group student's original and final drafts revealed both positive and negative results with respect to changes made. The study also explores the changes in terms of the peer review process, so attempting to analyse in more qualitative detail how coherence is constituted in student academic writing. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

Text in English / Abstracts in Afrikaans and English / Ekspressiewe skryfwerk (ES) – as ‘n metode van intervensie gemik op fisiese en geesteswelstand van deelnemers – word reeds vir ongeveer drie dekades ondersoek. Klein en Boals beweer met hul 2001-studie dat ES ook ‘n positiewe invloed uitoefen op die werkende geheue van individue. Met die huidige studie word die vraag of hierdie bevinding ook van toepassing is op adolessente en jong volwassenes van Suidelike Afrika ondersoek. Dié projek betrek aanvanklik skoolleerders (N = 44) en eerstejaar universiteitstudente (N = 83) in die Suid-Kaap en met die skryfoefeninge word ‘n komponent bygevoeg by een van die eksperimentele groepe waar kognitiewe insette saam met die emosionele onthulling verlang word. Die studie-resultate toon heelwat teenstrydighede, dog die positiewe invloed van ES op die werkspan word by ‘n goeie aantal eksperimentele groep deelnemers waargeneem. Vorige navorsing dui op ‘n verlaging in die voorkoms van indringer- en vermydingsgedagtes na ES tesame met verbeterde werkspan en hierdie verband word van nader beskou deur die huidige studie. Die moontlikheid dat woordtelling per minuut as informele meting van werkspan aanvaar kan word, sowel as die moontlike verband tussen gemoedsvlak en skryfkondisie word ook met die projek ondersoek. / During the past three decades expressive writing has been in the research spotlight as an effective method of intervention in the improvement of human well-being. In 2001 a study done by Klein and Boals claimed that expressive writing also has a positive influence on the working memory of the student participants. The current study investigates the influence of expressive writing on adolescents and young adults in the Southern Africa context. Solution-focused exercises, together with emotional expression during the writing sessions, add a cognitive component to the intervention which strive to create greater impact on working memory capacity (WMC). Previous research indicate that improvement in WMC goes hand in hand with the reduction in the prevalence of intrusive and avoidant thoughts. During the current project the relationship between working memory and these thoughts is investigated. Additionally the possibility of word count as informal measure for WMC are looked at as well as a possible association between mood level and writing condition. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)