We-Write Persuasively: A Journey Toward Effective Teacher-Managed Web-Supported Writing Instruction With Fifth-Grade Classrooms

• In Event: 54.030 - Translating Effective Research on Reading and Writing Into Practice at the Elementary Grades

Abstract

Background
Writing is a cornerstone of academic success, self-expression, lifelong learning, and professional success. Despite the importance of writing, the majority of students in this country are not good writers.

Purpose
The objective of We-Write - Persuasively is to combine self-regulated strategies development (SRSD; Harris, Graham, & Mason, 2006) and text structure strategy instruction(Wijekumar, Meyer, & Lei, 2013) in a teacher-managed web-supported intervention to improve persuasive writing with fifth grade students. We-Write teaches fifth grade students’ how to select, encode, and take notes from source materials (synthesize source materials), write logical, coherent, and compelling persuasive arguments (learning to write) as well as how to use such writing as a tool for learning content material (writing to learn). The purpose of this session will be to present findings from a recent study using the teacher-managed lessons in conjunction with web-based supporting lessons and teacher administration of the system. The research questions guiding this study were:
1. Does the individual attention, scaffolding, and feedback provided by We-Write improve writing quality?
2. Is strategy use better for students using We-Write?
3. Does interacting with We-Write lessons yield more positive attitudes towards writing and self-efficacy?
4. What are the operational challenges related to implementing We-Write in classroom settings?
Setting:

Research was conducted within 11 fifth-grade classrooms in three schools in rural and suburban Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The schools served 73% of children who were eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch, 53% minority, per student expense was $13,667
Intervention

The We-Write intervention consisted of teacher-led lessons to support the six stages of SRSD instruction for persuasive writing carefully choreographed with web-based lessons designed to support and extend the learning.

We-Write lessons were implemented for 12 weeks after the pre-tests were completed.

Research Design:

A randomized controlled trial design was conducted with classrooms randomly assigned to intervention or control.

Data Collection and Analysis:


224 fifth grade students in 11 fifth grade classes in 3 schools completed the writing pretest and posttest. Their compositions were scored for overall writing quality using a nine point scale (1-9) that included anchor papers for scores of 2, 4, 6, and 8 (higher scores represented better writing).

Findings / Results:

A series of hierarchical linear models were specified and analyses were conducted on the differences between the intervention and control classroom children on overall writing quality and quality of plans. Both showed very large effects favoring the intervention group (writing quality ES 2.03 and planning ES 1.75). All analyses were statistically significant (p < .001). Self-efficacy, attitude, and approach to writing also showed significant differences favoring the intervention.

Conclusions:

The web-based We-Write platform presents a new approach to dealing with challenges of teacher-roles when implementing computer-based software in classrooms. In this design and development approach we carefully choreographed the role of teacher-led lessons and supported the extension and practice with the We-Write software. The findings from the study show promise as evidenced by the improvements noted above.

Author

• Karen R. Harris, Arizona State University