Workshop: Learning to write and the role of learner characteristics Martine Braaksma* University of Amsterdam *In cooperation with Gert Rijlaarsdam & Huub van den Bergh

Program Introduction Main points lecture Examples of measuring learning characteristics Analyzing interaction effects Designing own experiments Discussion

Main points lecture Most experimental studies focus on main effects They assume that effective interventions are valid for whole groups of participants, irrespective of differences in learners’ initial skills, knowledge, aptitudes, attitudes and beliefs Interactions between learner characteristics and interventions remain hidden

Different kind of interactions Learning condition Learner characteristics Learning phase Grouping of learners Learning aim

Example: Learning conditions, learner characteristics, and learning aim Experimental design: 01 X O2 Learning conditions (X):  Planning condition  Revising condition Learner characteristics (O1):  Writing strategy Learning aim (O2):  Learning to write: writing skill  Writing to learn: literary interpretation skill Kieft et al, 2007, 2008

Learning conditions: Planning or revising Course on learning to write complete and convincing argumentative texts about short literary stories in two conditions Planning or revising condition

Intervention in two conditions

Learner characteristics Writing strategy (planning or revising): writing process questionnaire Mixed strategies possible, it’s about preference Revising strategy preference  Thinking through the act of writing  Producing free (pieces of) texts, drafts, and then reprocess, revise, rewrite, select etc. Planning strategy preference  First planning, notes, schemes etc., then write  Little revision on line, when writing

Sculptors (revising)Engineers (planning)

Learning aims Learning to interpret literary stories by writing about such stories Learning to write argumentative texts (stand point, argumentation) Students wrote as post-test an essay:  ‘‘You are about to read a short story. Write a text about the story of at least 250 words, in which you tell a classmate what the story is about, and what your opinion about the story is.’’ Essays are rated on two different aspects Learning to write: writing skill (rhetorical attractiveness, quality of argumentation) Writing to learn: literary interpretation skill (quality of literary interpretation; understanding of the story)

Results Aim: Learning to write Writing to learn to improve text quality

Revising style: planning condition

Planning style: planning condition NON-Planning style: revising condition

Results Aim: Writing to Learn Writing to understand a literary text

Revising style: Revising condition

Planning style: planning condition

SO? When improving writing skills If writing approach is outspoken? Best learning via PLANNING condition n If writing approach is definitely not outspoken? Best learning via EXPLORING / REVISING condition

SO? When improving content learning

In sum Be aware of the effects of learner characteristics when: Designing writing interventions (effects of conditions and instructional aims) Designing and analyzing (quasi) experiments in writing

Measuring learner characteristics Same as dependent variable (so target skill or learning aim, e.g., writing skill, domain knowledge, motivation) Different as dependent variable (e.g., aptitude, motivation) Used in previous studies: self-efficacy for writing, writing strategies, writing skill, aptitude, self-monitoring

Examples and hands on Self-efficacy for writing Writing strategy Self-monitoring Complete the writing strategy questionnaire and perform the self test. Surprised? Time left? Complete the self-monitoring questionnaire. Surprised?

Analyzing interaction effects in SPSS Preparing the data set Performing mixed models analysis Performing regression analysis Performing correlational analysis Interpretating the output

Designing own experiments In pairs: think and talk about opportunities in your own research project to study interaction effects: Possible? Which learner characteristics? Which measurement instruments? Expectations?

Discussion of findings and workshop

Thank you for your attention! More information: Slides and workshop materials at: Publications at: