The Improvement In English Writing Skills Of Students Through Blogging At Higher Secondary School Level

Abstract

The present study seeks to identify the effectiveness of blogging in developing writing skills of Higher Secondary School Students. The English writing of the students was measured in terms of the organization and content of text. A true experimental design was used to measure the effects of blogging and pen-and-paper tools at a public sector Higher Secondary School for Boys. After pretest sixty eight students of 2^nd year were randomly divided into two mix-ability groups blogging (n=34) and pen-and-paper (n=34). The students of both groups wrote 24 texts (essays, summaries, and character-sketches) from their course according to the schedule of the experiment during eight weeks treatment. The pre and post-tests were validated by a committee which constituted six experienced English language experts. After eight weeks treatment a similar-structured posttest was conducted to find out the difference. Two raters evaluated the students in both the tests according to the developed rubric with combative weight age to each aspect. The median score given by two raters was assigned to each participant. The salient difference of blogging group was peer review and peer feedback. Findings of the research showed that the effects of blogging were significant in terms of organization and content of text. Technology, internet, peer review, and peer feedback motivated the students to write with eagerness. They also liked innovative learning style in contrast with traditional old method of practicing and learning of writing. They found blogging interesting and motivating platform and enhanced their English writing performance through blogging as compared to traditional writing tools.