Problems Encountered in Dialogue Journal Writing Via Email: A Malaysian Case Study

Abstract

Today’s learning environment, which includes technology, has brought unprecedented opportunities for teaching and learning. The integration of technology can transform a class from lecture driven to a constructivist and inquiry-oriented classroom (Newby, Stepich, Lehman and Russell). One possible technology that can realise this transformation in a learning situation is the integration of telecommunication technology. Such a class has the potential of providing an authentic interactive writing environment. Email, which is one of the telecommunication facilities, can turn learning into a social interactive process. According to Allen and Thompson, the effect of email on the quality of writing is positive when students know that the communication is real and that they will receive a prompt reply. Studies also show that online correspondence facilitates peer editing (St. John and Cash; Hawisher and Moran) and collaborative writing (Hawisher and Moran; Bonvallet and De Luce).