What makes collaborative early FL reading effective? A mobile dynamic peer-assisted learning system

Abstract

Collaborative learning is a learning approach in which peer interaction plays a significant role and students work together to accomplish shared goals. It is a widely used approach to increasing the intensity of EFL reading program. However, just heterogeneously placing students in a group and assigning them a group goal does not guarantee that students will involve in effective collaborative learning activities. When working without technological support, some problems in EFL reading group can be detected. We describe how weakness in learning supporting, feedback providing and lack of mobility can be solved with a mobile devices-supported dynamic peer-assisted learning grouping. The study explored EFL students’ collaborative behaviors without technological support. In order to overcome the weaknesses found in the non-technological collaborative EFL reading activities, we designed a dynamic peer-assisted learning program in a wireless reading system. Finally, we analyzed students’ collaborative behaviors with technological support. The result of our work identify an effective way of using mobile devices to support collaborative EFL reading activities that address the above mentioned weakness.