Peer Feedback on EFL Students' Essay Writing through Google Classroom: A Multilingualism Study

Traditionally, expert surgeons have provided surgical trainees with feedback about their simulation performance, including for asynchronous practice. Unfortunately, innumerable time demands may limit experts' ability to provide feedback. It is unknown whether and how peer feedback is an effective mechanism to help residents acquire laparoscopic skill in an asynchronous setting. As such, we aimed to assess the effect of peer feedback on laparoscopic performance and determine how residents perceive giving and receiving peer feedback. We conducted a convergent mixed methods study. In the quantitative component, we randomized residents to receive feedback on home laparoscopic tasks from peers or faculty. We then held an end-of-curriculum, in-person laparoscopic assessment with members from both groups and compared performance on the in-person assessment between the groups. In the qualitative component, we conducted interviews with resident participants to explore experiences with feedback and performance. Three authors coded and rigorously reviewed interview data using a directed content analysis. We performed this study at a single tertiary academic institution: the University of California, San Francisco. We invited 47 junior residents in general surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, and urology to participate, of whom 37 (79%) participated in the home curriculum and 25 (53%) participated in the end-of-curriculum assessment. Residents in the peer feedback group scored similarly on the final assessment (mean 70.7%; SD 16.1%) as residents in the faculty feedback group (mean 71.8%; SD 11.9%) (p = 0.86). Through qualitative analysis of interviews with 13 residents, we identified key reasons for peer feedback's efficacy: shared mental models, the ability to brainstorm and appreciate new approaches, and a low-stakes learning environment. We found that peer and faculty feedback led to similar performance in basic laparoscopy and that residents engaged positively with peer feedback, suggesting that peer feedback can be used when residents learn basic laparoscopy.

The rapid advancement of technology in education has reshaped the dynamics of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning. This study explores the integration of Google Classroom as a Learning Management System (LMS) in an EFL classroom at a private senior high school in South Tangerang, Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through classroom observations, document analysis, questionnaires, and interviews with one EFL teacher and 30 students. The findings reveal that Google Classroom supported teaching and learning by facilitating the distribution of assignments, sharing of learning resources, and fostering discussions. Students reported increased motivation, engagement, and opportunities for independent learning, while teachers highlighted its potential to enhance communication and feedback. However, challenges such as unstable internet access, limited digital literacy, and increased preparation time were identified. Overall, the study concludes that Google Classroom is an effective tool for supporting EFL learning, though its successful integration requires adequate technological infrastructure, training, and strategic pedagogical planning.

This study used questionnaires eliciting quantitative and qualitative data to investigate (1) foreign language learners’ beliefs about peer feedback on pronunciation before and after a peer feedback intervention and (2) peer feedback providers’, peer feedback receivers’, and teacher feedback receivers’ experiences of the intervention. Participants included 127 first-year learners of German. They were assigned to a peer feedback provider group, a peer feedback receiver group, a teacher feedback receiver group, or a control group. After a general pronunciation training for the first three groups and a metacognitive instruction session for the first two groups, the peer feedback providers were instructed to give feedback on their peers’ pronunciation whereas the peer feedback receivers were asked to incorporate their peers’ feedback and the teacher feedback receivers were asked to incorporate feedback from their teachers. Quantitative and qualitative data from a pre- and post-intervention beliefs questionnaire revealed that while all groups held mostly positive beliefs about peer feedback before the intervention, only the peer feedback providers’ beliefs changed over time, specifically, their beliefs about peer feedback were significantly more positive after the intervention. Data from an exit questionnaire further indicated that the teacher feedback receivers found their feedback more useful than the peer feedback receivers. Moreover, while the peer feedback providers found correcting peers beneficial for their own language development, many of them felt uncomfortable giving feedback, whereas the peer feedback receivers did not feel uncomfortable receiving it. These findings suggest that peer feedback providers may need additional instruction to help them feel more comfortable correcting other learners.

A number of studies have used interviews to find out L2 learners’ perceptions of different feedback practices. Usually, learners who have been interviewed have experienced a number of different feedback practices. The purpose of the present study is to investigate learner revision practices and perceptions of peer and teacher feedback after having received feedback from only one source. In this study, learners received either teacher feedback alone or only peer feedback for one year. Twelve students were then interviewed to investigate their revision practices and perceptions of both peer and teacher feedback. The narrative analysis of the interview data showed that participants were very concerned about ‘correcting’ their drafts. Students in both groups had similar levels of comprehension of feedback; however, those in the peer feedback group were more forthcoming about asking their peers when they did not understand. Students in the teacher feedback group felt that they did not have enough time between drafts for the revisions they wanted to make. It was also found that students in the peer feedback group seemed to benefit more from reading their peers’ writing than from receiving peer feedback.

This study investigated the effect of using Google Classroom on the reading and writing performance of diploma students with English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Irbid, Jordan. It aimed to investigate the attitudes of students toward using Google Classroom as an innovative online platform. A total of 26 EFL Syrian diploma students participated in this study; the participants sat in one intact group. The researchers employed a quasi-experimental design and one-group pretest-posttest design based on the quantitative data. The data were collected through a reading and writing test and a questionnaire. According to the results of the study, Google Classroom improved the reading and writing performance of Syrian students. Students showed positive attitudes toward using Google Classroom in terms of its ease of use, usefulness, and accessibility. Future studies should analyze the effectiveness of Google Classroom with respect to other contexts. This study affirmed the liability of utilizing Google Classroom in wider contexts.

Peer feedback can be described as the act of one learner evaluating the performance of another learner. It has been shown to impact student learning and achievement in language learning contexts positively. It is a skill that can be trained, and there have been calls for research on peer feedback training. Mobile microlearning is a type of technology-enhanced learning which is notable for its short duration and flexibility in the time and place of learning. This study aims to evaluate how an asynchronous microlearning app might improve students’ skills for providing peer feedback on spoken content in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) education. This study used convenience sampling and a quasi-experimental single-group pre-/post- research design. Japanese university students (n = 87) in an EFL course used the Pebasco asynchronous microlearning app to practice peer feedback skills. The students’ app usage data were used to identify five behavioral profiles. The pattern of profile migration over the course of using Pebasco indicates that many participants improved or maintained desirable patterns of behavior and outcomes, suggesting a positive impact on the quality of peer feedback skills and second-language (L2) skills, as well as the ability to detect L2 errors. The findings also suggest improvements that can be made in future design iterations. This research is novel because of a current lack of research on the use of no-code technology to develop educational apps, particularly in the context of microlearning for improving peer feedback skills in EFL.

Writing is one of the most important skills in second language teaching, learning and assessment. Consequently, it is crucial to enhance writing ability. According to several studies, one beneficial way is using peer feedback. Furthermore, time pressure is one of those non-linguistic factors which may affect the students’ writings. This study was an attempt to investigate the effect of time pressure and peer feedback on Iranian EFL students' writing performance. To conduct this study, 69 female and male students received an Oxford Proficiency Test (OPT) and 60 homogeneous participants whose scores ranged from 150 to 169 (advanced level) were selected. They were divided into three groups of twenty and asked to write about the same topic under three different conditions. In the first group the participants had timed exam without peer feedback for 40 minutes, the second group had timed exam with peer feedback for 40 minutes, and the last group had untimed exam with peer feedback. Finally, results of a two-way ANOVA test indicated that the best performance is related to the group who received peer feedback under time pressure; next, the group who received peer feedback without any time pressure, and the last group who wrote without peer feedback under time pressure. To recap, the results illustrated that peer feedback had a significant effect, while time pressure did not have any effect on writing performance. Furthermore, it was revealed that there was no interaction between peer feedback and time pressure.

The present study employs a cross-lagged panel design to investigate the intricate interplay between peer feedback and self-regulation and their influences on writing performance. Data were collected through surveys and writing tests conducted twice, involving a total of 249 students studying English as a foreign language (EFL) at a university in China. The results illuminate positive correlations among self-regulation, peer feedback, and writing performance, extending across a longitudinal perspective. These findings underscore the pivotal role of self-regulation in shaping the dynamics of peer feedback, subsequently influencing writing outcomes over time. Notably, peer feedback emerges as a critical longitudinal mediator in the relationship between self-regulation and writing performance. This study distinguishes itself through its innovative approach, which integrates peer feedback and self-regulation in the realm of writing over an extended period. The encouraging outcomes underscore the potential of this pioneering methodology in enriching the landscape of peer feedback through self-regulation, and, ultimately, writing development. The innovative, pragmatic, and scalable nature of this approach further enhances its promise for both research and practical application.

Doctoral students with English as an additional language (EAL) in the natural sciences who work in non-Anglophone research settings commonly write their research texts in a foreign language during their short research apprenticeship. Learning to write research texts in an additional language is typically scaffolded by expert feedback, but doctoral supervisors’ time can be limited, thereby creating a need for additional sources of help. Peer feedback (PF) can be such a source; however, there is little research addressing how peer feedback might scaffold the writing of doctoral students with EAL in non-Anglophone settings. This case study explores six EAL doctoral students’ descriptions of receiving, assessing and using multiple rounds of PF that were provided to their original research texts by other EAL doctoral students in the natural sciences. Using text elicitation interviews and thematic analysis, this case study in a Swedish university explores how EAL peers’ feedback can potentially scaffold doctoral students’ research writing. Findings showed that peer comments mediated writers’ knowledge on rhetorical moves, organisational and cohesion features, academic and disciplinary constructs, and in some instances, mediated research knowledge.

Peer feedback activities in higher education stimulate critical thinking and reflective learning. However, both research and practice show that students may be concerned about the quality of the peer feedback they receive. To address this, we developed an inductive teaching intervention aimed at enhancing students’ feedback literacy while exploring their understanding of ‘quality’ feedback. This was achieved by asking students to select and justify examples of useful, received peer feedback. Our findings revealed variability in the content of the peer feedback examples that students selected as useful, as well as in their justifications for these choices, highlighting content specificity, correctional guidance, and motivational comments. Evaluations and a focus group interview showed that the inductive approach increased students’ awareness of useful feedback characteristics and underscored the learning effect of the intervention. The findings also suggest that effective feedback principles are similar for both peer and teacher feedback, highlighting the link between giving and receiving feedback in developing feedback literacy.

Nowadays, the common problem confronting English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher in public schools is over-sized classes. This study investigates the utilization of peer feedback which is believed to reduce the teacher’s workload and increase students’ capability in learning a foreign language. The study recruited 84 EFL students who learn General Business English to be the participants, of whom 42 were in the control group and the rest in the experimental group. They were asked to write a business email after a period of instructions. The participants benefiting from peer feedback outperformed those who received conventional method although both groups had an overall higher mean score in the post-test. Most of the responses to the questions in the questionnaire reached high scales of the five-point Likert scale which showed that the experimental students appreciated peer feedback provided. Some recommendations and limitations are included in the paper for future exploration.

Google Classroom (GC) is a technical innovation that allows English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and students to meet remotely to create a more engaging teaching and learning experience. This study investigated factors influencing ESL teachers’ intentions to utilize GC for instructions during the Covid-19 pandemic. An exploratory sequential technique was implemented as part of a mixed-methods research design. Eleven prior studies on educators’ views toward the use of GC were evaluated for the qualitative data analysis. The data from these investigations were analysed and categorized into topics and categories. The findings revealed that ESL teachers had a positive attitude toward utilizing GC with their pupils. For the quantitative data analysis, a research survey was performed. Technical support, attitude, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and technological knowledge were studied as factors that impacted ESL teachers’ intentions to use GC. The sample includes 216 government secondary schools in the Kinta Selatan District of Perak. The outcomes of the study revealed that attitude, perceived usefulness, and technological knowledge all influenced the desire to use GC. The link between technical support and perceived ease of use, as well as the desire to use GC, was found to be negative. In linking the factors that determine GC intention, future research might incorporate a variety of moderating variables. The study’s findings might assist educators to understand the challenges of online learning in Malaysian education, as well as how to overcome them.

This study explores the role of formative assessment (FA) in improving the speaking skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Uzbekistan. The research focuses on how self-assessment, peer feedback, and teacher-led formative strategies impact learners’ fluency, accuracy, and overall confidence in oral communication. A mixed-method study was conducted at a secondary school involving 30 pre-intermediate learners. Data were collected through observation, speaking tasks, and surveys. The findings reveal that regular use of formative assessment helps increase student motivation, speaking performance, and classroom participation. The paper concludes with recommendations for EFL teachers and policymakers to integrate formative practices in English language teaching.

Speaking is widely recognized as one of the most challenging skills for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners due to affective factors such as speaking anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and low self-confidence. Oral peer feedback has been proposed as a pedagogical approach to address these challenges by fostering learner interaction and reflection. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design to explore the implementation of oral peer feedback and students’ perceived influence of this practice on speaking performance, confidence, and anxiety. The study was conducted at a boarding school, Pondok Pesantren BUMI BOS, involving 38 eighth- and ninth-grade EFL students. Data were collected through classroom observations using an observation checklist and semi-structured interviews with selected students. Data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman framework, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, with triangulation applied to enhance credibility. The findings showed that oral peer feedback was implemented in a generally supportive and structured manner, characterized by recognition of strengths, balanced positive and constructive comments, and respectful communication. Students perceived oral peer feedback as helpful in increasing awareness of their speaking strengths and weaknesses, enhancing motivation, and building speaking confidence. However, students experienced difficulty providing actionable suggestions, often requiring teacher scaffolding. While many students reported reduced speaking anxiety, some continued to feel nervous when feedback was perceived as overly critical. Ninth-grade students demonstrated higher engagement and confidence than eighth-grade students. The study suggests that oral peer feedback has a positive perceived influence on students’ speaking engagement and confidence, particularly when supported by clear guidelines and teacher guidance, highlighting the importance of structured peer feedback training in EFL speaking classrooms.

EFL(English as a Foreign Language) learners tend to choose translation strategies in their English learning process. This study aims to examine the potential relationship between English language proficiency and EFL learners’ use of translation strategies, displaying the differences in the use of translation strategies between students at higher level of English language proficiency and those at lower level of English language proficiency. An ITLS questionnaire (The Inventory for Translation as a Learning Strategy) designed by Liao Posen (Liao, 2002：159-161)was distributed to 190 students in Southwest Jiaotong University who had taken the national English language proficiency assessment—CET-4(College English Test Band 4). Based on Independent Sample T-test, the results show that significant differences were found between the proficient EFL learners and the limited English proficient learners in some of the uses of translation strategies, and lower achievers were more likely to adopt translation strategies in English learning. According to Pearson Correlation Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis, this research also found out that the use of translation to enhance English-language abilities was negatively correlated with English language proficiency and could best predict the negative performance of English language proficiency assessment. Implications for the role of translation strategies in EFL learning are discussed.