Details of Research Outputs

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2023, online collaboration became a common method for students to work together, replacing traditional face-to-face collaborative learning. With the help of technology, students accessed different virtual learning spaces for interaction and collaboration. The purpose of this study is to examine TESOL students' attitudes towards using one such collaborative learning platform, "Microsoft Teams (MTs)" for a group writing project. Thirty-two undergraduate students in an EMI college were assigned to small groups to work on a collaborative writing project throughout the semester and, during the final week, they were asked to fill out a student attitude survey as well as a student teamwork satisfaction scale with seven open-ended questions regarding their online collaborating experiences. Results from both surveys revealed that, generally, students favoured working collaboratively in an online environment, suggesting that this kind of software is a useful tool for collaborative writing and influenced student learning positively. However, half of the students also reported that they were not willing to use MTs in the future. This finding implies that they were unfamiliar with MTs prior to the study and that this new learning tool was not easy for them to use. Some recommendations for future educators about the implementation of collaborative technology are provided at the end of chapter.