Implementation of Collaborative Writing Assignments in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the implementation of collaborative writing assignments in teaching English as aforeign language in Ethiopian higher education institutions. The participants of the study were English majorstudents and EFL teachers in four randomly selected public universities. Based on the given purpose, adescriptive survey research design was adopted. The researchers used questionnaires and sample collaborativewriting assignments to collect the data for the study. Quantitative and qualitative techniques of data analysiswere used to analyze the quantitative and the qualitative data respectively. The study revealed that mostcollected sample writing assignments were not designed properly since they lacked the essential qualities ofeffective tasks. In addition, the result of the study showed that the method used to assess group writingassignments by teacher participants was not proper. The participation of the students in group writingassignments was also found to be relatively low. Therefore, it is recommended that EFL teachers in the universitiesunder study consider the essential characteristics of well-designed group writing assignments. Additionally,they must utilize the proper assessment method in implementing collaborative writing assignments.