Arab World English Journal (February 2016) Theses / Dissertations (ID 156)
Name of researcher: Mashael Salem AlSalem
Title of the thesis/dissertation: The Effectiveness of Cooperative-Online Synchronous Learning in Promoting Reading Skills of Freshman Female Students at the College of Languages and Translation, KSU
Subject/major: Applied Linguistics
University name, department name: King Saud University, College of Arts, English Department
Degree: Master
Year of award 2010
Supervisor: Prof. Abdulrahman A. Al-Abdan
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating cooperative-online synchronous learning (CSCMC) as a supplement material carried out to enhance reading performance. Author-Plus and a website were used to be the treatment of the study. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference between the mean scores of the students who completed the experiment and those who did not. The study also involved an attitude questionnaire to detect the experimental group’s attitude towards CSCMC. There was also a motivation questionnaire to determine the experimental students’ level of motivation to read in the target language after undergoing the treatment. Two intact groups (50 in total) were selected from level one English Translation program at the College Of Languages and Translation in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two groups were assigned to be the experimental group (25 students) and the control group (25 students). In the experimental group, students completed six activities designed to improve their reading performance through comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The control group, on the other hand, did not carry out any additional activities and was restricted to the regular class teaching. A pre-and a post-test in reading performance was designed and administered to all students in this study before and after the completion of the experiment. The experiment lasted six weeks. The study found out that CSCMC was effective in improving reading performance among subjects of the experimental group. Additionally, the study found that subjects of the experimental group showed positive attitude towards CSCMC after completing the experiment. Moreover, the experimental group appeared to be motivated to read in the target language after undergoing the treatment.
Keywords: Author-ware, Cooperative learning, Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), The Constructivist Theory, the Interaction hypothesis
Note: Citing this thesis , please use:
AlSalem, Mashael Salem. (2010). The Effectiveness of Cooperative-Online Synchronous Learning in Promoting Reading Skills of Freshman Female Students at the College of Languages and Translation, KSU (Master’s Thesis).
Retrieved from(Arab World English Journal Database. (ID Number: 156, February 2016).
http://www.awej.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=844:mashael-salem-alsalem&catid=20&Itemid=117