Improving Student Writing Fluency and Writing Self-Efficacy Through Blogging
School of Education and Health Sciences, University of Dayton
How they used Delve
An EdD candidate in the School of Education and Health Sciences at the University of Dayton uploaded Otter.ai transcripts of five interviews with ninth-grade English students into Delve and coded them deductively with a pre-drafted code list, as the qualitative strand of a mixed-methods dissertation on blogging and writing self-efficacy.
“I transcribed the interview data using the Otter.AI transcription. I then uploaded the transcriptions for coding in the Delve software. Delve allowed me to review the transcriptions and code and sort the data.”
- Field
- secondary English education; writing fluency and self-efficacy; blogging
- Data
- 5 semi-structured interviews (about 30 minutes each) with ninth-grade English students at Mount St. Mary Academy, plus student blog posts; quantitative strand of 23 students over eight weeks
- Approach
- Convergent mixed-methods case study framed as action research; deductive coding of interview transcripts with a pre-drafted code list (positive/negative perceptions of writing) from which themes were derived; quantitative strand of paired-samples t-tests and correlations (GSES, SESAW, WCVALUER rubric)
- Data types
- Interviews, Documents
Abstract
This dissertation examines the effectiveness of blogging to improve student writing fluency and writing self-efficacy in ninth-grade English courses at Mount St. Mary Academy. Utilizing a case study approach with convergent mixed methods, a paired samples t-test found no statistically significant changes in pre- and post- assessments of general and writing self-efficacy over an eight-week period. A bivariate correlation revealed a moderately positive linear and statistically significant relationship between SESAW (pre- and post-assessment) and WCVALUER scores—indicating a strong association between initial self-efficacy and writing fluency development. Furthermore, specific blogging activities, such as reflective pieces following a communal class retreat, showed significant correlations with the SESAW and WCVALUER. The qualitative analysis revealed both positive and negative perceptions of writing among students, highlighting areas of stress and anxiety alongside opportunities for engagement and growth. Implications for practice include program refinements and tailored interventions to meet student needs, supported by ongoing faculty development programs. Future research could explore unique correlations observed in this study, particularly relating to communal experiences like the class retreat.
Citation
Erin Siobhan Mason (2024). Improving Student Writing Fluency and Writing Self-Efficacy Through Blogging. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.