Virtual writing: A new experience for Iranian EST students

The various applications of the Internet in language education are of enormous value particularly in foreign language settings where L2 exposure is limited to classroom instruction. The present study has been an attempt to investigate the applicability of online instruction in improving the writing ability of Iranian EFL learners. In so doing, two classes of 20 EFL learners studying airline ticketing in a technical college in Tehran were selected and equated in terms of their general language proficiency and writing skill. The control group attended a traditional writing class for 15 sessions over 5 weeks. The experimental group, however, received the instruction at home through the Internet, from lessons and exercises to the corrective feedback on their writing. At the end of the instruction, both groups sat for a writing posttest and filled out a questionnaire about their experience. Statistical analyses indicated that despite the positive attitude of the experimental group towards their new experience, they did not outperform their peers in the traditional class which could be due to their inability to take full advantage of the learning opportunities virtual instruction provides. The researchers concluded that Iranian EFL learners are just at the beginning of this web-based journey and need time to explore the demands of such self-service instruction.