University of Sciences and Technology (Al-Tagana),Omdurman, Sudan

Computer Science and Information Technology College

Computer Science Department

Blended Learning and Task Based Writing

Second Year CS 2009-2010

 This wiki is created for a PhD research study in the impact on students' achievement and attitude when using blended learning (face to face and online) in teaching task-based writing activities. The sample taken is second year students at Computer Science Department, College of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Science and Technology (Al-Tagana), Omdurman, Khartoum. Using blended learning gives students the opportunity to continue improving their writing skill beyond classroom walls. The course consists of 10 tasks. Each week, one task should be completed to help revise what have been learnt and practiced in the classroom.

Overall Aims

Using  blended learning to teach task-based writing aims to improve student's performance in writing by integrating online tools into the syllabus, which is also expected to change their attitude towards learning enhance their motivation for learning the skill. An additional aim is to move from traditional writing classroom practices to electronic synchronous (at the same time) and asynchronous (delayed) environments using wikis, blogs, emails, Yahoo messenger and Yahoo Groups.

Objectives

At the end of term, students will have practiced

• using punctuation, capitalization
• producing correct short sentences.
• using paragraphs correctly.
• joining sentences and paragraphs using linking words.
• writing for simple communication
• practicing writing using Web based activities

Online Tools to be Used

By the end of the term, students will have used the following tools:

1.Blogs

2.Yahoo Group

3.pbworks

Methodology

• Teacher-students f2f weekly meetings will be at Centre 1, Computer Lab 07.
• Students are free to complete the weekly tasks wherever they have access to the Internet.
• Peer and group work are allowed before submitting weekly tasks.

*The methodology is subject to change according to what is needed, obstacles encountered, pace in accomplishing tasks or any other additional unforeseen obstacles.