Peer corrective feedback in computer-mediated collaborative writing

Abstract

A peer feedback activity is generally implemented in a writing class as a reciprocal activity, whereby two students exchange their drafts and provide each other with feedback, including corrective feedback (CF), on these drafts. The feedback can be delivered in the form of comments written on the drafts or on a checklist, comments provided via face-to-face or computer-mediated (CM) interaction, or a combination of these forms. However, the literature on peer feedback has also identified some of the difficulties that L2 learners experience in peer feedback activities, particularly in the provision of CF. This chapter defines collaborative writing and then briefly reviews the literature on CF provided by peers working on the tasks in the face-to-face environment. It provides an overview of research findings on peer CF when the collaborative writing activities are CM and the pedagogical implications of these findings.