A Google Sheets-based approach to dynamic written corrective feedback: Learning outcomes and teacher time

Abstract

Using custom workbooks created in Google Sheets, dynamic written corrective feedback (WCF) was digitized in this study to streamline the workloads of both teachers and students. While previous attempts used Google Sheets for a one-to-one conversion, this study looked to further leverage web-based affordances. With these web-based tools, teachers could more easily take advantage of online resource sharing and consolidate class data using simple formulas. This allowed students’ data to be pulled into a master sheet as well as pushing out changes to workbooks. Moreover, Google Sheets’ status as a freely available application on multiple platforms, thus not limiting students’ choice, was deemed of benefit to this study. However, while the choice of application was integral, the main purpose of this study was to examine the learning outcomes associated with providing different forms of teacher feedback within an adapted dynamic WCF framework. In this study conducted at a Japanese university in Tokyo, the participants were from three classes of Law majors following the same English for academic purposes syllabus over 15 weeks. Group 1 (N = 28), acting as a control, received the teacher’s feedback only in the form of comments and marginal notes on weekly paragraph writing tasks, but no grammar correction. Group 2 (N  =   24), in addition to such teacher comments, had all errors underlined and categorised with an error code by their teacher. Group 3 (N  =  19) received teacher comments and a more direct form of WCF whereby errors were crossed out and the correct form provided alongside an error code.