Edited by Mimi Li and Meixiu Zhang
[Language Learning & Language Teaching 59] 2023
► pp. 155–180
This study examined the patterns and focus of peer interaction in collaborative L2 writing across text-based synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC and ACMC). Participants comprised 22 college EFL learners, who completed two Google-Docs-based collaborative expository writing tasks via text-based SCMC or text-based ACMC. Google Docs comments and history were analyzed. The predominant interaction pattern in text-based SCMC was expert/novice, followed by the collaborative pattern. In text-based ACMC, dominant/dominant, dominant/passive, and dominant/withdrawn were the predominant patterns. During peer interaction, learners focused on content and language rather than on organization, regardless of modality. In text-based SCMC, learners focused equally on language and content. In text-based ACMC, learners focused more on language than on content.