Abstract

SOLANO CORDOBA, Olga Ligia. Combined Learning (face-to-face/virtual) and the Development of Written Communication Skills. Educare [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.3, pp.293-313. ISSN 1409-4258.

This  paper  summarizes  the  results  of  the  research  project  El  aprendizaje combinado (presencial y no presencial apoyado  por el uso de internet)  y su utilidad para el desarrollo de las habilidades de expresión escrita [The  Use  of  Combined  Learning  (face-to-face  and  virtual) in Developing Written Expression Skills] conducted in 2011-2012 with the support  of the Office of the Vice-President for Research of the Costa Rica Institute of Technology. This research-action study was focused on exploring and systematizing  the contribution of combined  learning activities (bimodal courses) to develop written expression skills. Didactic strategies were designed  to use forums, wikis, blogs, bibliography  managers, concept  mapping  software, as well as online spelling checkers and dictionaries as means to promote the use of written language  in relevant contexts. The total study population included  eighty-one  students from the  University of Costa Rica and  the  Costa Rica Institute of Technology, and thirteen  faculty members  (ten were higher education teachers, three were teachers of the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica working with students from the 7^th  to the 11^th  grades, and there was a teacher working in both contexts). The outcomes of the project were evaluated through the analysis of products selected, panel discussions with the participant teachers, interviews to the participant  population,  and the analysis of the researcher’s project journals.  This study concludes  that  combined  learning contributes to improving written expression  skills, since it involves the development of skills and competencies to accomplish different tasks related to the access of knowledge  on a specific topic to be developed in writing, text planning, text production, proofreading and dissemination of the final product.

Keywords : Combined learning; developing  writing skills; digital writing and TIC´s.

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