Browsing by Author "Myers, Matthew C."

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    A Latent Dirichlet Allocation approach to understanding students’ perceptions of Automated Writing Evaluation
    (Computers and Education Open, 2024-05-24) Wilson, Joshua; Zhang, Saimou; Palermo, Corey; Cordero, Tania Cruz; Zhang, Fan; Myers, Matthew C.; Potter, Andrew; Eacker, Halley; Coles, Jessica
    Automated writing evaluation (AWE) has shown promise in enhancing students’ writing outcomes. However, further research is needed to understand how AWE is perceived by middle school students in the United States, as they have received less attention in this field. This study investigated U.S. middle school students’ perceptions of the MI Write AWE system. Students reported their perceptions of MI Write's usefulness using Likert-scale items and an open-ended survey question. We used Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to identify latent topics in students’ comments, followed by qualitative analysis to interpret the themes related to those topics. We then examined whether these themes differed among students who agreed or disagreed that MI Write was a useful learning tool. The LDA analysis revealed four latent topics: (1) students desire more in-depth feedback, (2) students desire an enhanced user experience, (3) students value MI Write as a learning tool but desire greater personalization, and (4) students desire increased fairness in automated scoring. The distribution of these topics varied based on students’ ratings of MI Write's usefulness, with Topic 1 more prevalent among students who generally did not find MI Write useful and Topic 3 more prominent among those who found MI Write useful. Our findings contribute to the enhancement and implementation of AWE systems, guide future AWE technology development, and highlight the efficacy of LDA in uncovering latent topics and patterns within textual data to explore students’ perspectives of AWE.
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    Integrating goal-setting and automated feedback to improve writing outcomes: a pilot study
    (Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 2022-05-17) Wilson, Joshua; Potter, Andrew; Cruz Cordero, Tania; Myers, Matthew C.
    Purpose: This study presents results from a pilot intervention that integrated self-regulation through reflection and goal setting with automated writing evaluation (AWE) technology to improve students’ writing outcomes. Methods: We employed a single-group pretest-posttest design. All students in Grades 5–8 (N = 56) from one urban, all female, public-charter middle school completed pretest and posttest measures of writing beliefs and writing performance. In between pretest and posttest, students completed monthly goal-setting activities via a Qualtrics survey and monthly persuasive writing practice via prompts completed within an AWE system. Findings: Students improved their self-regulation as indicated by improved goal calibration and confidence to achieve their goals over time. They also improved their self-efficacy for writing self-regulation and writing performance between pre and posttest. Students also perceived the intervention to be usable, useful, and desirable. Originality: This is a unique study because we integrated AWE and goal-setting instruction, which has not previously been done. Positive findings indicate the promise of this innovative, feasible, and scalable technology-based writing intervention.
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    Investigating the promise of automated writing evaluation for supporting formative writing assessment at scale
    (Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 2022-01-23) Wilson, Joshua; Myers, Matthew C.; Potter, Andrew
    We investigated the promise of a novel approach to formative writing assessment at scale that involved an automated writing evaluation (AWE) system called MI Write. Specifically, we investigated elementary teachers’ perceptions and implementation of MI Write and changes in students’ writing performance in three genres from Fall to Spring associated with this implementation. Teachers in Grades 3–5 (n = 14) reported that MI Write was usable and acceptable, useful, and desirable; however, teachers tended to implement MI Write in a limited manner. Multilevel repeated measures analyses indicated that students in Grades 3–5 (n = 570) tended not to increase their performance from Fall to Spring except for third graders in all genres and fourth graders’ narrative writing. Findings illustrate the importance of educators utilising scalable formative assessments to evaluate and adjust core instruction.
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    Middle school teachers’ implementation and perceptions of automated writing evaluation
    (Computers and Education Open, 2024-10-24) Wilson, Joshua; Delgado, Amanda; Palermo, Corey; Cordero, Tania M. Cruz; Myers, Matthew C.; Eacker, Halley; Potter, Andrew; Coles, Jessica; Zhang, Saimou
    Despite research supporting the efficacy of Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) in improving writing outcomes, inconsistent implementation by teachers raises concerns about the efficacy of these systems in practice. However, little is known about what factors influence teachers’ implementation and perceptions of AWE. This study examined the relationship between teachers’ implementation and perceptions of the MI Write AWE system, seeking to identify actionable factors that could enhance AWE implementation and acceptance in the future. A mixed-methods design was utilized, combining quantitative analysis of usage logs and survey data with qualitative insights from focus groups and interviews with 19 teachers who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the efficacy of MI Write on students’ writing outcomes. Quantitative data were subjected to descriptive and non-parametric statistical analyses, while qualitative data underwent a deductive coding process, offering an integrated view of MI Write's use and educators’ perceptions. Teachers implemented MI Write variably and not to the extent expected of them within the RCT, but they did report generally positive attitudes towards MI Write. Findings indicated that positive perceptions of system usability and usefulness may be insufficient to promote effective implementation. Instead, ecological factors such as curricular alignment and the challenge of incorporating AWE into existing workload, administrative support, and broader social and educational policy appeared as factors influencing implementation. Findings emphasize that teachers’ implementation and perceptions of AWE are dependent on a range of contextual elements beyond mere system functionality, suggesting that successful adoption requires addressing broader ecological considerations.
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    Predictors of middle school students’ perceptions of automated writing evaluation
    (Computers & Education, 2023-12-29) Wilson, Joshua; Zhang, Fan; Palermo, Corey; Cordero,Tania Cruz; Myers, Matthew C.; Eacker, Halley; Potter, Andrew; Coles, Jessica
    This study examined middle school students' perceptions of an automated writing evaluation (AWE) system, MI Write. We summarize students' perceptions of MI Write's usability, usefulness, and desirability both quantitatively and qualitatively. We then estimate hierarchical entry regression models that account for district context, classroom climate, demographic factors (i.e., gender, special education status, limited English proficiency status, socioeconomic status, grade), students' writing-related beliefs and affect, and students' writing proficiency as predictors of students' perceptions. Controlling for districts, students reporting more optimal classroom climate also reported higher usability, usefulness, and desirability for MI Write. Also, model results revealed that eighth graders, students with limited English proficiency, and students of lower socioeconomic status perceived MI Write relatively more useable; students with lower socioeconomic status also perceived MI Write relatively more useful and desirable. Students who liked writing more and more strongly believed that writing is a recursive process viewed MI Write as more useable, useful, and desirable. Students with greater writing proficiency viewed MI Write as less useable and useful; writing proficiency was not related to desirability perceptions. We conclude with a discussion of implications and future directions. Highlights • We study middle school students' perceptions of an AWE system called MI Write. • Students with LEP and lower SES perceived MI Write more useable/useful. • So too did students who liked writing and believed that revising was important. • Less proficient writers more strongly agreed that MI Write was useable and useful.
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    Writing motivation and ability profiles and transition during a technology-based writing intervention
    (Frontiers in Psychology, 2023-06-21) Cruz Cordero, Tania; Wilson, Joshua; Myers, Matthew C.; Palermo, Corey; Eacker, Halley; Potter, Andrew; Coles, Jessica
    Students exhibit heterogeneity in writing motivation and ability. Profiles based on measures of motivation and ability might help to describe this heterogeneity and better understand the effects of interventions aimed at improving students’ writing outcomes. We aimed to identify writing motivation and ability profiles in U.S. middle-school students participating in an automated writing evaluation (AWE) intervention using MI Write, and to identify transition paths between profiles as a result of the intervention. We identified profiles and transition paths of 2,487 students using latent profile and latent transition analysis. Four motivation and ability profiles emerged from a latent transition analysis with self-reported writing self-efficacy, attitudes toward writing, and a measure of writing writing: Low, Low/Mid, Mid/High, and High. Most students started the school year in the Low/Mid (38%) and Mid/High (30%) profiles. Only 11% of students started the school year in the High profile. Between 50 and 70% of students maintained the same profile in the Spring. Approximately 30% of students were likely to move one profile higher in the Spring. Fewer than 1% of students exhibited steeper transitions (e.g., from High to Low profile). Random assignment to treatment did not significantly influence transition paths. Likewise, gender, being a member of a priority population, or receiving special education services did not significantly influence transition paths. Results provide a promising profiling strategy focused on students’ attitudes, motivations, and ability and show students’ likeliness to belong to each profile based on their demographic characteristics. Finally, despite previous research indicating positive effects of AWE on writing motivation, results indicate that simply providing access to AWE in schools serving priority populations is insufficient to produce meaningful changes in students’ writing motivation profiles or writing outcomes. Therefore, interventions targeting writing motivation, in conjunction with AWE, could improve results.