Grammatical accuracy improvement in virtual learning environments using screencast feedback

Abstract

This research was carried out with 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a Colombian, virtual, public university. It aimed to analyze the grammatical accuracy improvement of students when writing short descriptive texts after they received feedback through screencasts. This study was a mixed action research since qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data were used; this approach allowed the researcher to use four types of instruments: a pre intervention survey, students' short descriptive texts, a teacher's journal and a post intervention survey. Data was analyzed using Descriptive Statistics and Grounded Theory. Findings revealed that students who were developing their language competencies in a virtual learning environment benefited through the use of image and audio in a single resource, which allowed the teacher to combine oral and written comments, provide observations on specific issues, and suggest how errors should be corrected. In like manner, screencast feedback proved to be a strategy that not only allowed students to have the opportunity to understand and improve their grammatical errors when writing short descriptive texts but also the teacher to make appropriate and punctual suggestions. ​​