The effect of online cooperative learning method on secondary school students' persuasive writing skills and writing anxiety

The aim of the study is to reveal the effect of online cooperative learning method on secondary school students' persuasive writing skills and writing anxiety.Mixed method was preferred in this study, in which both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The working group of the study consists of two different 7th grade classes (n: 54) in an A secondary school in Giresun. One of the classes is taken randomly as a control group (n:28) while the other one is the treatment group(n:26). As writing exercises were conducted through traditional methods in control group, they were implemented through EBA (Electronic Information Network) for 4 weeks. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used. Written expression anxiety scale, written expression evaluation scale and persuasive writing skill rubric were used as quantitative data collection tools while students interview questionnaire was used as qualitative data collection tool. The collected quantitative data was administered on SPSS 16 by conducting the analyses like frequency, percentage, mean, Mann Whitney U and Wilcoxon. The qualitative data was evaluated with content analysis. At the end of the study, it was seen that cooperative learning method increases the ability of persuasive writing and individual writing skill while it not decreases writing anxiety. In addition, students express positive opinion and feedback on online cooperative learning method. Key words: Written expression, online media, cooperative writing, persuasive writing skill, writing anxiety.