Page 1 of 19

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 05

June 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 265

Training in Metacognitive, Affective and Social Learning Strategies

of Writing: Its Effects in Improving Students’ Use of the Strategies,

the case of Hawassa University Students

Dr. Zeleke Arficho Ayele

Hawassa University P. O. Box 05 Ethiopia

E-mail: zelekearficho@gmail.com

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine

the effects of training in metacognitive,

affective and social learning strategies of

writing in improving students’ use of each of

these learning strategies of writing. To this

end, the selected Year-I students of Hawassa

University were taught lessons of the Basic

Writing Skills course with training in each of

the three groups of the learning strategies of

writing. Data were collected mainly through

a pre and post-training five-point scale

questionnaire. An interview was also held

with selected participants. Paired-Samples T

Test was computed to compare the pre and

post-training mean scores of the students.

The results showed that the training

significantly improved the students’ use of

the learning strategies of writing (t-values >

-10.72, p-values =.000). Moreover, results

of the interview revealed that the training

made the students learn the importance of

the strategies to improve their writing skills.

Hence, they continued using the strategies

appropriately in and outside the class to

help them successfully accomplish their

writing tasks. Based on the findings,

recommendations have been made.

Key terms: writing skills, metacognitive,

affective & social learning strategies of

writing, student training

1. Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

Hawassa University is a public university

found in the South Nations, Nationalities,

and Peoples’ Regional State of Ethiopia; it is

a comprehensive university engaged in the

provision of all-round education, research,

training, and community service. The

university has over 64 first degree programs,

43 second degree programs, and 4 PhD

programs in various schools/colleges.

Students of all the departments of Hawassa

University, particularly in the undergraduate

studies, as is the case with students of other

universities across the nation, take English

Page 2 of 19

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 05

June 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 266

language courses such as Communicative

English Skills-I, Communicative English

Skills-II, Sophomore English, Basic Writing

Skills, Advanced Writing-I, Advanced

Writing-II and/or Report Writing.

The main objective of offering the English

language courses to the students is to help

them improve their proficiency as English is

a medium of instruction and nearly all the

teaching/learning and reference materials are

written in it (Gebremedhin, 1986;

Hailemichael, 1993). Written and oral

communications as well as meetings within

the university, usually, and communications

with foreign learning institutions are always

carried out in English. Moreover, formal as

well as informal notices of the university

usually appear in English. Thus, a great deal

of information exchange mainly takes place

in writing. It is also mainly writing that has

been offered to the undergraduate program

students of all the schools/colleges of the

university.

“Student writing is at the center of teaching

and learning in higher education, fulfilling a

range of purposes according to the various

contexts in which it occurs” (Coffin, et al.,

2003, p. 2). In higher education, it is mainly

writing that is used as a means to assess

students. That is, instructors ask students to

write paragraphs or essays in or outside the

class as well as make students take written

examinations and write laboratory reports in

order to evaluate students’ achievement of

course objectives. Thus, students’ success

usually depends on their writing skills. In

this regard, McWhorter (1996, p. 357) says,

“As a general rule, the further you progress

in your education, the more writing you will

be expected to do.” Moreover, writing at

tertiary education is used to facilitate

learning. That is to say, instructors make

students facilitate their learning through

writing diaries, questions, problems, and

suggestions on the process of

teaching/learning and then, sharing these

with someone else (instructors, peers, or

others). This increases their reasoning and

critique skills, and improves their learning.

Hawassa University curricula, as is the case

with other universities across the nation,

have not given room for the issue of training

in language learning strategies in general

and writing skills in particular. Learning

strategies training has roots in cognitivism

and humanism learning theories. Training in

learning strategies of writing involves asking

students to learn writing through receiving

Page 3 of 19

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 05

June 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 267

strategies training in which explanations are

given to the students as to when (contexts),

how, and why the strategies can be used

(Oxford, 1990).

1.2 Objectives of the Study

A vast body of research literature on the

topic confirms that training in learning

strategies of writing improves students’ use

of the strategies since training makes

students learn the role of the strategies to

help them improve their writing skills.

Hence, they continue using the strategies

appropriately when they carry out writing

tasks in and outside the class (Dujsik, 2008;

Sasaki, 2000). However, so far, nobody has

conducted a research at any level of learning

in Ethiopian context in order to study this

matter. The literature discusses that the

perception and practice of training in

learning strategies of writing change

according to specific cultural and

educational contexts. Thus, this study was

intended to examine the effects of training in

metacognitive, affective and social learning

strategies of writing in improving students’

use of each of these learning strategies of

writing with particular reference to Hawassa

University students.

1.3 Research Hypotheses

The following null and alternative

hypotheses were formulated about the

effects of the training:

Null Hypothesis (Ho): Training in

metacognitive, affective and social learning

strategies of writing does not significantly

improve students’ use of each of these

learning strategies of writing.

Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): Training in

metacognitive, affective and social learning

strategies of writing significantly improves

students’ use of each of these learning

strategies of writing.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The researcher believes that the findings of

the present study have the following

importance. In the first place, it adds value

to the knowledge that training in

metacognitive, affective and social learning

strategies of writing has significant effects in

improving students’ use of each of these

learning strategies of writing. Moreover, the

present study may serve as a springboard for

future researchers interested to fill in the

gaps with regard to whether training in each

of the three groups of learning strategies of

writing makes significantly different effects

on different ability groups of writing, user- groups of the strategies, gender, age, etc.

regarding their use of the strategies.