Response to Martine A. H. Brakeman. Gert Rijlaarsdam and Huub van den Bergh. Effects of hypertext writing and observational learning on content knowledge acquisition, self-efficacy, and text quality: Two experimental studies exploring aptitude treatment interactions

Fatima Muhammad                                                         February 17, 2020 ENG 5002*01                                                                         Dr. Nelson

Response to Martine A. H. Brakeman. Gert Rijlaarsdam and Huub van den Bergh.  Effects of hypertext writing and observational learning on content knowledge acquisition, self-efficacy, and text quality:  Two experimental studies exploring aptitude treatment interactions

A student must commit much time to the process of transforming from an associative writer to a “writer who is able to restructure, build and convey knowledge during the writing process.”  (c.f. Bereiter and Scardamalia 260)  To become a skilled writer, as described above, a student must be equipped with multilinked ideas.  Young writers are accustomed to linear writing.  Their writing follows a sequenced order that connects their thoughts and ideas. Another issue is that readers are unable to understand text because their content knowledge skills and linguistic skills are weak.  These two experiments show how students are effective by the use of hypertext writing and linear writing.

The effects on content knowledge:

The practice and exercise of writing enables the student to gain knowledge, increase comprehension and develop thinking skills on a subject.  Through this process the student will gain content-related knowledge and rhetorical knowledge.  This process is useful for all types of writing.  For every type of writing the student must be able to connect content knowledge with rhetorical knowledge.  In this case, hypertext writing is a better choice than linear writing.  When a student uses hypertext writing the student will obtain information relating to their topic.  Hypertext writing helps the student to generate new information and ideas.  For example, a student can begin to brainstorm to develop new ideas about their writing assignment that they did not have prior to reading the hypertext.   By connecting content knowledge and rhetorical knowledge on the topic of, “How many students like cafeteria lunch and why or why not?  The student becomes empowered to analyze the statistics, and report their observations.

Effects on essay writing:

“Although theoretical literature (e.g., Botler, 1998; Lohr et al., Snyder, 1995; Snyder, 1997; for an overview also se MacArthur, 2006) suggest that hypertext writing might enhance student’s writing abilities, no empirical studies have been published about the effects on writing skills (DeWitt (1996) critically analyzed the claims and proposed a research agenda. (262)”  Hypertext writing has a hierarchy structure that enables the student to form the linear text into chunks of text that is relatable and more comprehensive. I feel that this is very essential to the writing process because hypertext offers the student additional content knowledge.  The additional information can enhance the student’s skills so that he/she can produce an improved product.  For example, if a student is writing an essay on history of Native American History from 1885 to 1995.  The student may have little knowledge on the subject.  Hypertext writing enables the student to instantly access a wealth of information that can be included in their essay as a point of reference.

Self-efficacy for writing:

“In line with Raedts’. Et al. (2008) Bandura’s (1986, 1997), and Pajares, Hartley, and Valiante’s (2001) guidelines, we operationalized students’ self-efficacy beliefs as their judgment of competence for the various composition skills connected to the writing task central to this study.” (267)  Self-efficacy is essential to the writing process because it is the manifestation of the student’s self-confidence to utilize their content knowledge and their rhetorical knowledge.  Self-efficacy is developed and increased when a student combines their writing skills to build their self-confidence.  For example, a student may be assigned to write an essay about the procedures of making disinfectant spray.  This student may be a right side brain student and has more interest in the graphic art on the can.  However, they must complete the assignment.  Their self-efficacy can be developed and utilized by taking into account all of their writing skills so that they may feel confident in taking on the task.  In addition, the linear writing is beneficial because of its structure which may be the same or similar to their assigned writing assignment.  As well, the hypertext writing is useful because it offers a modern day tech appearance to the student’s document, which can boost a student’s self-efficacy as they begin to believe more and more in their ability to successfully write the essay.

Finally, the goal is to transform an associative writer into a skillful writer that is equipped with multilinked ideas that will build their writing.  Combining and utilizing content knowledge and rhetorical knowledge will established new understandings that a student can use to build their writing assignment.  Likewise, using hypertext writing will develop a strong essay writer as the student is able to restructure the text when needed.  And as the student continues to practice writing their self-efficacy will flourish as their self-confidence increases and guides them to becoming a skillful writer that confidently conveys information.