Writing motivation and ability profiles and transition during a technology-based writing intervention

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Writing Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Student writing ability and motivation vary significantly.
• Identifying distinct student profiles can inform targeted interventions.
• Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) is a tool used to improve writing outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify writing motivation and ability profiles in U.S. middle school students.
• To examine the transition paths between these profiles after an AWE intervention.
• To assess the influence of AWE on student writing profiles.

Main Methods:

• Latent profile and latent transition analysis were used.
• Data from 2,487 middle school students were analyzed.
• Profiles were based on writing self-efficacy, attitudes toward writing, and writing ability.

Main Results:

• Four distinct profiles emerged: Low, Low/Mid, Mid/High, and High.
• Most students began in the Low/Mid (38%) or Mid/High (30%) profiles.
• 50-70% of students maintained their profile, 30% improved by one level, and <1% declined.
• Intervention assignment, gender, and demographics did not significantly impact profile transitions.

Conclusions:

• A profiling strategy based on motivation and ability is effective.
• Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) alone is insufficient for significant writing improvement in diverse student populations.
• Combined interventions targeting motivation and AWE may yield better results.