Technology Aided Formative Assessment (TAFA) and Writing Skills

Abstract

The integration of technology in student assessment has become an essential tool for educators, providing efficiency in scoring, rapid feedback, and interactive classroom experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Technology Aided Formative Assessment (TAFA) in enhancing students’ writing skills. Conducted with 23 third-semester students enrolled in the Writing subject within the Pedagogía de los Idiomas Nacionales y Extranjeros program at Universidad Técnica de Ambato, the research utilized a quantitative, pre-experimental design. Over four weeks and eight sessions, the intervention employed various online formative activities to improve writing skills. A pre-test and post-test, based on the Preliminary English Test (PET) B1, assessed students’ performance on two tasks: composing an email and writing a story. These tasks were evaluated using the PET rubric, focusing on four criteria: content, communicative achievement, organization, and language. The study integrated interactive tools like Quizlet, Mentimeter, Kahoot, and Padlet, supplemented by feedback from the ProWritingAid premium tool and traditional feedback from teachers and peers. Results revealed substantial improvements in all assessed criteria, emphasizing the effectiveness of TAFA in fostering writing proficiency. Additionally, the use of technology cultivated a collaborative and supportive learning environment. Data analysis through a paired sample ttest using SPSS confirmed the hypothesis, demonstrating that ProWritingAid premium significantly enhanced students’ writing development. These findings underscore the potential of TAFA as an innovative and effective approach to improving writing skills in higher education contexts.