The Use of Wiki and Google Drive in a Public School

The Use of Wiki and Google Drive in a Public School

First Author’s Name: Ghada Awada

Author’s Institution: American University of Beirut

Email: ghadawada@gmail.com

American University of Beirut

P.O.Box 11-0236

Beirut Lebanon

Fisk Hall, Room 109

Tel. 961 1 350000, Ext. 2072

Second Author’s Name: Abir Abdullah

Author’s Institution: Lebanese University

Email: abirabdallah@gmail.com

Lebanese University

Faculty of Sciences

Beirut Lebanon

Tel. 9615470932

The Use of Wiki and Google Drive in a Public School

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the effectiveness of wiki tool and Google Drive in enhancing the learning, collaboration and writing and research skills of the twelfth graders of a public school in Lebanon. The subjects of the study are one English as a 

Foreign Language EFL group (n=17) whose ages range from 16 to 19 years old. The study also examines if the motivation towards group work and projects is increased after using the wiki tool and Google Drive. The data are collected by means of two questionnaires and one rubric, the subjects’ projects, and Google Drive surveys. The findings of the study conveyed that the subjects revealed great motivation towards group work and projects upon using the wiki tool and Google Drive. The researchers' recommendations are mainly urging the teachers of all levels to use the wiki tool and Google Drive as vital tools requested to enhance students’ motivation and to better their study and collaboration skills. The wiki project aims at enhancing students’ and teacher’s involvement in collaborative online content creation with special emphasis on developing autonomous study skills. The findings have proved that the structure of the wiki space allows for a work-in-progress approach to language learning, and the Google Drive helps students enjoy the feasibility of conducting questionnaires and efficiently and quickly obtain the data required for the analysis of their project's findings. As such, in alignment with the study findings, the employment of the wiki tool and Google Drive by university instructors and faculty might level up students' motivation, promote interaction, demonstrate collaborative autonomous language learning, and boost research skills. Pedagogical implications are discussed and recommendations for further research are suggested.

Key words: English as a foreign language (EFL) , wiki , Google Drive, collaboration, research skills

The Use of the Webquest as a Technological Tool in Public Schools

Ghada Awada, Abir Abdallah
American University of Beirut and Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
ghadawada@gmail.com, abirabdallah@gmail.com
The Use of the Webquest as a Technological Tool in Public Schools

This study aims at investigating the efficiency of web quests in enhancing the 8th
graders' descriptive writing. The 8th graders in the Lebanese public schools in general
usually demonstrate poor writing skills. Consequently, they don't show motivation to
write in English. The subjects of the study are one control group (n=22) and one
experimental group (n=23) enrolled in grade eight in a public school in Beirut and whose
ages range from thirteen to fifteen years old. The purpose of the study is to examine
whether or not the web quest helps 8th graders achieve unity and coherence in writing
descriptive paragraphs and to examine if the motivation towards writing is increased
after using the web quest. The data are collected by means of two questionnaires, the
subjects’ writings, and a web quest. The first questionnaire is administered to the
subjects before using the web quest to investigate their level of motivation towards
writing, and the second questionnaire is administered to the subjects after using the web
quest for three months to find out if their motivation towards writing changes or not.
Moreover, the subjects are asked to write before using the web quest and after using it
to examine any significant difference in their descriptive writings regarding the two
elements, unity and coherence. The SPSS program is used in analyzing the collected
data. Based on a pilot study conducted earlier by the two researchers, the prospective
findings of the study shall convey that the experimental group produces unified and
coherent writings. More importantly, the experimental group is expected to reveal great
motivation towards writing. The researchers' prospective recommendations will be mainly
urging the teachers of all levels to use the web quests as an indispensable tool requested
to enhance students’ motivation and to better their descriptive writing skills. 

The Extent of Efficiency of Legal Videos in Enhancing the Writing Skills and Vocabulary Acquisition of Lawyers in a Legal English Class

Ghada Awada, Abir Abdallah
American University of Beirut and Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
ghadawada@gmail.com, abirabdallah@gmail.com

The Extent of Efficiency of Legal Videos in Enhancing the Writing
Skills and Vocabulary Acquisition of Lawyers in a Legal English
Class

Lawyers, in Lebanon, are incompetent in using legal English since almost all of the law
courses in Lebanon are in Arabic, and upon obtaining the practicing license, they are
requested to use only Arabic at the Lebanese courts. However, due to globalization, the
Lebanese lawyers started to receive a lot of cases and contracts that demand mastery of
the legal English needed to negotiate in writing using legal English.
This study aims at investigating the efficiency of legal terminology videos in enhancing
the writing skills and vocabulary acquisition of lawyers and raising their motivation. The
subjects of the study (n=16) are Lebanese lawyers whose ages range from 26 to 48
years old and are randomly assigned to a control group and an experimental one. The
subjects receive legal English instruction for twelve weeks. The instruction covers the
listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
The only difference is that the experimental group receives the listening instruction using
the videos whereas the control receives the listening instruction using the instructor's
readings of certain texts. The instruments employed in the study are a pretest that
inspects the subjects’ written performance and use of legal terms in both the control and
experimental groups before carrying out any instruction, and a posttest that examines
any significant difference in the subjects’ written performance and acquisition of legal
terms in both groups after the instruction. Moreover, a questionnaire that investigates
the subject’s motivation is administered to the subjects in both groups before and after
the instructional period. 

English for Lawyers Weblog: Using Weblogs to Promote Legal English in the Classroom

Ghada Awada, Abir Abdallah
American University of Beirut and Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
ghadawada@gmail.com, abirabdallah@gmail.com

English for Lawyers Weblog: Using Weblogs to Promote Legal
English in the Classroom


Ghada Awada

Abir Abdallah

Abstract
This study aims at investigating the efficiency of blogs in enhancing the writing skills of
lawyers and in raising the lawyers' motivation. The participants of the study are
Lebanese lawyers receiving twelve 4-hour- legal -English sessions.Lawyers, in Lebanon,
are not usually good at legal English since the majority of the law courses in Lebanon are
in Arabic. However, due to globalization, the Lebanese lawyers started to receive a lot of
cases and contracts that demand mastery of the legal English needed to negotiate in
writing using legal English. The participants of the study are 16 lawyers whose ages
range from 26 to 48 years old and are randomly assigned to a control group and an
experimental one. The participants receive legal English instruction for twelve weeks. The
instruction covers the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The only difference
is that the control group doesn't employ the blog to communicate with each other and
with the instructor, whereas the experimental group receives the feedback,
announcements and comments from the instructor via blog, and the instructor publishes
all their good written assignments on the blog ,and in turn they comment and share the
posts which are mainly their own writings with friends . The instruments employed in the
study are a pretest that inspects the participants’ written performance and the use of
legal terms and structure in both the control and experimental groups before carrying out
any instruction, and a posttest that examines any significant difference in the
participants’ written performance and acquisition of legal English in both groups after
twelve weeks of instruction. Moreover, a questionnaire that investigates the participants’
motivation is administered to the participants in both groups before the instructional
period and another questionnaire is administered at the end of the instructional period.
The SPSS is used in data analysis.

An Overview of Technological Tools and the Integration of Blog in Classrooms

Abstract
This article aims at shedding light on the significance of the integration of technology and the implementation of the ISTE standards in all classrooms .The efficiency of the use of the , Blogger ,Webquest, Wiki, Google site, videos, Google Drive , Window Movie Maker ,Audacity, Photo editing techniques , and digital storytelling tools will be asserted through reporting the findings of some literature . Another aim of the article is to present the findings of one of the studies conducted by the researcher to investigate the impact of the employment of the blog in enhancing the legal English skills of the participants enrolled in a legal English class at a major university in the Middle East. As such ,the current article encompasses two main sections:
I.An overview highlighting the uses and the implementation of some technological tools in the classrooms of any faculty at a university.
II.A study investigating the effectiveness of the blog in improving the legal English skills of participants enrolled in an ESP class.

International Investment Arbitration: Refuge Versus Deadlock

European Journal of Scientific Research
ISSN 1450-216X / 1450-202X Vol. 125 No 2 October, 2014, pp.414-426
http://www.europeanjournalofscientificresearch.com

International Investment Arbitration: Refuge Versus Deadlock

Ghada Awada
Majored in International Relations and Diplomacy
Crisis Management and Applications of Technology in Language Teaching and Learning
American University of Beirut, P.O.Box 11-0236, Beirut Lebanon, Fisk Hall, Room 109
E-mail: ghadawada@gmail.com,
Tel: 961 1 350000, Ext. 3072, Tel: 96170605396


Abstract
This study investigated the impact of arbitration and other alternative dispute
resolution methods on the extant of foreign investments in a country. The international
trade community resorts to arbitration as a security refuge; accordingly, the international
arbitration agreements are drafted and ratified . The study proved that the interrelation
between investment definitions and investments shape to a certain extent the amount of
investments in a country. The findings of the study indicated that it is recommended to find
a legal mechanism similar to those created by the Lebanese Council of Ministers, and the
legislator shall be aware of the international conventions and the form of investment before
it is signed. There is also a compelling need to clarify Article 21 of the Amended Unified
Convention for the Investment of the Arab Capitals in the Arab states as drafted on
6/12/2012. It is imperative that Lebanon not ratify item 8 of Article 3 of the Annex
pertaining to the Amended Unified Convention for the Investment of the Arab Capitals in
the Arab states as drafted on 6/12/2012. It is crucial that a summary of the arbitral decisions
issued by international institutions relating to arbitration be obligatory.
Keywords: Arbitration, agreement, international arbitration, International commercial
arbitration, convention

Impact of Using the WebQuest Technological Model on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Writing Achievement and Apprehension

Ghada Awada American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Ghazi Ghaith American University of Beirut, Lebanon
http://www.awej.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=516:ghada-awada&catid=51&Itemid=152
Abstract
This article reports the results of an experimental study that examined the relative effectiveness of the WebQuest technological model in improving the English as a foreign language (EFL) writing proficiency of grade eight students in Lebanon and decreasing their levels of writing apprehension. The study also looked into the perceptions of the participants of the relevance and efficacy of using WebQuest as an instructional model. The study is based on the assumption that the WebQuest model provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to provide supplementary activities and materials that enrich the content and exercises of the regular EFL textbooks. The study employed an experimental pretest- posttest control group design whereby two intact classes were randomly assigned to control and experimental conditions. Descriptive statistics were calculated and a series of independent sample t-tests were conducted in order to address the questions raised in the study. Finally, a content analysis of the qualitative data was carried out to describe and concretize the respondents‟ perceptions of the WebQuest experience in the experimental group.The results of the study indicated that the WebQuest model proved to be more effective than regular process writing instruction in enhancing achievement and decreasing writing apprehension. In addition, the participants in the experimental group underscored both the importance and usefulness of using the WebQuest model in teaching EFL.Further research is recommended in order to determine the extent of the generalizability of the findings of the present study into other school contexts and across different grade and proficiency levels.
Key words: EFL, process writing, WebQuest, writing achievement, writing apprehension.