Exploring the Potential of a Computerized Corrective Feedback System Based on a Process-Oriented Qualitative Error Analysis

Abstract

The present study is intended to probe the potential of a computerized corrective feedback system based on a process-oriented qualitative analysis of errors for developing an Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) model with individualized diagnostic feedback. Employing 30 university EFL students, the present research investigated the overall effectiveness of a process-oriented ICALL tutoring program with a corrective feedback system addressing a combination of linguistic and cognitive errors. The overall statistical analysis revealed that conventional teaching was not as effective as the online computerized tutoring. A case study employing 10 EFL learners, who attended the tutoring program for five weeks, indicated that the two different types of automatized corrective feedback (i.e., elicitation and meta-linguistic feedback) had a positive impact on EFL learners' uptake. In addition, a process-oriented qualitative analysis of errors demonstrated its potential to play an instrumental role in further developing an elaborate database to provide individualized diagnostic feedback. The qualitative analysis also revealed the varying degrees of effectiveness of the corrective feedback depending on the different category of grammar. Finally, the survey results suggested that the majority of participants were in favor of the ICALL tutoring program providing corrective feedback.