جریان شناسی نشریات فکری، فرهنگی و سیاسی پس از جنگ تحمیلی از کیان تا کیهان
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
محمدصادق باقری
مطالب
فیلترهای جستجو:
فیلتری انتخاب نشده است.
نمایش ۱ تا ۱۹ مورد از کل ۱۹ مورد.
راهکارهای یادگیری و انگیزه ای زبان آموزان ایرانی در یک کلاس الکترونیکی آموزش زبان(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
هدف این مطالعه آشنا کردن یک گروه زبان آموزان ایرانی به یک برنامه آموزش زبان الکترونیکی بود تا تاثیرات این دوره را در راهکارهای انگیزه و یادگیری مورد بررسی قرار دهد. این مطالعه تلاشی برای ارزیابی میزان استفاده از راهکارهای یادگیری در حالت سنتی و الکترونیکی بود. داده های این مطالعه از 100 نفر زبان آموز ایرانی (62 نفر زن و 38 نفر مرد) که در یک کلاس آموزش زبان الکترونیکی به مدت دو ماه شرکت کردند جمع آوری شدند. ابزارهای این مطالعه یک پرسشنامه ترجمه شده و اصلاح شده MSLQ، یک پرسشنامه کنش (Volition)، یک پرسشنامه اطلاعات فردی و یکسری مصاحبه با زبان آموزان و استادان این تحقیق بودند.
کنترلهای فردی (Self-regulation) چارچوب تئوری این مطالعه بود. داده ها بصورت کمی و کیفی تجزیه و تحلیل شدند تا تغییراتی را که زبان آموزان در نتیجه حرکت از روش سنتی به روش الکترونیکی دارند بررسی شوند و دیدگاههای جدیدی برای برنامه های آموزش زبان الکترونیکی در ایران کسب شوند. نتایج آماری این مطالعه بیانگر این واقعیت میباشد که زنان از راهکاری بیشتری هم در روش الکترونیکی استفاده می کنند.
در رابطه با تاثیر جنسیت، تفاوت راهکارهای استفاده از منافع و شگردهای یادگیری بطور کلی در مطالعه نهایی معنی دار بودند. تفاوت ها در سازندگی و یادگیری از دوستان و هم کلاسی ها در هر دو مطالعه معنی دار بودند. با این حال تفاوت ها در استمداد کمک، استفاده از منابع و بطور کلی شگردهای یادگیری فقط در مطالعه نهایی معنی دار بودند. در رابطه با تاثیر جنسیت بر اجزای کنش، در تمام موارد بجز کنترل محیطی میانگین ها برای خانم ها در هر دو مطالعه بالاتر بودند. با این حال، تفاوت های کنترل محیطی فقط در مطالعه دوم معنی دار بودند. در رابطه با تاثیر جنسیت بر انگیزه راهکارهای یادگیری و کنش، خانمها میانگین های بالاتری داشتند اما تفاوت های میانگین ها معنی دار نبودند. در رابطه با یادگیری، تنها تفاوت میانگین ها در مطالعه دوم معنی دار بودند. تفاوت های میانگین ها برای کنش در هر دو مطالعه معنی دار بود. نتایج تجزیه و تحلیل کیفی داده ها این بود که چهار مقوله اصلی راهکارهای یادگیری و اجزای آنها آشکار شدند. در رابطه با بررسی کلی راهکارهای یادگیری بیشتر از یادگیری های کنشی استفاده شدند و راهکارهای کنشی بیشتر از راهکارهای انگیزه ای مورد استفاده قرار گرفتند. تناوب استفاده از راهکارهای کلی و اجزای آنها و اولویت های بکارگیری آنها از یافته های کیفی این مطالعه میباشند.
Comparing confidence-based and conventional scoring methods: The case of an English grammar class(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
هدف از تحقیق حاضر بررسی روایی، اعتبار پیش بینی کننده و جانبداری نسبت به یک سبک شخصیتی و یک جنسیت خاص در روش ارزشگذاری مبتنی بر اطمینان بود. در این روش ارزشگذاری، بر اساس رتبه ای که آزمون دهنده به میزان اطمینان خود به درستی پاسخش می دهد، نمره ای مثبت یا منفی به او داده می شود. شرکت کنندگان در این تحقیق، که 49 دانشجوی رشته زبان انگلیسی در کلاس های دستور زبان انگلیسی بودند، هشت آزمون چهار گزینه ای را در طول یک نیمسال تحصیلی دریافت کردند. این آزمون ها هم به روش مبتنی بر اطمینان و هم به روش عادی ارزشگذاری شدند و روایی این دو مجموعه از نمرات با هم مقایسه شد. همبستگی هر یک از مجموعه نمرات با نمرات پایان نیمسال محاسبه شد. جانبداری نسبت به جنسیت و جانبداری نسبت به عزت نفس در مورد هشت آزمون مذکور نیز محاسبه شد. نتایج نشان داد که روایی دو مجموعه نمره
“You Sick Geeky Bastards!”: A Gender-Based Analysis of Impoliteness Strategies in American Comedy Series(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
This paper examined impoliteness strategies used by characters and their resulting reactions in five American comedy series. Drawing on Culpeper’s models (1996 & 2003), the comedy series were watched several times with one month interval to make sure that the impolite utterances and their reactions were put in the correct categories. The results of the study revealed that sarcasm was the most frequently used strategy among other strategies, and male and female characters were not distinct in using this strategy. However, male characters exploited the bald on record strategy more than their female counterparts. One striking result was the frequent use of offensive reactions by male actors. The reasons behind the variable use of these strategies are twofold. First, impoliteness is used as a tool to show off the power of the male characters. Second, using impoliteness strategies in comedy series reflect the entertaining role of sarcasm used by the actors.
A Genre-Based Investigation of Inter/Intra-Lingual Relationships between Persian and English Academic Writings: Common Underlying Proficiency Oriented(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
منبع:
Teaching Language Skills (JTLS), Volume ۳۸, Issue ۲, Summer ۲۰۱۹
131 - 170
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Although L2 writing has attracted salient attention and monopolized many studies in EFL contexts, there is still no full image of its complicated nature. Trying to play a supplementary role in achieving that image, this study aimed at finding whether Persian and English argumentative and descriptive academic writings were inter/intra-lingually associated and if genre played a role in provoking any differences in the means of total scores obtained from the essays. In so doing, 50 Iranian senior MA TEFL students at the intermediate level were asked to write down two argumentative and two descriptive essays in Persian and English. Each essay was assessed against IELTS task 2 writing band descriptors. Then, the data were analyzed through the Pearson product-moment correlation and paired-samples <em>t</em>-test. The results revealed there were significant positive correlations between the total scores obtained from Persian and English argumentative and descriptive essays. The findings supported the existence of a common underlying proficiency (Cummins, 1980), out of which L1 and L2 writing skills emerged. The results also illustrated there were significant differences between the means of some of the total scores. It was supposed these differences might be due to the possible genre-sensitive nature of common underlying proficiency.
Halo Effect and Students’ Perceptions of Their Teacher's Appearance, Gender, and Proficiency With the focus on the Iranian EFL Teachers(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Purpose: Teachers, like other human beings are affected by the fallacy of ‘Halo Effect’. Regarding their role in teaching and training students, this study tried to investigate the halo effect in relation to appearance, gender, and proficiency of teachers. Methodology: In order to perform such an evaluation, this study used 350 males and female EFL students and 53 males and female EFL teachers of universities and institutes of Karaj. Three questionnaires (appearance, gender, and proficiency questionnaires) were designed and evaluated. The questionnaires were distributed among students and after the students answered them the questionnaires were gathered. Findings: The results of this study showed that proficiency was the most important feature for both male and female students. The second important feature for students was teacher's appearance. Gender was the least important feature of a teacher for students. The students think of the proficiency as the most important factor. According to the results of data analysis of students' final marks in real situation (classroom environment), the most important factor affecting the achievement of students in a positive way was appearance of a teacher. Thus, appearance of a teacher can cause halo effect. Teachers and educational system can benefit from the results of this study. Conclusion: Teachers should be sensitive to proficiency and appearance in order to be better teachers, and educational system can understand strengths and weaknesses of the process of hiring teachers regarding appearance and proficiency.
The Effects of Three Forms of Reading-based Tasks on Iranian Intermediate and Advanced EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Uptake(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
international Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۹, Issue ۳۷, Autumn ۲۰۲۱
105 - 124
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
The present study explored the effects of three forms of reading-based L2 vocabulary tasks on learning and retention of 40 target words by Iranian intermediate and advanced male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. To this end, 176 EFL learners were randomly selected and assigned to three experimental and one control condition across two levels of intermediate and advanced proficiency levels. The participants in the experimental conditions read 8 texts including 40 target words and performed word-focused (WF) tasks, oral reproduction (OR) plus summary writing (SW) tasks, and WF plus OR vocabulary tasks incorporating target words according to their task designation. The results of two-way MANOVA and Scheffe’s post-hoc test demonstrated that while all three experimental conditions significantly outperformed the control group in terms of learning and retention of target words, the WF plus OR task was found to be the most effective condition. The results are justified in light of Laufer and Hulstjin’s (2001) Involvement Load Hypothesis, Nation and Webb’s (2011) Technique Feature Analysis, the Skill Acquisition Theory, and Swain’s (1985) Output Hypothesis. The study concluded with pedagogical implications for language teachers and materials developers with regard to including both word-focused and meaning-oriented L2 vocabulary tasks in language classes and language textbooks.
External Factors and Iranian EFL Teachers’ Performance: Examining the Effectiveness of Self- regulation(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Purpose: This paper follows a two-fold objective: First it examines the relationship between the external factors of compensation, support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, pre-service and in- service training and Iranian EFL teachers’ performance. Second, it searches for the moderating effect of self-regulation on the relationship between teachers’ external assets and their performance. Methodology: To achieve the above aims, a quantitative approach to research was employed. The samples included two hundred Iranian EFL teachers of universities and English institutes of Kerman, Iran. The data were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by AMOS software. The direct structural model was employed to determine the path relationships between the external factors and teachers’ performance. Findings: The result showed that external assets had a positive and significant effect on the Iranian EFL teachers' performance as dependent variable (β = .372, C. R= 6.211, P <.05). Moreover, self-regulation moderates the path relation between two of the variables: boundaries and expectation and the EFL teachers' performance. The path relation between the other four variables of the external assets including pre-service and in- service training, support, compensation and empowerment for low and high self-regulation was not found to be significant, i.e. self-regulation moderation effect for these relations was not supported. Discussion: Working conditions for teachers should be best promote effective learning and enable teachers to concentrate on their professional tasks.
تأثیر سبک های یادگیری متفاوت در عملکرد زبان آموزان ایرانی در انواع مختلف پرسش های آزمون آیلت(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
مطالعه حاضر تلاشی است به منظور گسترش دانش ما در زمینه تأثیر سبک های مختلف یادگیری بر عملکرد داوطلبان ایرانی در آزمون آیلتس. هدف پژوهش حاضر، بررسی سبک های مختلف یادگیری و میزان اثرگذاری آن ها بر کسب نمرات بالاتر و نیز عملکرد زبان آموزان در انواع پرسش های آزمون آیلتس است . در این تحقیق، 90 نفر از زبان آموزان رشته های مختلف تحصیلی شرکت کردند. ابزار مورد استفاده در این پژوهش شامل پرسش نامه سبک های شناختی طراحی شده از سوی کلب ( 1984 ) و نیز یک آزمون آیلتس مدل است. نتایج تحلیل داده ها با استفاده از نرم افزار اس.پی.اس.اس. نشان داد که بیشتر داوطلبان دارای سبک شناختی بازتاب گرا هستند و به ترتیب پس از آن، داوطلبان عمل گرا، فعال گرا و نظریه پرداز قرار دارند. در این میان، داوطلبان عمل گرا عملکرد بهتری در آزمون آیلتس در هر مهارت داشتند. نتایج واریانس یک طرفه ( Anova One - Way ) نشان داد که بین متعلق بودن به هرکدام از سبک های یادگیری و میزان موفقیت در آزمون آیلتس، تفاوت معناداری وجود دارد. به علاوه، میان متعلق بودن به هر یک از این سبک های یادگیری و عملکرد زبان آموزان در انواع مختلفِ پرسش های آیلتس T ازجمله پرسش های تکمیل جمله و چهارگزینه ای، رابطه معناداری مشاهده شد.
تردید افکنی فراگفتمانی در مقاله های پژوهشی در زبان شناسی کاربردی: بررسی مقایسه ای سوژانر «نتایج و بحث» در مقاله های نویسندگان غیر انگلیسی زبان و انگلیسی زبان(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
به منظور بررسی تفاوتهای احتمالی بین فراوانی و انواع استراتژیهای تردیدافکنی و کاربرد آنها در سوژانر «نتایج و بحث» در مقالات پژوهشی نوشته شده توسط نویسندگان انگلیسی زبان غیربومی (ایرانی) و انگلیسی زبان بومی، 60 مورد سوژانر «نتایج و بحث» از چهار نشریه علمی IJLLALW, IJALEL, TQ, AL که توسط نویسندگان ایرانی (انگلیسی زبان غیرمادری) و بومی (انگلیسی زبان مادری) نوشته شده بودند، مورد تحلیل قرار گرفت. همه متنها و نویسندگان آنها به صورت تصادفی انتخاب شدند. استراتژیهای تردیدافکنی به کار رفته توسط این نویسندگان با نرم افزار AntCnoc و همچنین توسط دو کدگذار انسانیِ متخصص شناسایی شده و بر اساس چارچوب نظری پیشنهادی در مدل طبقه بندی وارتالا (2001) و مدل چندکاربردی هایلند (1998) کدگذاری شدند. نتایج مطالعه نشان داد که اختلاف آماری معنی دار در فراوانی، انواع و همچنین کارکردهای استراتژیهای تردیدافکنی در سوژانر «نتایج و بحث» مقالات نوشته شده توسط این دو گروه از نویسندگان وجود دارد.
Predictors of Iranian EFL Teachers’ Beliefs about Language Learning / Teaching: Critical Thinking, Reflectivity and Emotional Intelligence in Focus(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
This study examined the relationship between EFL teachers’ emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and reflectivity and their language learning as well as teaching beliefs. It investigated how well each of the variables can predict EFL teachers’ language learning beliefs and its respective levels. Accordingly, four questionnaires were given to 130 EFL teachers, and the elicited data were analyzed via correlational and multiple/multivariate regression analyses. Results revealed that 18% of teachers’ beliefs was significantly explained by the triplex unity. Critical thinking and emotional intelligence had significant contributions of 25% and 19%, respectively. The collective contributions of the three variables were only significant to three of the five dependent levels, i.e. 8% to language nature, 17% to motivation and expectation, and 22% to learning and communication. Accordingly, some pedagogical implications were elucidated.
Reconsidering the Global Criteria of Teacher Effectiveness in the Light of Learners' Perceptions and Experts' Observations(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
international Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۱۰, Issue ۴۰, Spring ۲۰۲۲
153 - 169
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
The present study aimed to rediscover the global criteria for English language teacher evaluation. To do so, a large body of research was reviewed, and the characteristics of effective teachers along with their indicators were compiled. Nine characteristics which proved to be the most frequently indorsed by scholars were selected as the global criteria of teacher effectiveness. Then, these criteria were utilized to employ five English language teachers in a language institute in Kerman, Iran. The classroom performance of these teachers and that of five others formerly employed based on some local criteria was observed by the institute supervisor. At the end of the semester, perceptions of the students of both groups of teachers were explored through a questionnaire developed by the authors. Finally, the performances of the two groups of teachers were compared in terms of the students' and the observer's perceptions. The results showed that the teachers employed based on the global criteria of teacher effectiveness outperformed those recruited based on the local criteria. This indicates that the selected criteria of teacher effectiveness can be reliable for English teacher performance evaluation.
Iranian English Language Teachers' Perceptions of Monitoring and Scaffolding Practices of Assessment for Learning: A Focus on Gender and Class Size(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
Iinternational Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۸, Issue ۲۹, Spring ۲۰۲۰
75-90
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Recent innovations in formative assessment have turned the spotlight on the implementation of assessment for learning in the classroom. Notwithstanding a considerable wealth of research on assessment for learning in mainstream education, few research studies in the field of language teaching thus far have touched upon assessment for learning. This quantitative study investigated Iranian English language teachers’ perceived monitoring and scaffolding practices in respect of their gender and class size. To achieve this purpose, 384 Iranian EFL teachers who were selected using convenience sampling completed a 28-item Likert scale questionnaire on assessment for learning entailing two main constructs, namely monitoring and scaffolding. Our findings revealed a statistically significant gender difference with regard to perceived scaffolding. Likewise, the results showed that EFL teachers’ perceived monitoring and scaffolding practices did not differ with respect to class size. The key implications of the findings for the application of scaffolding and monitoring practices in the classroom were also addressed.
Alleviating Iranian EFL Students’ Speaking Anxiety: Mobile-assisted instruction vs. traditional instruction(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
Iinternational Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۸, Issue ۳۰, (Special Issue) ۲۰۲۰
11-24
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Language classrooms are occasionally anxiety-breeding situations. Foreign language classroom anxiety which negatively affects foreign language learning is typically associated with productive activities mainly speaking skill. To cope with the issue and overcome language learning difficulties, the present study was conducted to explore the impact of mobile-assisted language learning on enhancing EFL students’ oral proficiency and relieving their speaking anxiety. 60 sophomore female students whose ages ranged from 18 to 24 were selected from Zand University in Shiraz, Iran and randomly divided into two groups. Traditional instruction was adopted to teach both groups for two hours in a week for four months. Out of class, however, they did various speaking activities. The participants in the control group followed their course book speaking activities. But, the experimental group experienced mobile-assisted language learning to do their out-of-class speaking activities via a mobile application (Voice Thread). The Preliminary English Test and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale questionnaire were used to collect the required data. Paired samples t-test results indicated that Voice Thread experience significantly enhanced the participants’ oral proficiency and lowered their foreign language speaking anxiety.these findings provide experimental evidence that Voice Thread can be used as an educational tool to help EFL students to improve their oral proficiency and create their own individual less-threatening language learning environment.
Iranian EFL Learners’ Understanding of Ubiquitous Learning: Examining Factors Affecting L2 Learner’s Classroom Achievement Using Structural Equation Modeling(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
Iinternational Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۹, Issue ۳۶, Summer ۲۰۲۱
77 - 90
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
Ubiquitous learning can be described as a daily learning environment supported by mobile, computers, and wireless networks to provide learning anytime and anywhere. As the concept of Ubiquitous learning is little known in Iran, this study considers a sample of Iranian EFL learners to identify the effects of different aspects of Ubiquitous learning including omnipresence, context customization, interactivity, perceived self-efficacy, and m-learning motivation that influence L2 learner’s classroom achievement. The participants included 150 high school students in Shiraz. A questionnaire adapted from Jung (2014) was the main data collection instrument used in the present study. Moreover, classroom achievement scores of the students taken from their final exam results were also analyzed. Structural equation modeling results showed that among aspects of Ubiquitous learning, omnipresence, context customization, perceived self-efficacy, and m-learning motivation affected classroom achievement but interactivity did not influence classroom achievement. The results also revealed the positive effect of integration of technology on student learning. EFL learners with a clear understanding of innovation in education are better positioned to move their efficiency and effectiveness from the traditional English learning environment to one that fully integrates learning into learners’ daily routines. The study concludes that developments in technology need to be transmitted into the pedagogical areas and carefully considered in the forms of curriculum and contents for language teaching.
Investigating the Learning Style Variation and Strategy Selection of Iranian Learners in Listening Skill(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of students' learning styles on their performance in various question types of the listening section of IELTS examination as well as their strategy selection. To this aim, 90 Iranian IELTS candidates from IELTS courses of an English language institute in Tehran, took part in the study as the sampling method was based on availability. The participants of the study comprised of 35 males and 55 females, and they mostly aged between 20 to 27 years old. The researcher first used Kolb's questionnaire to recognize the individual learning styles of candidates, which were accordingly categorized into four classes as activists, theorists, pragmatists, and reflectors. The results obtained from the one-way ANOVA showed that the dissimilarity of the style groups causes different performance in some question types of the listening test. In the note completion, multiple choice, and matching question types, the findings indicated a statistically significant difference. Therefore, it could generally be argued that in these three types of questions in the listening comprehension module of the IELTS examination, variation in different learning styles groups causes variation of performance in different question types. The results of the present study also reveal that the style preferences affect the individual differences in selecting the learning strategies
Impact of Interventionist Dynamic Assessment on Iranian EFL Learners’ L2 Reading Comprehension and Classroom Engagement(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
منبع:
international Journal of Foreign Language Teaching & Research, Volume ۹, Issue ۳۹, Winter ۲۰۲۱
67 - 79
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
The current study investigated the impact of an interventionist model of dynamic assessment, using a repetitive process of pretest-teach-posttest design, on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension and classroom engagement. To this end, 40 intermediate participants were selected through convenient sampling from among the English majors of a university in Kerman, Iran, and assigned to two control and experimental groups, each including 20 students. Then, during 4-month period, the experimental group was exposed to reading comprehension class, using an interventionist model of DA, while the control group did not receive ant dynamic assessment program. At the end of the treatment, the participants’ scores on the pretest and post-test were statistically compared. The obtained results revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group on the scales of reading comprehension skill. A change was also observed in the classroom engagement of the experimental group, but not for the control group. Indeed, the results showed that dynamic assessment can boost participants' performance in a practical and effective way, not only in terms of reading performance but also in terms of motivating more classroom engagement among EFL learners. This finding has implications for teachers to design more efficient courses which are the ultimate goal of education.
Toward the Development of a Classroom Management Strategy Model for Iranian EFL Learners Using Real Observations and Participants' Words(مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
منبع:
Applied Research on English Language, V. ۷ , N. ۲ , ۲۰۱۸
143 - 170
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
This qualitative study aimed to develop a model of classroom management strategy for Iranian English as a foreign language learners. To tap into this matter, some face to face and focus group interviews as well as real observations were performed. Twenty-six students including various proficiency levels from four different provinces participated in the face to face and focus group interviews. Also, 10 observations of the real classes wherein teachers were teaching conversation courses were made. Transcribing and codifying the data according to Corbin and Strauss's (2014) systematic steps of open, axial and selective coding, the findings revealed a model of classroom management strategy encompassing three main themes (management, quality of life and classroom practices), nine categories and 39 subcategories. The findings suggest EFL teachers notonly should pay attention to classroom practices, but they should also work onbuilding up rapport and encouraging their students in order to achieve a class in which students are wholeheartedly willing to learn the language.
E-Tools to Assist EFL Learners' Writing Skill: Wikis, Weblogs, and Podcasts(مقاله پژوهشی دانشگاه آزاد)
حوزه‌های تخصصی:
One of the promises of web-based education is to help students take control of their learning pace as the basic requirement of language learning is being life-long. The purpose of the present study was to find out which of the e-tools -- weblogs, wikis, or podcasts -- can better help EFL learners excel in their writing skill. To this end, 156 Iranian sophomore students majoring in English and studying at Islamic Azad University, Abadeh and Shiraz Branches and the Zand Institute of Higher Education were selected based on random sampling as participants. As the design of the study was a pre-experimental one, there were three experimental groups involved but no control group. Before the instruction, the participants were given an essay writing test, whose results were used to divide them into three groups. Two of the groups received in-class instruction and were assigned out-of-class activities through weblogs and wikis. The third group received the instruction through podcasts. The treatment lasted for two and a half months and at the end, another essay writing test was given to all groups. A two-way ANOVA for the comparison of the participants' gain scores indicated that using the tools available on the Internet could lead to improvement in the EFL students writing abilities, and gender was not a determining factor. The study reveals the fact that web tools, in general, and blogs, wikis, and podcasts, in particular, can foster EFL students’ writing skills and teachers can use them as supplements in their language instruction.