The Effect of an Instructional Model Using Metacognition Theory and Collaborative Learning Approach to Enhance English Writing Ability of Chinese Undergraduates

Abstract

The purposes of this research were 1. to compare the English writing abilities between the experimental and control groups after the experiment and 2. to compare the English writing abilities of the experimental group before and after the experiment. The sample consisted of 100 first-year undergraduates in Huashang University in the first semester of the 2025 academic year, selected via cluster random sampling and divided into two classes of 50 students each. The experimental group was taught using an instructional model integrating metacognition theory and collaborative learning, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test assessments scored with a detailed analytic rubric. The results of an independent samples t-test revealed that the experimental group (M=72.15, SD=7.82) significantly outperformed the control group (M=66.45, SD=8.95) on the post-test, t (98) =3.39, p<.001, with a medium-to-large effect size (Cohen's d=0.68). Furthermore, a paired samples t-test within the experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement from pretest (M=56.15, SD=9.50) to post-test (M=72.15, SD=7.82), t (49) =14.34, p<.001, with a very large effect size (Cohen's d=1.84). The findings provide strong evidence that the instructional model integrating metacognitive strategies and collaborative learning is more effective in enhancing English writing ability than conventional methods. This study contributes a practical pedagogical framework for addressing the cognitive and social challenges of writing in EFL contexts.