NICENET為目前最受歡迎的線上教學平台之一。由於其使用上非常容易以及其無需任何使用費用等兩大特色，自1998年架設至今，NICENET已吸引超過一百萬的使用者。尤其，在語言教學上，NICENET更是被全世界各地許多教師與學生運用來收繳作業、交換意見、分享資源與進行合作討論…等。然而，雖然NICENET教學平台已廣受世界各地語言教學者與學習者的歡迎，其卻尚未受到台灣地區教師與學生的注意。
私立朝陽科技大學應用外語系為目前台灣地區少數開始運用NICENET教學平台的機構之一。因此，透過對NICENET教學平台的介紹以及立足於朝陽科技大學應用外語系使用NICENET教學平台於英語教育的經驗而進行相關研究，或許能夠有效幫助國人對於線上教學平台的瞭解。本研究主要目的在於調查科技大學學生對於運用NICENET教學平台幫助練習英文寫作的看法。具備大學三年以上英語學習經驗與使用NICENET超過一年以上經驗，應用外語系四技日間部四年級學生 (總計105名) 為本研究中最具有代表性的研究對象。研究工具為一份改編自The Criteria and Standards Used in Evaluating Web-based Instruction與Adbullah所設計問卷之研究問卷。本研究資料分析主要為量化數據分析，包含敘述性統計方法諸如：平均數、百分比及標準差來概述研究資料，以及推論性統計－ANOVA變異數分析法來測驗不同屬性研究對象之間是否對NICENET持有不同看法。
研究結果顯示，朝陽科技大學應用外語系四技日間部四年級學生對於NICENET教學平台持有相當正面的評價。本研究對象認同以透過NICENET來發表個人作品、進行同儕互動與師生互動對於鼓勵練習英文寫作技巧的功能。同時，修習不同主修課程的研究對象對於以NICENET教學平台練習英文寫作抱持著不同的看法。根據研究結果，以英語教學為主修學生比以商業英語為主修學生擁有較高的評價。另外，本研究對象亦提出對NICENET教學平台的建議，例如：字型變化、線上字典…等。而某部份研究對象則表示期望能夠獲得教師針對個人作品的批評與建議，以期能夠提昇英文寫作能力。經由對NICENET教學平台的介紹及對朝陽科技大學應用外語系學生所進行之調查研究，本研究或許能夠幫助提昇線上教學平台在台灣英語教學上的普遍性。尤其，以對線上教學/學習有興趣卻非常恐懼電腦科技的教師與學生而言，容易使用的NICENET教學平台可以是非常好的工具。再則，本研究之調查結果提供未來運用NICENET教學平台進行英語教學課程設計上一項具有重要意義的參考依據。

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of Applied Foreign Languages (AFL) students at Chaoyang University of Technology (CYUT) toward English writing on NICENET, which is a course management system (CMS) on the Internet. A survey instrument containing three sections (demographics, a five-point Likert-type rating, and open-ended questions) was administered to the AFL seniors (N=105) in the academic year of 2006.
Primarily, quantitative research method was utilized for data collection and analysis. A series of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post hoc Scheffe multiple comparisons were conducted to determine if significant differences existed in the level of satisfaction among different groups of students relative to their demographics. Further, to support the quantitative findings, response classification of open-ended questions was analyzed to conclude the viewpoints and suggestions of the participants.
The significance of this study is three fold. First, the results of this study are expected to advance the understanding of the AFL student intentions to learn English writing with NICENET. Second, this study may potentially influence instructional designs among teachers who are currently or interested in teaching with NICENET. Third, the information resulted from this study is expected to be useful for policy-making decisions about how NICENET can be integrated into the traditional language courses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………i
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………ii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………v
CHINESE ABSTRACT…………………………………………………vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY………………………………………1
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY…………………………………………………3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS………………………………………………4
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY………………………………………5
DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY……………………………………6
DEFINITION OF TERMS……………………………………………7
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY……………………………………9
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………10
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK…………………………………………10
The Process Writing Method……………………………10
Constructivism and Social Psychological Perspectives……11
Zone of Proximal Development……………………………………12
Scaffolding Theory…………………………………12
Cooperative Learning………………………………………………13
ENGLISH WRITING ONLINE………………………………………14
Networks and English Writing…………………………14
Email and English Writing………………………………16
Electronic Bulletin Boards and English Writing…16
Web-based CMS and English Writing……………………17
EXPERIENCES OF INSTRUCTORS USING NICENET………………20
STUDIES ABOUT NICENET APPLICATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING…21
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………23
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………24
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS…………………………………………24
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT…………………………………………25
THE INVESTIGATING QUESTIONNAIRE……………………………26
Validity…………………………………………………28
Reliability………………………………………………29
DATA COLLECTION……………………………………………30
DATA ANALYSIS……………………………………………………30
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………33
RATE OF QUESTIONNAIRES RETRIEVAL………………………33
SURVEY FINDINGS…………………………………………………34
Personal Information……………………………………34
Details of Experience Using NICENET…………………35
RELIABILITY ANALYSES…………………………………………36
STATISTICAL ANALYSES…………………………………………38
Descriptive Statistics…………………………………39
Inferential Statistics…………………………………49
THE CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONSES TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS…60
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………65
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………67
OVERVIEW…………………………………………………………67
CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………69
Research Question One……………………………………69
Research Questions Two…………………………………70
Research Question Three…………………………………72
Research Question Four…………………………………74
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS……………………………………78
DIRECTIONS OF FUTURE STUDY…………………………………81
REFERENCES………………………………………………………83
APPENDICES……………………………………………………………87
APPENDIX A: THE CONCEPT MAP OF THIS STUDY………………88
APPENDIX B: THE INSTRUMENT OF THIS STUDY………………90


APPENDIX C: FREQUENCY TABLE OF RESPONSES TO SECTION “QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT”……………………………………99
APPENDIX D: ANOVA COMPARING VIEWPOINTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN DIFFERENT MAJOR TRACKS………………………103
APPENDIX E: ANOVA COMPARING VIEWPOINTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS BASED UPON FREQUENCY OF SURFING THE INTERNET………………………107
APPENDIX F: ANOVA COMPARITING VIEWPOINTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS BASED UPON FREQUENCY OF LINKING TO COURSE WEBSITES ON NICENE………………………………………111
APPENDIX G: FREQUENCY TABLE OF RESPONSES TO THE THREE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS……………………………………115
FIGURES…………………………………………………………120
FIGURE ONE: THE HOMEPAGE OF NICENET……………………121
FIGURE TWO: EAMPLE OF COURSE HOMEPAGE ON NICENET……121

REFERENCES
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