View in EDS

Online Writing Instruction: Understanding University EFL Instructors' Beliefs and Practices as a Complex System

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Online Writing Instruction: Understanding University EFL Instructors' Beliefs and Practices as a Complex System
Language: English
Authors: Safaa M. Abdelhalim (ORCID 0000-0002-6995-4553)
Source: Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(4):1689-1718.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 30
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Writing Instruction, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Teacher Attitudes, Language Teachers, Beliefs, Foreign Countries, Universities, Teaching Methods, Holistic Approach, Teacher Behavior, Systems Approach, Online Courses, College Faculty
Geographic Terms: Saudi Arabia
DOI: 10.1177/13621688221150855
ISSN: 1362-1688
1477-0954
Abstract: With ongoing debates about the nature and constituents of effective online writing instruction, little is known about the beliefs and practices of online writing instructors. Most studies conducted on language teachers' beliefs focused primarily on examining the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices based on static views, which are represented as a simplified linear or dual relationship. Complexity theory (CT) goes beyond this reductionist framework by understanding not only the components of teachers' beliefs and practice systems but also how these components interact and mutually inform each other, creating new entities. Guided by CT perspectives, this article reports and analysis data from a multiple-case study on two experienced Saudi university English as a foreign language (EFL) writing instructors' beliefs and practices concerning online writing instruction (OWI). Data collection included three sources: semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The study findings revealed that, first, the belief systems of the two instructors incorporated various interrelated and interactive beliefs and sub-beliefs in three main areas: online writing, OWI, and online writing assessment and feedback giving; second, the complex dynamic interactions between the diverse constituents of both instructors' beliefs and practice systems played an influential role in determining whether instructors were ready to engage with and adapt pedagogical practices for OWI. The overall findings revealed two distinct belief systems within the two cases concerning engagement with OWI: one humanistic-oriented and the other structural-oriented. The study proposes a series of pedagogical and professional best practices relevant to online writing instruction.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502914
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1502914
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Online Writing Instruction: Understanding University EFL Instructors' Beliefs and Practices as a Complex System
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Safaa+M%2E+Abdelhalim%22">Safaa M. Abdelhalim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6995-4553">0000-0002-6995-4553</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Teaching+Research%22"><i>Language Teaching Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 30(4):1689-1718.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 30
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Instruction%22">Writing Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Instruction%22">Second Language Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Teachers%22">Language Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beliefs%22">Beliefs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Holistic+Approach%22">Holistic Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Behavior%22">Teacher Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systems+Approach%22">Systems Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Courses%22">Online Courses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia%22">Saudi Arabia</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/13621688221150855
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1362-1688<br />1477-0954
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: With ongoing debates about the nature and constituents of effective online writing instruction, little is known about the beliefs and practices of online writing instructors. Most studies conducted on language teachers' beliefs focused primarily on examining the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices based on static views, which are represented as a simplified linear or dual relationship. Complexity theory (CT) goes beyond this reductionist framework by understanding not only the components of teachers' beliefs and practice systems but also how these components interact and mutually inform each other, creating new entities. Guided by CT perspectives, this article reports and analysis data from a multiple-case study on two experienced Saudi university English as a foreign language (EFL) writing instructors' beliefs and practices concerning online writing instruction (OWI). Data collection included three sources: semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The study findings revealed that, first, the belief systems of the two instructors incorporated various interrelated and interactive beliefs and sub-beliefs in three main areas: online writing, OWI, and online writing assessment and feedback giving; second, the complex dynamic interactions between the diverse constituents of both instructors' beliefs and practice systems played an influential role in determining whether instructors were ready to engage with and adapt pedagogical practices for OWI. The overall findings revealed two distinct belief systems within the two cases concerning engagement with OWI: one humanistic-oriented and the other structural-oriented. The study proposes a series of pedagogical and professional best practices relevant to online writing instruction.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1502914
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502914
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/13621688221150855
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 30
        StartPage: 1689
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Electronic Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beliefs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Holistic Approach
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Systems Approach
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Online Courses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Online Writing Instruction: Understanding University EFL Instructors' Beliefs and Practices as a Complex System
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Safaa M. Abdelhalim
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1362-1688
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1477-0954
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 30
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Language Teaching Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1