Effects of the writing instructional model with integration of inquiry-based learning and visual literacy on 21st century skills of EFL learners

Abstract

Although a body of research illustrates the potential of inquiry-based learning in promoting the 21st century skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students (AbuRezeq, 2018; Imansyan et al., 2019; Milatasari, 2013; Palupi et al., 2020; Tongjean et al., 2019), other studies have indicated its occasional failure in eliciting students’ engagement (Duschl & Wright, 1989; Gill, 2005), which affects students’ success in language learning. This results in the need to leverage other pedagogical strategies, including visual literacy, to increase the efficacy of inquiry-based learning (Gonzalez-Ledo, 2015; Maricimoi, 2017; Navidinia et al., 2018; Rokhaniyah, 2019, Sulastri, 2019; Tayib, 2015; Villasor, 2018; Yeom, 2018; Yunus and Chien, 2016). The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the effects of the writing instructional model with integration of inquiry-based learning and visual literacy (WINVIS model) on the 21st century skills, including written communication, collaboration, critical thinking skill, and creative thinking skill, of EFL students and 2) to explore the students’ opinions towards the WINVIS model. This mixed-methods research with a one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted using the five-step COPAE model, including Connecting, Outlining, Presenting, Applying, and Evaluating, with 20 high school students at a private school in Chaiyaphum province in the northeastern region of Thailand during the first semester of the 2020 academic year. The WINVIS model was implemented for 12 weeks, and data were collected using the 21st century skill pretest and posttest, the 21st century skill rubric, the students’ collaboration questionnaire, the student’s 21st century skill portfolio, the teacher’s observation note, the WINVIS opinion questionnaire, and focus group interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics of Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data.

The findings showed that the implementation of the WINVIS model had a positive effect on students’ 21st century skills, namely written communication, collaboration, critical thinking skill, and creative thinking skill. Furthermore, students expressed favorable views of the model across all domains evaluated: learning and writing progress, instructional methods, materials, the teacher’s role, and overall satisfaction with learning. Based on the findings, it could be concluded that the WINVIS model could improve the 21st century skills of EFL students. This research enriches the existing pedagogical literature by highlighting the importance of the writing instructional model with integration of inquiry-based learning and visual literacy.