Recent online development of learning tools such as Wallwisher can be
used to enhance student engagement in the classroom especially in writing
classes. Some problems encountered when teaching low proficiency students
relate to the application of the knowledge gained in classrooms and to write
more using this tool. Two categories of student engagement in classroom
that work as the base for this study as outlined by McCarthy (2012) are
self-interactions and student instructor interactions. Data were collected
from 22 pre-diploma students who were enrolled in a business course and
were obliged to pass an English course as a prerequisite for them to enroll in
diploma courses. Students’ levels of engagement were coded using Perkins
and Murphy’s (2006) instrument and later, four students were subjected
to informal interview sessions for further investigation of phenomena.The
responses recorded that they would be more participative and engaged with
their learning materials and online technologies if they were being graded.
It is vital to create active learning situations among the students which will
assist them in applying the skills that they have learned in daily situations.