This study examines the effects of teaching paraphrasing skills to students of tertiary level on summary writing. Other studies have found that students have limited paraphrasing skills that they can use to help them complete a task. Other factors like culture may also play a part. Twenty two students of lower intermediate level of proficiency in English were used in the study. A piece of summary writing task requires critical thinking skills to produce effective and concise writing. The nature of the task is basically constructing a general conceptual framework from the analysis of the passage and synthesis of specific information from it. This study analyses perceptions of students when handling a summary writing and the awareness of their learning and thinking. Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is used as a strategy to encourage independent thinking when doing summary writing in the classroom. The students in the study found the skills taught to them useful and they were able to apply them in a limited way. Added to this the results from the study indicated that the skills did not help the students equally. Students’ perception of their confidence in their learning abilities and the task assigned may not accurately reflect their paraphrasing skills.

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Purpose – The reason many Asian students fi nd student-centred learning challenging may be due to cultural factors present in every human interaction between individuals. This study attempts to determine the infl uence of these cultural factors on students’ awareness of how and why they learn.   Method – A sample of 12 students enrolled in a two year diploma course in a Malaysian university was interviewed, using a semistructured interview protocol, on the students’ perceptions and experiences when learning. The results were analysed qualitatively using the interpretive approach.   Findings – The results show that students rely on their teachers for information, implying a high power distance as well as low individualism, and are not inclined to explore on their own. These students readily approach their friends rather than teachers for help with their assignments. They also hold their parents’ opinions in high regard.   Significance – The results of this study are important for teachers when implementing student-centred learning. It will be challenging for Malaysian students to respond well to this form of learning strategy as it requires a certain amount of independent learning as well as risk-taking behaviour which these students seem to lack.

This paper examines students' perceptions of the use of group discussion as a collaborative learning tool among English-as-a-Second-language (ESL) learners when learning writing skills in university. Studies on collaborative learning have shown that group discussions enhance students' learning experiences and knowledge. Collaborative learning in the form of group discussions has encourages students to produce work that is creative as well as stimulate critical thinking. This form of learning further develops interpersonal skills and social relationships among students. Twenty-four university students divided into six groups were the respondents in this study. The data was collected using voice recorded transcriptions of a semi-structured interview session with each group after completing the collaborative learning activity. The transcriptions were then analysed qualitatively using the interpretative approach. The transcripts were read and reread until common ideas emerged that were then categorised and discussed under various themes. The results showed that students perceived that collaborative learning tended to help them reflect on the content and context of the tasks they had to carry out. This form of learning was perceived to increase their confidence and motivation to communicate with their peers in a second language, and there were higher rates of task completion.

Purpose-The reason many Asian students fi nd student-centred learning challenging may be due to cultural factors present in every human interaction between individuals. This study attempts to determine the infl uence of these cultural factors on students' awareness of how and why they learn. Method-A sample of 12 students enrolled in a two year diploma course in a Malaysian university was interviewed, using a semistructured interview protocol, on the students' perceptions and experiences when learning. The results were analysed qualitatively using the interpretive approach. Findings-The results show that students rely on their teachers for information, implying a high power distance as well as low individualism, and are not inclined to explore on their own. These students readily approach their friends rather than teachers for help with their assignments. They also hold their parents' opinions in high regard. Signifi cance-The results of this study are important for teachers when implementing student-centred learning. It will be challenging for Malaysian students to respond well to this form of learning strategy as it requires a certain amount of independent learning as well as risk-taking behaviour which these students seem to lack.