The findings and analysis have led to the following three implications: the importance of clear instructions for the use of e-tools, the value of e-learning in facilitating peer collaboration and self-directed learning, and the crucial role of teachers in e-learning.

1. Clear instructions accompanying the use of e-resources are imperative: Given that students have the opportunity to work on their mobile gadgets, very clear instructions are much needed before they start working. In the present study, the teachers told the students very directly and clearly when to use and when not to use the gadget. They also checked if the students had understood the requirements of the task and what to do with the gadgets. All these measures helped prevent any students from being addicted to the gadget and losing track in the learning process.
2. e-Learning can facilitate peer learning/sharing as well as self-directed learning: Peer-to-peer learning has always been regarded as one valuable form of learning, and e-resources can help promote real-time peer learning in an interactive way. The students in the present study could discuss among themselves what to input on the gadget and read what their peers in the whole class had written. They were also encouraged to decide if they would like to use their ideas or those of their peers. This in turn fostered among the students themselves deeper thinking of their own learning.
3. Teachers play a determining role in e-learning: Teachers should be taking the lead in the L/T process instead of being manipulated by the e-resources. In other words, in light of the target teaching point and the students’ computer literacy as well as interest, teachers should plan what e-resources to use, when to use them and how to use them effectively. Meanwhile, it does not mean that students’ opportunities to learn on their own are to be ignored. Instead, teachers should be the facilitator in the L/T process so that the students can conduct effectual self-directed learning via e-learning. Only through careful planning by teachers can there be some kind of synergy between e-learning and traditional learning.

Facilitating factors

The following factors are believed to have given a boost to the trial of e-learning in the P3 writing class:

1. The school environment is supportive in that e-learning has been implemented in subjects other than English, e.g. General Studies and Mathematics, for some time. The experience of running e-learning in those subjects has definitely given insights to the English panel in their planning of e-learning since teachers of different subjects have had the practice of sharing their experience of using various e-resources.
2. Both the participating teachers and BYOD students were ready for e-learning. They possess a comparatively high level of computer literacy, enabling the trial and use of the recommended e-resources in the L/T process.
3. The two teachers were open-minded and were willing to try out the e-resources and scaffolding activities as planned.
4. The selected e-resources were used for in-class teaching and out-of-class activities on various occasions throughout the school year (e.g., Popplet in teaching/revising lexical sets), thus facilitating the familiarity of the e-resources among teachers and students.

Way forward

One interesting pattern came up in the analysis of the collected data: only students of the lower-ability group displayed improvement in all the variables being studied (i.e. number of words written, number of elaborations written and number of elaborations written in dialogues) (See Figures 4, 5 and 6). This encourages the exploration of the application of e-learning to students with lower English proficiency. Teachers can start with one to two small-scale or simple teacher-led e-activities (e.g. Plickers), where teachers initially ‘control’ the e-resources and students participate in the activities. Should the chosen e-resources be effective and both teachers and students be comfortable with using them, the same e-resources can be recycled throughout the school year. Through accumulating more experience in e-learning, it is hoped that teachers would be more confident in adopting e-learning, and that students of not only the lower proficiency level but also the higher levels would be able to benefit more from the use of e-resources.