The impact of automated feedback on vocational college students' writing performance and feedback literacy

Automated writing evaluation (AWE) systems are increasingly integrated into English writing instruction, yet little is known about their effectiveness in vocational education contexts. This study investigates the impact of automated feedback provided by the iWriter platform on Chinese vocational college students’ writing performance and feedback literacy. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, involving 60 students from two parallel classes. The experimental group (n = 30) received automated feedback via iWriter plus brief teacher comments, while the control group (n = 30) received traditional teacher feedback only. Data were collected through pre- and post-writing tests, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and platform logs. Results indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in writing scores (p < 0.05). Moreover, students in the experimental group demonstrated higher engagement in revision and developed stronger feedback literacy. The findings suggest that AWE can serve as a pedagogical tool to enhance both writing proficiency and students’ ability to interpret and use feedback effectively in vocational settings.