A Historical Overview of Writing and Technology (original) (raw)
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A Historical Overview of Writing and Technology: Seeking the Right Instructional Tools for the Job
This chapter discusses the history of writing and technology and offers an overview of the integration of advances in the use of technology in the writing classroom. The author has framed this overview by highlighting the importance of selecting the most appropriate tool for any instructional task. Grounded in the belief that writing is a key skill for students to master for success in the classroom and, more importantly, beyond the classroom, this chapter is designed to open a theoretical and practical dialogue between readers and this book about how to best theorize and enact meaningful writing instruction in the digital age.
Writing and Writing Instruction in the Digital Age
This paper will begin by presenting a case that was widely discussed as an example of one of the "problems" created by digital technology and revealed the difference between one group more accustomed to older analog technology and one that is not. The discussion will also serve to highlight that, the state, use, and development of digital technology is different from country to country. This will be followed by a discussion of the advent of digital technology and its implications for first (L1) and second (L2) language writing and writing instruction. Finally it will conclude that throughout history technology has had an influence on communication; yet the essence of the written word and the fundamental nature of writing has not changed, nor should writing instruction necessarily change.
Handbook of Research on Digital Tools for Writing Instruction in K-12 Settings
2014
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Digital Writing in the Primary Grades: Synthesis of Research
This synthesis of digital writing research with primary grade students will provide the audience with an overview of what has been learned since 1988. Much has changed in the past 20 years, but the previous research can serve to inform the fields’ understandings and provide directions for future research. In 1998 the ratio of children to computers with internet access at school was 1 to 12.1, by 2001 1 to 5.4 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2005). While the availability of computers and access has increased dramatically during this period, the essential skills needed to create texts on the computers are the same. Digital writing can have varied definitions. For the purposes of this synthesis, a limited definition is applied. Digital writing applies to any text created on a computer. This synthesis is guided by the question, “What is the impact of digital writing on primary grade students’ composition?”
Digital Writing in English Language Writing Instruction
2017
Our students in twenty-first century are highly digital literate. The widespread use of technologies such as smart phones, tabs and so on have influenced the way they learn in writing. Students nowadays prefer literacy in digital rather than print form. Teaching writing is challenging as students often find it boring and tedious if it is taught traditionally. Therefore, teachers need to incorporate technology into teaching writing. This study explores the use of digital writing to enhance students’ learning in writing essays as well as motivate them to write and share their ideas with others. It was conducted as a case study among eight student teachers at an Institute of Teacher Education in Malaysia. Through the analyses of students’ work, reflective journal writing and interview, the findings illustrate a clear preference by the students towards digital writing approach than the traditional writing in print form. The approach of digital writing encouraged more writing process on ...
W 2 Using Computers to Teach Writing: Advantages and Disadvantages hen considering whether to introduce computers into the writing classroom, one question stands above the rest: do computers improve the writing of students? The answer, surprisingly, is that we don't know. Wolfe et al. report that "researchers do not agree about the effects of using word processors on the quality of student writing" (270). Owston, Murphy, and Wideman inform us that "the results to date have been equivocal" (251). Joram et al. tell us that, in regard to the accepted belief that computers facilitate revision, "there is little research that directly tests this claim" (168). Collier and Werier find that "research on the qualitative changes effected in writing by word-processing systems have been either contradictory or inconclusive . . . for all population samples-experienced professional and academic writers, as well as several categories of inexperienced writers" (47).
Three foundational concepts for tutoring digital writing
Writing Lab Newsletter, 2020
A social turn, such as the digital turn, is a recognized moment in time when a society changes its ways of thinking of reality. The digital turn is a recognized moment when our society began to think of reality through and within a digital perspective. This turn affects all aspects of our society, including education and academic writing. The impact on writing centers and tutoring has been profound. Since the digital turn, the digital tools commonly used to write and produce enable and determine our praxis as writers and writing tutors. Writers increasingly think in and through digital writing tools (Deuze 137), and we engage with students in this digitally-influenced process during tutoring sessions. Digital tools hook us and our students into searchable information reservoirs and provide multimodal narrative forms and scholarship. These tools also connect individual writers with community, and their infrastructures shape the social interactions of public- facing writers and collaborators.
TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR IMPROVING STUDENTS’ WRITING
ACEC 2002 Conference Proceedings,Hobart Australia, 2002
Students' transition from high school to university often is more problematic than smooth and a major source of difficulty is writing assignments (Fletcher, 2002; Hunter-Carsch, 1990; Norton, 1990). Research reported here is based on a longitudinal study of university students' experiences as assignment writers. Our work confirms what is widely reported in the literature. What is not widely reported in the literature is how an intelligent use of technology will advance students' development as writers. In this paper, we describe how access to a website tutorial provided students with insights that proved critical for effective planning and completion of assignment writing. These insights allowed students to put together a contextual jigsaw that enhanced their knowledge of how to write along with knowledge of what to write. Specifically, it lead them to see their lecturers as writers, readers and markers of essay topics, to make informed decisions on what to research, on how much to write, and on how to write cohesively
Technology as a Lever for Adolescent Writing
Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2019
Despite needing this critical skill for college and career readiness, American adolescents are struggling to develop effective writing. In today’s schools and workplaces, much of that writing uses digital tools. Integrating technology in secondary schools can help improve adolescent writing within initiatives focused on the pedagogy of writing. These initiatives would provide teachers with technical support so they may focus on instruction. Professional development would emphasize how to leverage digital tools to deliver evidence-based writing instruction. Students gain most when provided systematic, explicit instruction in scientifically based strategies for writing and the writing process, as well as how to make effective use of digital tools as part of the writing process.