Critical Analysis (original) (raw)

Examining the Impact of Technology on Primary Students’ Revision of Written Work

Few studies have examined the revision processes of second grade students and even fewer have explored the impact of digital writing on young students’ revisions. This study utilized a within subject crossover trial using randomized block assignment (AB | BA) for counterbalancing. This study sought to determine (1) whether revising on paper versus revising on the computer significantly impacted revisions second graders made; (2) whether revising on paper verses the computer affected the change in quality from the first to final draft; (3) whether the cognitive load of transcription, writing speed and spelling ability affected the revisions second graders make when revising on paper and the computer; and (4) whether the cognitive load of transcription affected the change in quality scores when students revise on paper and the computer. 74 second graders from a middle class suburb participated in the study. Students received training on how to use the computer to type and edit texts and completed cognitive load measures on paper and the computer for writing speed and spelling ability. Each of the four classes was assigned to one of two conditions: paper revision, then computer revision or computer revision, then paper revision. Students wrote and revised two stories. Analyses revealed that second grade students made twice the number of revisions on computer than on paper. Across mediums, students primarily made low-level revisions: additions, substitutions, and deletions. Analyses of quality indicators determined that students increased word count in both mediums, with a greater increase when revising on paper. Percent of words spelled correctly increased in both mediums, with a greater increase on the computer likely due to the availability of spell check. Cognitive load measures indicated a typing was significantly slower than handwriting, but spelling ability significantly increased on the computer over handwriting. These findings supported previous research. Overall this study determined that second graders were able to effectively revise texts using paper and the computer. The computer proved to support students spelling resulting in an increase in the number of revisions and the percent of words spelled correctly. Computers can be a beneficial writing tool for second grade students.

DIY Media: Creating, Sharing and Learning with Digital Technologies

Schools remain notorious for co-opting digital technologies to business as usual approaches to teaching new literacies. DIY Media addresses this issue head-on, and describes expansive and creative practices of digital literacy that are increasingly influential and popular in contexts beyond the school, and whose educational potential is not yet being tapped to any significant degree in classrooms. This book is very much concerned with engaging students in do-it-yourself digitally mediated meaning-making practices. As such, it is organized around three broad areas of digital media: moving media, still media, and audio media. Specific DIY media practices addressed in the chapters include machinima, anime music videos, digital photography, podcasting, and music remixing. Each chapter opens with an overview of a specific DIY media practice, includes a practical how-to tutorial section, and closes with suggested applications for classroom settings. This collection will appeal not only to educators, but to anyone invested in better understandingand perhaps participating inthe significant shift towards everyday people producing their own digital media.