Technology has changed the way people live. In fact it has made a lot of mundane things easier. "For instance this sentence has been recorded and converted into text." There are abundant possibilities with word processing softwares. They make allowances audio recording to text conversion. Just as large chunks of texts can be cropped and moved about effortlessly. Hypertext, hypermedia and other links can be embedded into a document that can carry the reader to various internet sources which is fascinating.
Jim Porter reflects on why technology matters in writing. As he reflected on the role technology played in his life-- it seemed dynamic and a catalyst to his writing experience. His writing evolved with the introduction of new technology, from "pencil-based handwriting" to "internetworked computer"-- pencil to pixel style of writing. This reminds me of the time that I worked with particular fifth grade student who had a difficult time in jotting his thoughts down on paper, he use to receive occupational therapy. After doing some research on a possible iPhone/iPod app that could help Dragon Dictation was extremely useful. This student who would be considered a reluctant writer was happy to see that he could verbalize his ideas and audio could be converted into text. This change several educators perspective of the iPhone/iPod as a writing tool in the classroom. There is always a price tag when it comes to technology in the classroom. Many schools have invested in getting class set of iPad and computers for students to use.
Technology is fascinating and it's a great composition tool in the classroom. I often try to get students to write their first drafts the old way--pencil on paper. It's integral that students need to experience the writing process. They are encouraged to use their computers to write their second and third drafts because there is a user friendliness and versatility to making revisions on computers. They are so important to education that more states are moving towards using electronic testing--students will type their responses and essays on the computer and initially submit their responses. Eventually, students' responses, short and or longer essays responses once upload to the system will be download to be scored by educators electronically.
Porter stated that "longhand for drafting, and used the typewriter as a tool for revision and editing. Typing and retyping the same lines over and over forced me to examine, reread, contemplate, and refine my style. That process of retyping—a stage that word-processing software has eliminated—helped me as a writer." I concur with Porter because after perusing students work at the elementary school level they have little understanding of the writing process which provide that teachable moment for students to try this type of revisiting by tracking their writing. Since writers continuously revising and editing during the writing process. Students can learn that their is a place for texting shortcuts in writing for instance if they are zooming and stretching out a scene in a personal narrative where characters are texting each other on their phone and they can capture this in their writing as one of the elements to slow down--slow down or stretch out their writing. In essence, students are learning the purpose of deliberate revising techniques to improve their writing.
On the other hand, to use a personal computer simply as a word processor is in fact simply not what students at the elementary school are doing. They are using it for so much more. They are using it to communicate with children across the world be it online games and other interactive medias such as Facebook. They are uploading pictures, videos and receiving them at the same time. Students in my class have a gmail account link to their school emails and they use google documents and other apps in very sophisticated ways. Several students from a fifth grade class upload images to their written work in a nonfiction research paper unit. Using the elements of writing in nonfiction writing. Students elaborated and raised the quality of their writing by using test features for example inset box, images with captions to explain and to elaborate where those features would be considered vital in explaining a cross section on the earths inner core than if they were to just write about it.
Craig Stroupe discussed the way visual literacy and hybrid literacy and authorship is viewed my educated folks need to be revamped. A student who uses links visual aids and "plays with" graphics to explain a topic in a writing class is in fact sophisticated as would a student writes a well research and annotated paper. By using the web, that particular student is in fact annotating and linking there work to the plethora information online that already connects to their work. Stroupe highlighted some very good points about the "elaborationist". There is a lot of information on the World Wide Web but one can argue that the quality composition may not be up to par with standard writing technique. It's not that the writing online with various hypertext and hypermedia is inferior, as retrospect they are highly sophisticated. For instance video links and blogs linking to the atrocities occurring in Syria to prove that it's government actually use nerve gas to immobilize and eradicate any opposition would potentially evoke enough outrage as would any other well written essay because of how the video links once view would appeal to the reader and or viewer. Creating links to other reputable sources is a way to validate and to check the credibility of the composer's work thus acting as cross-reference to the information presented.
Finally, manipulating text features are important since using text features will help to create meaning. There is much to understand about delivery and how composition writers can integrate technology to create and impact meaning. Using technology for technology should evolve from the mundane process of just pencil to paper or from simply using computers as a simple word processor. The impact on the elementary level is inspiring as more students are creating and reading more texts simply because online learning is fun and limitless. With the technology being so closely linked to classrooms there is a move away for mundane writing compositions.
I like your point about students not using the computer as simply a word processor, and how that’s not entirely bad. The feature of computers and the Internet that makes this evolution in composition stand out from the pencil and typewriter is that it encourages collaboration and puts the authorship into question in exciting ways. The notion of the solitary, brilliant author can seem romantic, and I’m sure many of us have fantasized about writing a novel/story/poem/song/essay unlike anything anyone has ever read. While that may be possible, it is also true that most anything that could influence the reader would spring from a writing tradition. Community and writing are essentially linked, and the collaboration that the Internet allows makes that both possible and apparent.
ReplyDeleteYou also make a great point about this emerging writing technology helping students get an implicit understanding of the importance of citation. Hyperlinks may not replace works cited pages, but they certainly do much of that important work. I know at least one LIU composition instructor uses Tumblr in the classroom to show students that, while citing and creating a bibliography may seem daunting, they do similar work all the time when they link other cites to their Tumblr and Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.
I really enjoyed reading your blog this week. It touched on some of the points that I mention in my blogg as well. There is a move from writing in a traditional sense and how we are writing now. Jim Porter's article really got to the heart of his process and evolution in writing, I actually finally "got it". It all seems so daunting and hard but as long as people have patience and interest it should go smooth. Once again , nice blog.
ReplyDelete