Writing has been
around for centuries; as long as people have had a message to share, there has
been a need to write. As we move into the 21st century there are
more opportunities for us to write in various ways. Writers now have technology
to share their writing through e-mail, blogs, wikis, pen pals, etc. Technology
gives writers the opportunity to share their thoughts with multiple viewers and
these viewers can reciprocate by adding their thoughts. There is a bigger sense
of immediacy with the use of technology because of the ability to give or
receive immediate feedback. With technology, there are more reasons to write. This
allows for different styles of writing, and often, gives more motivation to
write.
The use of
technology presents some challenges, especially for teachers of primary
children. Many children have used a computer before entering school, but not
typically for composing
a piece of writing. Teachers must teach both writing and word processing
skills. Stories written on a computer tend to be shorter than those that are
handwritten. This is due to younger children spending more time and focus on
looking at their fingers to ensure they are using the correct keys. Revision
for handwritten pieces is typically for reflection, a student determines what
should come next in the story. With word processed stories, revision becomes a
spell/grammar check to make sure the content typed matches the content intended.
Despite these
challenges, there are many benefits of writing and publishing with technology. Children
are exposed to writing conventions and technology basics which are critical
because they are going to be expected to know and use both in the future. Students
develop problem solving skills by determining the importance of other’s writing.
They also evaluate their own writing to determine if it can be comprehended or
clarification is necessary. Technology has allowed for more social networking.
Children have become peer coaches when composing writing and are given social
interaction by the ways they can comment and add to other’s writing. When
reading and responding to books online, children gain deeper knowledge reading,
writing about, and possibly writing in different genres. Discussions with
others allows for multiple perspectives and learning from cultural differences.
Blogging is becoming
increasingly popular both with teachers and students. Amongst the many reasons
to use them, blogs can be used as responses for books. This online form of
communication stems from the reading comprehension process. The reader analyzes
the information, evaluates it, synthesizes a response, and then uses a blog to
communicate this response. This involves many higher
order thinking skills. They may post questions they encounter, and by using
this avenue, they will receive responses from classmates as well as their
teacher. Once again, this allows for input from multiple perspectives. Through
this kind of interaction, students gain a better understanding of the text,
their peers, and the world around them.
