My last blog was about the importance of having fluent keyboarding skills. To follow up on that theme, I thought I would share some reasons why, as often as possible, we should have our students using technology during the writing process.
The first and easy answer is engagement. Some students would rather do anything using the computer. I've found this generally wears off around middle school, but in the early and intermediate grades, the use of technology for writing can be its own reward.
The better answer is that students write more, edit more willingly and frequently, and thus create better quality writing assignments when using a word processor. See the complete study at An AlphaSmart for Each Student: Does Teaching and Learning Change with Full Access to Word Processors? (Michael Russell, Damian Bebell, Jennifer Cowan, & Mary Corbelli, April 2002)
Skeptical about the study? Ask our own Cheryl Klausner. She conducted her own research with her class a few years ago; from that point forward, her students have used technology to write almost all their assignments.
Concerned with the lack of access to technology? See me. I'll help solve your problems with AlphaSmarts, time in the lab, and the iBook cart.
Don't know where to start? Again, see me. Maybe it makes sense to start with a few struggling writers. Or do just one writing assignment this year using our technology. I'll help you figure out what makes the most sense for you and your students.
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2 comments:
I still remember the year I stopped writing everything out by hand and then keyboarding it into a word processor. It was hard at first to just begin to write on the computer, but within a very short time, I was amazed at how much better my writing was when I could edit as I wrote and revise by cutting and pasting. Composing on the keyboard is definitely a more creative process than writing in longhand.
Joan Hamilton
I can't imagine completing my dissertation without the use of a word processor, never mind high school and college papers! Keyboading and a comfort level with the wonders of technology are essential skills for high performing students. Thank you Ms. Sicard and Ms. Hamilton for encouraging the development of keyboarding skills in the context of the writing process.
Dr. Smith-Mumford
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