Troy Hicks, “The Digital Writing Worshop” believes that our writers can achieve more, understand more, and discover more using digital tools, than in our traditional writing workshop.
In examining this photo, consider what happens in a typical writing workshop.
- What writing processes and expectations are the same as they have always been for print texts? What do you believe has changed?
- Who are the writer(s) of the text? the girls who are seated, or the girl leaning in and using the trackpad? Who gets credit for having composed – a term that Yancey (2008) uses to broaden our notions of what it means to write with text, images, sounds and video – this text?
- What behaviours do you believe need to be taught in order for students to work collaboratively as well as offer constructive responses to improve digital writing?
Homework: Read Chapter 1. and Comment on your thoughts on the above questions.
Hello colleagues,
Last week Janet and Francine came to help my class get started on their blogs. Everyone was enthusiastic about writing their first piece. I’ve allowed the students to comment on each others’ blogs, but haven’t yet modeled or practiced specific and uplifting feedback. Hence, some students have already posted friendly but vague comments like “ur ideas are great!”
I think the challenge will be, as Hicks writes, to teach students “how to be critical of what they are reading and writing” and then to communicate that to themselves and others in an uplifting way (8). Perhaps teaching the social skills required to work collaboratively are part of what it means to “[t]each the writer, then the writing.” I look forward to practicing sentence starters for helpful feedback by the end of the week. We will also practice basing our comments on class-generated criteria. I don’t have these lessons fully-formed in my head, so I’m bound to learn as I go.
Laura
Hello All,
Setting out on this quest of digital discovery, I am determined not to identify myself as a marginalized “digital immigrant”. I found Hicks’ outline of the theories behind digital writing compelling. The implications of new literacies, multiliteracies and digital literacies challenge the foundation of a traditional writing program, yet wholly reflect my personal, digital habits and experiences. I think I can be convinced that digital writing has become the most meaningful writing in my world and certainly in the lives of my students.
Hasn’t our goal always been to create meaningful, authentic writing opportunities?
Hi Lara,
I agree that teachers have always tried to create meaningful, authentic writing apportunities. I don’t think the opportunities I have provided in class, however, have allowed the students to reach such a wide audience as that of our class blog. I’ve noticed that some of the boys in my class have put much more effort into writing on the blog than they have to writing paragraphs for me! Of course, offering a topic they love also helps.
Upon reflecting there are many thoughts running through my head. My first response was about management. Reflecting deeper, it is more about releasing control. My control over to the the students. This new medium, is moving and changing quite rapidly I guess I don’t have a good feel for it yet, like with pencils, pen, and paper. I guess my own mind set is still in transition. Although I use the internet medium to get information from time to time, I love the feel of a book and newspaper along with pencils, pen, and pad. I guess I feel comfortable with all these tools.
As Hicks stated, he is sometimes just a few steps or one step ahead. I guess this uncertainty is fueling a little bit of angst.
I found chapter one quite inspiring…I agree that with technology, our learners have changed and we need to adapt to these changes. I look forward to learning as much as I can so I can do so. I hope I can find ways to use technology with my younger audience and to inspire their passion in writing.
Hi everyone,
In order for students to be able to work collaboratively, a teacher needs to build, foster and maintain a sense of community that includes a caring, trusting and collaborative team-like spirit… that whatever we do or say will help and lift up not only themselves but will nudge/influence others to learn, improve and achieve. When everyone believes in and is willing to work together for a common collective goal, many, if not all, benefit… all as learners/collaborators moving forward to better themselves and each other alongside others who also want the same. “If you’re not helping the team, you’re hurting the team” is one of my favourite lines. This positive team environment can carry over then to when students work on their digital writing.
As there will always be stronger readers and writers in a classroom, how do we make sure these students are pushed or challenged to improve as they might collaborate with others that may not be as strong? Perhaps this is where opening up the classroom outside of the school walls can benefit kids like these… with digital writing, this makes it possible.
I share your concern about negotiating collaboration in heterogeneous teams. Of course, this has always been a concern for us when we assign group projects. I suppose the benefit of assessing digital collaboration is the built in accountability. My hope is that the digital format will support, and maybe even inspire, students to develop their writing, at whatever level they are at.
The collaborative piece involving oral language/discussion between participants is the important key for me. I always try to start a writing activity in my classroom with some sort of discussion between myself and the class and individual students to help build ideas/interest and get past that early intermediate student reply of: “I don’t know what to write.” At my level adding in the technology totally changes the attitude towards writing.