Teaching Writing with Technology First-Year Writing Fall Orientation August 16, 2006 Dr. Beth Brunk-Chavez

Why Would You Do This? Technology Enhances students’ writing skills Provides an environment conducive to interaction and community building Enables more student-centered learning Accommodates a variety of learning styles Creates visually organized learning environments

Technology

Enhances students’ writing skills

Provides an environment conducive to interaction and community building

Enables more student-centered learning

Accommodates a variety of learning styles

Creates visually organized learning environments

You’re Still Not Convinced? Technology also: Tracks student learning Introduces time-use flexibility for both students and instructors Increases students’ computer literacy skills and confidence Saves paper—creates a paperless classroom Enables efficient use of classroom space (hybrid)

Technology also:

Tracks student learning

Introduces time-use flexibility for both students and instructors

Increases students’ computer literacy skills and confidence

Saves paper—creates a paperless classroom

Enables efficient use of classroom space (hybrid)

Objections To Doing This (They can be overcome.) Time commitment Feeling of being online all the time Student awareness, participation, technological abilities Tech issues such as access and system failure

Time commitment

Feeling of being online all the time

Student awareness, participation, technological abilities

Tech issues such as access and system failure

“ Ok, I’m Sold,” you say. “Where Do I Sign?” Actually, where do I begin ….surprisingly not necessarily with the technology!

Actually, where do I begin ….surprisingly not necessarily with the technology!

Let’s Begin Consider what it is you want to do, then consider how the technology can accommodate your teaching desires. Create a map of your map (that is, your syllabus). Determine what elements must be delivered f2f and what can be done equally well or better online. At the same time imagine what you could do online that can’t be done with a “traditional” delivery method.

Consider what it is you want to do, then consider how the technology can accommodate your teaching desires.

Create a map of your map (that is, your syllabus).

Determine what elements must be delivered f2f and what can be done equally well or better online. At the same time imagine what you could do online that can’t be done with a “traditional” delivery method.

Location, Location, Location Spend some time thinking about how you will visually organize the course/assignment/task. What makes sense—not so much to you (it’s really not all about you)—but to your users? “Teaching as protected activity”

Spend some time thinking about how you will visually organize the course/assignment/task. What makes sense—not so much to you (it’s really not all about you)—but to your users?

“Teaching as protected activity”

Still Getting Started Create a map of what will happen when students go online. Here is an example of what students might do to complete peer critiques. Enter WebCT Click on Discussions Find and click on group Locate thread entitled “ Peer Critique 1” Read directions

Create a map of what will happen when students go online.

Here is an example of what students might do to complete peer critiques.

Shhh, Students are Still Working Post draft Wait until all drafts are posted, then download group members’ drafts from discussions Download peer critique questions from “ week 6 assignments” Complete peer critique by typing in answers to questions and inserting comments Go back to discussions and upload the peer critiqued drafts

If All You Have Is a Hammer… Some technology you might consider: WebCT Blogs Wikis Websites Annotation/book marking tools Tracking/Commenting/Formatting tools in Word

Some technology you might consider:

WebCT

Blogs

Wikis

Websites

Annotation/book marking tools

Tracking/Commenting/Formatting tools in Word

That Little Voice Inside Your Head Should Be Saying…. Don’t get frustrated. It might not work the first time, but don’t give up. Help your students not to get frustrated. Help each other. Collaboration is one of the best ways to learn. Who can I call for help when I don’t know which way to go? Have fun. Try new things.

Don’t get frustrated. It might not work the first time, but don’t give up.

Help your students not to get frustrated.

Help each other. Collaboration is one of the best ways to learn.

Who can I call for help when I don’t know which way to go?

Have fun. Try new things.