The document discusses using technology to enhance critical literacy skills in writing. It argues that technology can be used as a bridge to focus on investigating content, operating interfaces, and combining skills. The teacher takes on roles as a monitor, mediator and facilitator to guide peer-to-peer learning. Explicit discussion is needed to integrate networked computer discussions into the classroom in a low-stakes manner. The goal is for students to consider how to blend academic purposes through both digital and analog technologies.

1. Erin Duffy Pastore Teaching Writing with Technology February 12, 2008

2. Baseline Model: Critical Literacy Critical Literacy Skills: thinking reading writing Media: Print Broadcast Cyberspace Tools: Analog (pen and paper) Digital (computer) Literacy skills allow our students to retain, analyze, and produce content relevant to their rhetorical situations. These skills are what empower our students in their lives.

3. Assumption: Learning is Learned All students possess an inherent capability to learn Those inherent capabilities can be developed though mentorship A motivated and scaffolded pedagogical style is required

4. Possibility: Critical Engagement Asking students to expand literacy through technology creates a rigorous writing environment. Ideally, students are better prepared to port knowledge and skill into other areas of their lives.

5. Focus: Technology as Bridge Technology can be used to focus on: the art of investigating content the science of operating interfaces the skill of combing both

6. Challenge: Demands on Teacher The teacher is a monitor, mediator, and facilitator. Teaching Peer-to-Peer Learning

7. Requirement: Explicit Discussion Networked computer discussion may allow students to play with their voice in a low-stakes manner, if the instructor is vigilant in how it is integrated into the classroom.

8. Benefit: Teamwork & Knowledge Sharing

9. Vision: Teaching Cyberwriting Students are often taught to think of technology in academic communication as separate and distinct from how they have blended technology (often naively) in other areas of their lives. Students need to consider how they can blend their academic rhetorical purposes through digital and analog technologies

10. References McKee, Heidi. “’YOUR VIEWS SHOWED TRUE IGNORANCE!!!’: (Mis)Communication in an online interracial discussion forum.” Computers and Composition 19.4 (December 2002): 411- 434. Palmquist, Mike, Kate Kiefer, James Hartvigsen and Barbara Goodlew. “Curriculum Design: Doing More with Less.” Transitions: Teaching Writing in Computer-supported and Traditional Classrooms . Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998. Porter, James. “Why technology matters to writing: A cyberwriter’s tale.” Computers and Composition 20.4 (December 2003): 375- 394. Images courtesy of: http://www.freefoto.com http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/