Technology in Writing By Roselle Gordon

 In an ever-changing society where every aspect of life is immediately connected to the world of technology, it was only a matter of time before it creeped its way into our educational systems. Many teachers across the globe have found numerous means of incorporating technology tactics and strategies into their curriculum in order to stay on task but more importantly reach their students on a more meaningful level.

The integration of technology in teaching writing is just one part of the core subject areas of language arts used to teach students to be avid and creative writers. Some resources but not limited to include:

· Pre-installed software on laptops, desk computers, tablets and cell phones, all of which are used in the classroom. These preinstalled software like Microsoft word, google docs and spellcheck, allows for students to revise and edit their work as well have the teacher review their pieces with changes and makes suggestions.

· Thesaurus and dictionary apps that assist children with building and checking vocabulary words where necessary.

· Wikis and blogs encourage collaboration on the internet. Here students are able to edit information found on the internet and share entries and responses to blogs written by their peers. This is a great way allow authors to connect during the writing process or writer’s workshop.

So, what are the benefits of integrating technology into writing for students? Riasati et al. (2012) outlined some benefits to integrating technology in not only writing but in teaching reading, speaking, listening and speaking skills. For one, it makes writing more engaging and interesting versus the pen and paper model. Secondly, the use of the writing app tools, it allows access to spell check, grammar editing which can improve writing skills as they make

corrections. Additionally, it allows for differentiation in assisting students with disabilities with features like speech to text and screen readers. For teacher there are some benefits. It certainly helps to make lessons more engaging as well as gives the teacher an opportunity to tailor activities and assignments to cater to student’s needs. Some disadvantages do exist. For the student, the internet and devices can create distractions in the classroom as the urge to venture into other webpages and activities increases. Students may also become too dependent on features that correct spelling and grammar rather than thinking critically for themselves. For the teacher, accessibility and equity in the classroom becomes a problem where these items are not solely provided or readily available through the education system. Not every student may have access to a device or internet connection. Another disadvantage is the question of training for teachers in the world of technology or rather a teacher whose methods are prehistoric and rather traditional teaching methods. Finally, teachers also need to be aware of student’s privacy and security concerns as they place their work on the worldwide web. They are to be careful of releasing personal information that can prove to be too public.

Some would argue that modern means of teaching writing hold preference over traditional methods. Some would argue that it is the complete opposite, however, I believe that it is important to incorporate aspects of the two in order create well rounded writers in our classroom. For example, pen and paper writing boosts penmanship. Spelling and grammar rules or observed better through the traditional method versus being dependent on an app to edit for you. However, this works and helps if time of concern. On the flipside, limited peer collaboration is lost with a wider writer’s arena as individual work is often encouraged in traditional methods. Modern methods tend to be more student centered because creativity is easily encouraged versus traditional methods where the teacher is focused on getting through the writing process and teaching the parts and steps.

As an educator who has experienced some negative writing experiences in my classroom, I plan to incorporate both aspects into teaching writing to firstly encourage my young writers and get more engaged and interested in writing. I found most interesting the use of blogs where they can write and critique the work of their peers in a safe space with no judgement.

Photo: Nearpod