Digital Writing : Enhancing Ways of Teaching and Learning Writing

Week 8 :

Problem in Writing Classes : 

1. Many struggling writers have language difficulties.
2. Struggling writers is often less motivated to write and fails to organize their idea.
3. The learners usually have poor handwriting and writing slowly or illegibly.
4. They have problems in expressing their idea through composition and sometimes have trouble communicating and understanding.
5. They have a lack of confidence in producing text and insecure feelings about showing their writing to other.
6. Struggling writers are likely to develop negative attitudes toward writing and often have low motivation to write.

Digital writing

Digital writing refer to the term of digital writing is used to define a change in the writing environment where writing is produced on the computer, mobile phone, and tablet, and then distributed via Internet networks.

Types of Digital Writing

      Three majors tools are reviewed as a source for teaching writing : blogs, instant messaging and social network sites.

1. Blogs : A blog is a discussion, informational article or personal journal, published on the World Wide Web, which is often frequently updated. Blogs allow people to post or exchange information with no constraints on time and space. 
2. Instant Messaging : Instant Messaging (IM) is a form of Internet-based, real time text communication between users on the same system.
3. Social Network Sites : A social network site (SNS) is a website or an online service platform in which people share interest, create a public or semi-public profile, and interact with other users.

Characteristics of Digital Writing : Features that Support Struggling Writers

 

     First, many digital writing applications offer an anonymity feature. They provide opportunities for users to use nicknames or pseudonyms. This anonymous identity results in less anxiety and more pleasant classrooms, and therefore can benefit students who might be risk-averting in learning writing within the normal classroom environment.

        Second, learners actually type out what they want to communicate to the group or readers. This emulated real-time communication is perceived as advantageous since learners can see what their partners intend to communicate through the typed text. Allows learners an opportunity to ponder and recheck their ideas before transmitting their response.

         Third, all users are able to see everyone's messages and respond to those messages in real-time and have an equal opportunity to type their messages and  respond to other people's messages. (student-centered learning)

Activities for Teaching Writing with Digital Writing

1. Affiliate group Chat
2. Guess Who
3. Scavenger
4. Little Reporter
5. Secret Admirer
6. Role play
7. Peer Feedback
8. Closed Group Community