Writing to Be Read
Another distinction between the two types of writing is that while traditional writing formats, such as journaling, are frequently used for private reflection, digital writing is almost always meant for an audience. Once published, digital pieces, such as blogs and YouTube videos, are often widely available and searchable on the Web.
Malley’s students blog and use social networking sites, such as NING, to share and discuss their work. “When they’re blogging, they’re not just writing for me,” says Malley. “They found out last year that the more compelling their voice was and if they were funny and insightful, the more readers and comments they got. That drives them.”
Because digital writing assumes an audience, Joseph McCaleb, director of the University of Maryland Writing Project, sees it as a way to get students involved in social justice issues. “It’s so much easier teaching writing when you’ve got kids feeling purposeful,” he says. “Digital media is so ripe for that.” Through photos, audio, and film, students can create public presentations about issues that have strong meaning for them, for example by filming a public service announcement about recycling or creating a slideshow about the challenges of finding clean water in Haiti. And when their compositions are read or watched by more than just the students in their class, students feel like they are making a difference, says McCaleb.
My most recent project in ELA incorporates Literature Circles and Reader's Reader's Responses with blogging. In this unit one of my major outcomes was creating a feeling of "AUDIENCE" for student writer's. As a class, we read a selection of Dystopian focused novels from the "Other Skies" ELA kit. Each novel was divided up into 5 sections. Then each week, students were expected to compose a Reader's Response blog in reaction to a targeted reading strategy, and focus questions provided by me, as well as, a Lit Circles "Tech Task". (I decided to take the unit in a slightly different direction than what was proposed with the kit). These "Tech Tasks" were basically the traditional Lit Circle Tasks with a "21st Century Twist". All Reader's Responses and Tech Tasks were to be composed or embedded/linked to the student's blog (on kidblogs.org). I was able to check on-line who have completed their homework, or give suggestions on what needed to be further added. Students were given one week to make any further additions to their responses based on my comments. At times, this checking was time consuming, but I felt that for once, the comments that I made for each reader's response assignment, were actually read by the students (imagine that...not just the sidebar note that accompanies a mark). Each Lit Circle group member, was to make comments on each other's blog entries, as well as help each other by giving feedback, prior to the entry being marked. I was impressed by the level critical responses that the students made... In many cases the comments went way beyond, "Good job ...." or " I really liked your blog!" Students were making comments on the content, what they agreed with or disagreed with; grammar, verb tenses, spelling errors; to general comments regarding whether or not the student fully answered the questions in the task they were given. Honestly, peer feedback is worth a lot to students, especially if it's sincere and meaningful. I also appreciated the level of sincerity or tact that the students used, when leaving their comments.
Overall, the project was really, really worthwhile. I have been doing Response Journals and Literature Circle Roles for years (you know the duotang, the numerous photocopied Role sheets.... yes, all that paper!!!) and I found that students enjoyed the process, but I felt like the collaborative process was always "forced". For the first time, using the Blog format, I felt that students were truly collaborating and providing feedback. The level of engagement using the Blogs really sky-rocketed. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT TEACHERS TRY THIS FORMAT for Responding to Literature. One other element worth noting is the level of depth evident in the responses. This was most likely due to the prospect of having your peers actually read and critique your work. Having a true sense of a "live audience" really made an impact in the student's writing. Now in terms of security, these blogs could only be viewed by my classroom, those individuals who had an account in my digital classroom. I also had control of the comments that were made by students, as well as work that was "published" for the classroom. So if a student really did not understand the assignment or wrote a piece that was obviously not revised and edited, I could comment to the student on how to improve, before it was published for the whole class to see. One other outcome that became increasingly important in this unit, was the students' ability to navigate using the different forms of technology. Even my most "techno-reluctant learner" learned the necessary skills in linking and embedding images, video, avatar podcasts, wordle's and posting entries. Students were able to reflect and react in a medium that involved more than paper (yes, I am aware of other means of representation like mime, sculpture, tableau...It can be just a little more challenging to record these responses). Being able to express themselves by incorporating a song or a video that connects to what they have read, really allowed for another level of making connections (text to self, text to text, text to world). Not only could the students share their connections, the audience could click the play button for a song and see the connection for themselves. Thereby allowing them to get a clearer picture of what the writer may have experienced. Not to mention making the blog all the more engaging for the audience.
Each day, the main objective for day's lesson were discussed using the SMART board, as well as, how to embed or link items to each student's blogs. Students were able to follow along with me, using the class laptops (if the laptop cart was available). I also had students who found easier ways or different ways to embed their information... which was truly exciting, especially when they assisted other students with their tasks. A couple students even went so far as to provide directions for the embedding of wordles into blogs in their own instructional blog entry. Talk about collaboration and learning from each other!
What can I say, this project was really exciting.... Not only were the books highly engaging and somewhat futuristic, the means of collaborating and learning helped to bring learning into that of the 21st Century! Honestly, having the Smartboard has really propelled me into searching for ways of engaging my students using technology as a vehicle for learning... not the gadget or gizmo that might take the focus away from the real outcomes or Big idea.
Overall, the project was really, really worthwhile. I have been doing Response Journals and Literature Circle Roles for years (you know the duotang, the numerous photocopied Role sheets.... yes, all that paper!!!) and I found that students enjoyed the process, but I felt like the collaborative process was always "forced". For the first time, using the Blog format, I felt that students were truly collaborating and providing feedback. The level of engagement using the Blogs really sky-rocketed. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT TEACHERS TRY THIS FORMAT for Responding to Literature. One other element worth noting is the level of depth evident in the responses. This was most likely due to the prospect of having your peers actually read and critique your work. Having a true sense of a "live audience" really made an impact in the student's writing. Now in terms of security, these blogs could only be viewed by my classroom, those individuals who had an account in my digital classroom. I also had control of the comments that were made by students, as well as work that was "published" for the classroom. So if a student really did not understand the assignment or wrote a piece that was obviously not revised and edited, I could comment to the student on how to improve, before it was published for the whole class to see. One other outcome that became increasingly important in this unit, was the students' ability to navigate using the different forms of technology. Even my most "techno-reluctant learner" learned the necessary skills in linking and embedding images, video, avatar podcasts, wordle's and posting entries. Students were able to reflect and react in a medium that involved more than paper (yes, I am aware of other means of representation like mime, sculpture, tableau...It can be just a little more challenging to record these responses). Being able to express themselves by incorporating a song or a video that connects to what they have read, really allowed for another level of making connections (text to self, text to text, text to world). Not only could the students share their connections, the audience could click the play button for a song and see the connection for themselves. Thereby allowing them to get a clearer picture of what the writer may have experienced. Not to mention making the blog all the more engaging for the audience.
Each day, the main objective for day's lesson were discussed using the SMART board, as well as, how to embed or link items to each student's blogs. Students were able to follow along with me, using the class laptops (if the laptop cart was available). I also had students who found easier ways or different ways to embed their information... which was truly exciting, especially when they assisted other students with their tasks. A couple students even went so far as to provide directions for the embedding of wordles into blogs in their own instructional blog entry. Talk about collaboration and learning from each other!
What can I say, this project was really exciting.... Not only were the books highly engaging and somewhat futuristic, the means of collaborating and learning helped to bring learning into that of the 21st Century! Honestly, having the Smartboard has really propelled me into searching for ways of engaging my students using technology as a vehicle for learning... not the gadget or gizmo that might take the focus away from the real outcomes or Big idea.
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