Writing and Technology

Students can become so bogged down with the writing process. However, when technology is used to assist student, the interest and creativity seem to begin to flow. We all remember the days when we wrote papers out by hand and then had to go back, make corrections and rewrite. Today students can revise the same piece many times without having to go back and rewrite the entire paper. Because of this, the writing is richer and more creative. Students are not afraid to use words they are unsure of because of spell check and the ability to change the word in an instant. Students can learn to cut and paste to rearrange a paragraph or paper so that writing flows better and makes more sense. I really feel that using technology in writing is helping to create better writers. It is important to get students comfortable with computers at a young age so that by middle elementary they are ready to write independently and successfully on the computer.
Using technology in writing can also help the struggling writer and those with disabilities. My daughter is in 6th grade. Because of a disability, she has a very difficult time with writing. She has been given the use of a computer to help her to be able to stay at the same level as her peers. She has a special program to assist her as well. As she begins typing the first few letters of a word, a word box pops up with possible matches. She can just click on the one she wants without having to completely type the word. This and so many other programs are being made available to those with special needs bridging the gap between them and their "typical peers".

E-Mail and Internet Projects

E-mail is an excellent way to help sharpen writing/computer keyboarding skills with a high interest area for students. I have made e-mail available to my students in various ways. Often, students will communicate home through e-mail when they have made a special accomplishment or in center time they are allowed to write a note home. Even though e-mail is often very casual, I use these opportunities as times to teach about letter writing skills. Students can also learn the basics of word processing and keyboarding through using e-mail. Furthermore, students can develop safe e-mail relationships and pen pals. We often communicate with students that have moved. Through pen pals, students can learn about different schools, different states, or even different countries. All of these benefits can be achieved and the students are excited to participate. To me, that is always one of the greatest benefits. When you have willing and excited students, so much more learning can take place.

Publishing on the Internet

I love the idea of publishing on the Internet! I have never done this with my students, but am excited about the sites we viewed during this module. We do writing workshop everyday in my classroom. Students love this time, but I can imagine the excitement I will get from them when they can revise a piece and prepare it to be published on the Internet where all of their family and friends can view it. I believe the interested created through this publishing would help with the battle of revising and editing. I realize that this would be more difficult for young students, but adult helpers or older students could assist. It would also be a great way to write in groups or create a classroom story.

Blogging by Students and Teachers

To be honest, I've not had a lot of experience with Blogs before this class. Most that I've looked at or responded to have been related to health issues or people living over seas such as soldiers. I've know people that have kept family and friends informed when someone was ill, had a baby or serving over seas. I never really gave much thought to how these could be used in education. I'm amazed at the number of ways that teachers have found to incorporate them into their teaching. As I read other accounts, I am excited by the prospects of using Blogs in my own classroom even as a first grade teacher. One of the ideas I like most is using a Blog to showcase the student of the week. The student could create a Blog with the help of the teacher including pictures, hobbies, activities, favorites, etc. He/she could also showcase work if desired. Other students could comment on the Blog and write friendly comments about the student of the week. Parents and other teachers could get involved as well. I also like the idea of using Blogs to showcase books. This would be a great alternative to standard book reports. Students could be grouped into "book clubs" where each group reads a different book. The group then creates a Blog that other groups can get on to learn about the book and make comments. Another possibility would be to create a classroom Blog that we could communicate with other classrooms in other states or countries. Truly the possibilities are endless. Given the nature of the Internet, of course, it would be a primary consideration for teachers to ensure the safety of the students using such technology. Teachers need to keep a close watch on what is being published on the Blog and instruct students about how to stay safe using the Internet. I do not think students should publish any specifics including last names, school name, addresses, etc. Even though some sites may be safe, I think is a good idea to teach students these precautions as a standard practice.