REA 5 - To what extent does/can technology enhance/inhibit writing?

To what extent does/can technology enhance/inhibit writing?

I mentioned a bit about writing in my last post merely because when I think about reading I also think about writing, maybe that's an elementary mind?

I think technology is huge for writing and well voicing our writing. It goes leaps and bounds for those who may have disabilities and cannot write or hold a pencil or simply an interest level. I would much rather type up a paper then hand-write one. When's the last time you turned in a pen and paper document? I don't recall since high school maybe? Tech is where we are going in reading and writing. (I think my opinion has even changed since)

So what does this all mean?

Yes, technology is extremely important but is the written word (handwritten) going to become obsolete in recent years to come?

I rummaged through my mind and my thoughts went crazy, well people need to know how to sign their name (do they even teach cursive anymore?), how to complete a check book (check books are supposed to be done in 2018 I heard), they need to jot down notes, letters, to do lists, all of which can be done on an iPhone in an instant. I wondered to myself, in shock...will we no longer need to teach people how to handwrite these items? What is going to happen to penmanship in general? but in the world we're in and where we are going...does it really matter?

I recalled a website I recently came across of items that will be obsolete by 2020 in schools, interesting read...that is if (public) schools (in Michigan) still exist in 2020...

21 Things that will be obsolete in 2020...

I feel like I am entering a new era, and it's embrace or be left behind. Which I have embraced but I question the success of writing in a tech powered world.

Will technology inhibit:

• Fine motor skills of young emergent writers (holding a pencil, stroke, curve and creation of letters and numbers)
• How will people learn penmanship? Do they even need to learn that anymore? 
• How will people learn to properly spell if they rely on spellcheck and/or abbreviated writing like in texts/emails. 
• What will happen to a simple letter, snail mail and The USPS in general? (not entirely school related)

Technology continues to enhance student learning and spark creativity. It's an engagement piece, and our students are surrounded by it more at home then most schools.

I think technology has made leaps and bounds for writing in general as far as enhancing our writing skills, think about how great it is to save our writing on a computer as opposed to typing on a typewriter? How did they do that? I am sure we will look back and say the same thing some day about laptops, iPads, and other technology but until then I am living in the now.  

I love how the article mentions:

"Then, as part of their oral presentations, students were required to include a technology-based visual aid, such as an interactive poster made through Glogster or a word cloud created with Wordle." (Heitin, 2011).

It reminds me of a time in my AP Lit course in high school I was required to turn in a tech piece for a book we read in class, I turned in a PowerPoint presentation on a floppy disc about Great Expectations haha wow how times have changed.



In regards to the items presented:

Google Docs - what a great way to share, save, and create documents.  I can't even imagine the possibilities in the upper grades students could complete in cooperative learning.

Glogster - I have never used glogster before but it looks and seems amazing, what a great tech tool to utilize in a classroom, the uses can go from student to teacher as far as projects to lesson plans.

PrimaryPad - games, avatars, collaboration, teacher tech tools - assessment data 

Storybird - create, read and share stories digitally, love this idea instead of creating classroom books with student work, what a great piece to send home at the end of the year with all the students work saved.

Padlet - I like how they originally thought it would be used to wish people happy birthday or send greetings by naming it wallwisher and how they expanded and realized their "wall" could be utilized to create much more. Possibilities are endless! Digital grafitti :) 

Quadblogging - I love this idea of involving more than one person in a blog, even something I would want to contribute to with a group of colleagues in sharing ideas and teaching techniques.  Would be great to introduce with pen pals or other countries to share a blog together. Because what's the point of a blog, if no one is reading it?

MyStoryMaker - reminds me a lot of the My story app I shared in my REA #4 post. Love this and use it in my classroom. Very simple to use and ge

Overall, all the technology tools we discussed seem to be very collaborative and we live and work in a very collaborative country.  It seems that the use could go from teacher to teacher, teacher to student, student to teacher and even expand amongst parents. 

I had the opportunity to teach first grade at an all-girl school in Port Elizabeth, South Africa while completing some independent research on their special education services/system...I introduced collaborative groups and I have never seen such young of girls turn on one another...their style in teaching and learning is very individual and competitive. 

First Graders work at their seats on "seat work" individually

A group of my first grade girls sharing some weekend news with me

The most powerful line in the article that struck me was;

"The caveat to using digital tools, many tech-savvy educators note, is to keep focused on instructional goals, and not use technology simply for technology’s sake. It’s best to “find the appropriate technology to mesh with what the teacher’s already doing well,” says the University of Maryland’s McCaleb, “not to force it in.” (Heitin, 2011).

Too often we see technology there just to be there, but it doesn't mean its being used properly or effectively. 

The article itself plays true to our tech world, think of all the items that have since been created... this article was written in 2011.

Overall, I am totally for the use of technology in the classroom in regards to writing and if we could all receive the proper training, latest and greatest technology, and equality amongst classrooms in regards to technology perhaps we could truly see the effects of how technology can enhance all student learning (and not just those who can afford it).  

If we aren't using technology to teach or introduce items to our students we are doing them a disservice in preparation for their future. 

Get on the tech bus, because it's our future...

Reference: “Writing Relaunched:  Teaching with digital tools” (EdWeek)

On a completely different side note, I spoke with a colleague who is pursuing her masters in ed tech currently. I had asked her what the most interesting item or anything new she has been introduced to or come across in her studies and she said online newsletters...It just really opened my eyes to how large the gap in technology is and where we can truly go with all its abilities if trained properly, or exposed I suppose.