Guest post by Neven Jurkovic.
Consistent
access to technology can enhance virtually any classroom, no matter
the subject or grade level. One subject that can be especially
impacted by the presence of technology is writing. This is because
writing done for online spaces and audiences is in many ways
fundamentally different than writing that has traditionally been done
in the classroom, on paper, for a small, captive audience. With the
help of technology, here are four key things teachers should do to
help students learn how to write for an online audience.
Hook
the reader, then keep it concise: Unlike
captive classroom audiences, digital audiences have virtually
infinite options of what to read. As a result, students must be
taught to hook the reader with a catchy headline, title, or opening
sentence. Once they’ve hooked the reader, the remainder of the
piece should be concise – even more so than when writing on paper.
Posting on Twitter, with its 140-character limit, is a great way for
secondary students to get good at making a point quickly.
Mix
written text with links, audio, and video: Whereas
paper and pencil writing is limited to text alone, digital writing
can include hyperlinks to websites, links to an audio podcast,
videos, images, and more. Students must be taught to take advantage
of these options, when applicable, to make their writing even more
effective for an online audience.
Edit
and collaborate more effectively: One
of the best parts of writing on the computer is the ease in which
students can edit their work – a few clicks can replace the
previously painstaking use of erasers, editing marks, and
proofreading marks. Students can also collaborate on writing more
effectively: instead of being limited to an in-class peer editing
session, virtually any number of students can work together to create
and edit their writing in real time using Google Docs accounts.
Expect
an audience: As
mentioned above, students in the past expected their written work to
be read or heard by their teacher and perhaps some classmates.
Writing that is posted online, however, can reach a potentially
global audience – but that audience must be earned. Students must
be taught not only how to hook that potential audience but also to be
thoughtful about what they choose to post online in light of that
audience. Teaching students to be digital citizens who carefully
consider the digital footprint they are creating is essential.
Digital
writing is truly a separate skill that must be taught to students,
distinct from offline writing. Students must be given frequent
access to technology as well as specific digital writing instruction
to ensure that they become proficient in writing for online
audiences.
About
the Author: Neven Jurkovic
Neven
Jurkovic’s interest in teaching mathematics with technology
developed while pursuing a Master of Science degree at Southwest
Texas State University. Apart from publishing a number of papers on
the application of artificial intelligence in elementary mathematics
problem solving, Neven is the creator of Algebrator,
a widely used math tutoring software. Currently, he lives in San
Antonio, TX and is the CEO of Softmath: http://softmath.com/
