Having iPads in my 1st grade classroom, I have had many parents ask about writing. Writing on a tablet vs. writing on paper? Importance of holding a pencil correctly to write? Upper case vs lower case letters? In between lines on a page or the roller coaster effect? I came across Mind/Shift's on How do tech tools affect the way student's write? I suggest reading it if you have time. It provides the positives and negatives of tech tools' impact on writing. I want to highlight a few points that I found interesting. The 2,462 educators surveyed, who were either Advanced Placement teachers or National Writing Project teachers, largely agreed that technology positively impacts students with their writing, personal expression, and creativity, and facilitates collaboration. The ability to share work with a wider audience beyond the classroom is particularly engaging, with 96 percent of teachers responding that digital technologies make it more possible. The couple words that stuck out to me were "creativity" and "collaboration." "Many teachers reported that students are more willing to offer feedback and advice to peers through a shared document." In my opinion, peer editing has more impact than a teacher marking up a paper. Furthermore, having the ability to share with a global audience lent itself to increasing engagement. One of the cons of tech tools in writing could be in regards to copyright and fair use. As pointed out by Katrina Schwartz in the article: What’s more, many teachers felt students don’t have a good understanding of fair use and copyright laws, and don’t digest complicated texts well. In both categories, more than two-thirds of teachers rated their students “fair” or “poor.” Students have difficulty discerning the original source of online content and citing it properly. However, I think the burden falls back onto teachers to ensure covering responsibilities of being a digital citizen. One reoccurring theme in the article was while there were some negatives of tech tools in writing, teachers agreed that today's students are writing more than ever before. From text messaging and Tweeting to Facebook posts--students are immersed in opportunities to take part in digital literacy. I feel that the challenge for a teacher is to determine the right mix of analog vs. digital writing opportunities during the school year. In regards to my 1st graders, I still feel it is important for them to understand the essentials of forming letters, spacing words and incorporating punctuation effectively. However, I do see that tech tools serve as a powerful tool for students to become digitally literate. It boils down to the choice that the teacher makes in regards to using the tech tool as a "tool" or as a means of enriching the learning experience. "How Do Tech Tools Affect the Way Students Write?". Mind/Shift. Katrina Schwartz, 16 July 2013. Web. 17 July 2013.
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Andrew FenstermakerInstructional Technology Coordinator | Innovation Coach | Google Certified Innovator | Presenter | Blogger | Adjunct @UiowaEducation | Owner @kids_f_i_r_s_t |