The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How
Writing is Taught in
Schools.
(2013, July 16). Pew Research Centers Internet American Life
Project RSS.
Retrieved July 27, 2014, from
Over 2,400 Advanced Placement
(AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers were surveryed about how
technology is impacting how students write and learn writing today. There are
of course, pros and cons to the use of technology and digital tools by their
students. Most teachers surveyed felt that the digital tools provided their
students with more opportunities to write, collaborate, and be creative. On the
other hand, these tools can also cause students to use less formal language in
their writing assignments, be unwilling to put effort into their writing, and
causing students to take “shortcuts” in their writing.
A
problem that the teacher surveyed is one that I had with my fifth graders this
year, plagiarism. It is so easy for students today to commit plagiarism and not
give it a second thought. Students today, more than ever, need to be instructed
on copyright, fair use policies, and plagiarism.
This article also brought to
light something very interesting. Today students have more opportunities to write
informally on a daily basis because of social media, email, and texting.
Students may not consider these outlets as writing, but they are. Teachers may
not consider them as effective ways of practicing formal writing, but a clever
teacher would use these technologies as a way to connect with students and
encourage them to write. Its true that students need to develop their formal
writing skills more, but teachers need to find ways to help encourage students
to write and express themselves as well as develop formal writing skills.
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