Weekly 2 - Effects of Digital Media on Writing Literacy

After reading the articles, create a blog post that addresses the following:

1. How have these readings changed, confirmed, or complicated your thinking about the effects of digital media on young people's abilities to read and write?

The topic of literacy and writing is not one that I am very familiar with as I am a math and science teacher.  The most exposure that my students get with the curriculum is to explain their reasoning or to observe results and write summaries of science labs.  Although I have always thought writing and reading were important, I have not really thought about the impact digital literacies could have on writing. 

With that said, the articles opened my mind up to seeing how digital communication and writing are viewed by students and parents.  The article Writing, Technology and Teens was by far the most eye opening for me.  I enjoyed reading the statistics, as I am math minded, and could see the results of the study as very beneficial.  According to Lenhart et. al (2008), “Most teenagers spend a considerable amount of time composing texts, but they do not think that a lot of the material they create is real writing” (p. 1).  This comment struck me as interesting because all communication in word form is writing.  Furthermore, students place a high level of importance on formal writing as it is a quality that both parents and teens value.  One can even go further and say that writing and the ability to communicate is a highly valued quality that job hirers are using to evaluate a job candidate. 

2.  How have these readings changed, confirmed, or complicated your thinking about the effects of school-based writing instruction on young people’s abilities to read and write?

I believe these articles confirmed my thoughts about writing in the fact that there are many forms of writing and the purpose and audience justify the type of communication being used.  For instance, texting your friend with “I’ll c u in a min.”  is acceptable in the setting of texting with a friend, but students realize the difference when composing an essay in school.  All words are spelled out correctly and writing conventions are used accordingly.  Also, I believe the different types of communication help build skills in all areas of writing and reading.  Can Texting Help with Spelling? Article supports this thought by stating texting helps students read by developing their phonological awareness as well as it boosts phonology (Can Texting Help With Spelling? 2014).  I think this is in part due to teachers reaffirming how important correct writing skills are needed in coursework and in real world settings.

3. What changes do you think educators need to make so that reading and writing in school have a more positive effect on children's abilities to read and write?

In general, teachers try to make activities engaging and a learning experience.  Some of these activities are great in that they provoke curiosity and interest in the students, but too often, activities are not as creative as they could be, or they don’t include technology that would increase the value of the activity.  Lenhart et. al (2008), reports that “teens are motivated to write when they can select topics that are relevant to their lives and interests, and report greater enjoyment of school writing when they have the opportunity to write creatively” (p. 3).  I believe this is a valid point.  I think one technique that could be used would to set up a blog or a google document where students could choose the topic they wish to write about and then use the technology to collaboratively write a story or whatever the assignment would be.  Scholastic’s article suggests various activities to increase creative writing.  One technique discussed that keeps texting ideals in mind is to break down words.  “Try challenging students to come up with text like abbreviations for words that do not have shortened version” (Can Texting Help With Spelling?, 2014, p. 3).  Activities that have a creative process with language and words could be beneficial for students to connect social media talk with formal written language.

4. Find a video, online article, blog post that supports your line of thinking. Summarize the information and explain how it provides evidence to support your thinking about the role of digital media on young people's abilities to read and write. 

Please view the youtube video here.

This video is a creative writing instructor with exercises to get students to write with creativity.  The first exercise is to use a given word in the first sentence and then keep writing.  In the next sentence, another required word to use is given and the process continues.  Although the final story may sound a bit different that most stories, the focus was on being creative with your mind and ideas while also including the required word.  Then edits can be made to the story after you have created the foundation.  I think this is similar to a free write session, but it requires more thought about words and meanings and how you can use them in writing.

    5.  Find an image that supports your stance on the value of using digital media to support reading and writing instruction in school.

Used with permission

http://sites.duke.edu/english211s_01_s2013/files/2013/04/Digital-Essays-2013.jpg