The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing (PEW)

Purcell, K. , Buchanan, J. , & Friedrich, L.  (2013, July 16).  The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/07/16/the-impact-of-digital-tools-on-student-writing-and-how-writing-is-taught-in-schools-2/

In this article 2,462 Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers were surveyed about digital tools and their affect on how they teach writing.  These teachers say that social networking sites, cell phones, and texting are shaping the students writing in many ways.  These tools have become helpful for teaching writing in the middle and high schools. AP and NWP teachers say that digital technology benefit students writing in several ways.  Digital technology allows students to share their work with a wide and varied audience, encourage collaboration among students, and encourage creativity and  personal expression. These benefits make the writer greater invested in what they write, which cause them to write better.  However, there are some concerns when using digital tools for writing.  Students using the tools for educational purposes in class instead of "toys", difference in access to digital tools between students, students not knowing what voice they should use in their writing, and students using formal instead of informal language are all concerns when using digital tools for writing.  Although there are many concerns, they concerns are things that have to be taught anyway before students can write.  As a fourth grade teacher, I know that I am willing to use anything to get my students invested in writing.  It is so hard for them to come up with ideas and be creative in their writing.  Even though there are some challenges or concerns, 50% of the AP and NWP teachers say the digital tools have helped their students and made writing easier.  However, 18% say it has made writing harder of the students.  As I stated earlier, I am willing to try or do anything to get my students interested and invested in writing.  I would love to try some of these digital tools in my classroom.  Even if the 18% are right and the writing gets worse, at the very least the students have opened up new avenues for communication and are using digital tools that will help them in the future.

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