Digital Writing Reflection

• What did you learn about yourself as a writer?

One thing that I think I learned, or more realized, about myself as a writer is simply the fact that I do not write, for fun that is, enough. I don't really take the time to creatively write, and I have never really been one to keep a journal or anything like that. However, having a blog for this class changed that for me and gave me a reason to write more, outside of just assignments for school (well kinda, I guess that's kinda what this was too lol). 

• What did you learn about digital writing or being a member of a digital writing community?

I loved being able to so easily access so many peoples blogs! It was great to be able to read so many peoples posts as well as communicate via comments. Without a doubt digital writing seems to have widened the audience of writing. One of my favorite things about digital writing was the vast variety of types of writing in which it allows! For example, my blog posts contained everything from your typical writing form, to videos, pictures (wordless), and infographics! 

• What lessons can you take to your classroom or share with future teachers about integrating blogging into instruction?

I would definitely consider incorporating a blog into a classroom of my own! I love how many doors it seemed to have open. I also loved that it seemed to be a more relaxed environment, that students may not be a threatened in, as well as it provided students a little more flexibility/option to what they write. And,  as I mentioned before the easy ability of commenting is a great feature, for both students and for teachers!   

• Challenges/Successes?

My biggest challenge was not always knowing what to post or what to post about...however, the limitless amount of options, which I mentioned above, made it easier! Since I have never been much of a nonacademic writer I loved having the option to incorporate pictures and videos! All-in-all I am so glad that I tried out blogging!!

The Digital Writing Workshop - Book Review

Following is a list of  ten quotes that I had highlighted and that stuck with me while reading The Digital Writing Workshop, by Troy Hicks. Each quote either regards to the age of new literacies as a whole, or ways that digital literacies can be beneficial to both teachers and their students, and I'd like to share them with you.

1- "We must build upon our existing knowledge about the writing workshop, as it can help us reach this goal of using technology in pedagogically sound and sustainable ways (11)."

2-  "... these demands require us to think about the ways in which we engage students in digital writing and about how sharing writing online can become a key component of our workshop approach (15). "

3- "...new literacies encompass both the technical stuff of new literacies- knowing particular gadgets, web services, and other technology-based tools- as well as the ethos stuff, or the general mind-set toward a more open and collaborative process of literacy learning (16)."

4- "...inquiry and choice drive the workshop approach. With RSS and social bookmarking as ways to share and gather information, students' individual choices are highly malleable...(34)."

5- "While offering response online is different from face-to-face interactions that many of us find the best part of teaching writing, these types of responses allow us more time to offer substantive feedback. ...students appreciate the way in which we build relationships with them through digital writing connections (35)."

6- "Digital response allows you time to pause and reflect on each student's needs (37).

7- "Multimedia authoring requires students to combine texts, images, audio, and video in ways that rely on our traditional understandings of what it means to create good writing...(52). "

8- "...when students are responsible for posting their own writing and commenting on the writing of others, they are likely to feel more engaged in the writing process. By reading what others have written, they gather both ideas for their own writing as well as different elements of author's craft that can help make their writing better. The process f commenting on others' work can help writers identify what works, and what does not work, when creating their own pieces (83).

9- "Teachers now have the opportunity to watch and guide students writing...Teachers can track drafts of student's work, along with commentary on that work from other students...(103).

10-  "By building on the writing workshops principles of inquiry of choice, conferring and response, examining the author's craft, publishing beyond the classroom, and broadening our visions of assessment, digital writing tools can sometimes supplement, sometime enhance, and sometimes completely change the ways in which we work with writers (125). 

The main take away that I have gotten from this book is the definition of literacy is evolving, and there are so many tools to help teachers incorporate and teach this new literacy in the classroom! I love that this book in many cases gives step but step procedures for how to involve some of these ideas into your classroom. This book is full of ideas, and would be extremely helpful and beneficial to any teacher! (10/10 would recommend reading.)

Wordless Wednesday

"Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words"

Lake Jessup Park