Sharing Text--In Class Writing

Foundation

The computer classroom offers advantages compared to the traditional classroom for sharing text. When students post a piece of writing to the network, everyone in the class can open and read that text--instantly, without having to take turns, at any time. In a traditional classroom, we would have to make xerox copies of each piece for each member of the class (25 copies each for 25 students), or we might have to take the time to let each student read their piece of writing aloud to the class. Each is impractical in most cases.

But what is the value of students sharing their text? Computers and Writing scholars and teachers point to two theorist to answer that question. Kenneth Bruffee and his work with collaborative learning has extensively written on the value of what he calls the "powerful educative force of peer influence"(396). He writes, "collaborative learning also provides a particular kind of social context for conversation, a particular kind of community--a community of status equals: peers" (401). Bruffee places significant emphasis on "conversation"--the discourse among students:

our task [as teachers] must involve engaging students in conversation among themselves at as many points in both the writing and reading process as possible, and that we should contrive to ensure that students' conversation about what they read and write is similar in as many ways as possible to the way we would like them eventually to read and write. The way they talk with each other determines the way they will think and the way they will write. (400)

Of course, peer groups and class conversation are effective in a traditional classroom too; however, the computer network enhances the collaborative environment and this "conversation" in many ways (see real-time and asynchronous class discussion).

The second theorist often pointed to, Leo Vygotsky, describes in another way the "powerful educative force of peer influence." Vygotsky in his work related to early learning development coined the term the Zone of Proximal Development: "[The Zone of Proximal Development is defined as the] distance between the actual developmental level [of the student] as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development [of the student] as determined through problem solving under the adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers" (qtd. in Boettcher 36). The "zone" is the gap between what students can solve on their own vs. what they can solve in a group or with our guidance. Students learn when put in proximity with each other, and what computer networks facilitate is putting students in closer proximity. When posting text to a bulletin board, every student can read the text of every other class member--something that is nearly impossible in a traditional classroom. When conversing real-time via chat, more students are able to talk and include their ideas than in a spoken conversation. Hence, students are able to tap into more of the "peer influence"--the multiplicity of views, insights, knowledge, skills--available in the class. Students can look at other students' work and see models of what they should do better, as well as examples of work that was done as well as theirs.

Works Cited
Boettcher, Judith. "Course Management Systems and Learning Principles: Getting to Know Each Other... ." Syllabase. July 2003: 33-36.
Bruffee, Kenneth. "Collaborative Learning and the 'Conversation of Mankind.'" Cross-Talk in Comp Theory: A Reader. Ed. Victor Villanueva, Jr.. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 1997.

Practice

Whether teaching students how to write introductions, how to write more descriptively, how to write transition sentences, or whatever writing skill you choose, we can use a four stage experiential learning cycle:

First, a new concept/skill is introducted (Lesson)

Second, students write attempting the new skill (Practice)

Third, students share their writing and evaluate what was done through the computer network (Sharing/Reflection)

Fourth, students write again attempting the skill (Follow-up).

The following example lessons represent models of sharing text that you can use to build your own lessons for your own teaching purposes:

Teaching Introductions by Sharing Text
This lesson works best if students are at a point in a writing cycle where they are ready to write an introduction for an essay.

Lesson--Look at and discuss this web page on writing Introductions http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/lirvin/1301/1301Reso/Leads.htm (you could also read a section in a handbook).
Practice--Have students write a draft introduction and post it to a bulletin board.
Sharing/Reflection--Students next read the introductions of their peers. At this point you could ask students to pick out the introduction they thought worked best, copy it into a new bulletin board post and include some commentary on why they thought this introduction worked the best according to the lesson that was just covered. Another option, after a suitable amount of time for students to read many of the posted introduction, is for you as a teacher to pick out a couple of good example introductions for the class to view together. You as the teacher can guide the discussion about each example introduction.
Follow-up--Have students revise their introduction and post to the network again.
(It would be valuable to have students read these new posts and reflect upon them again.)

Exploring Negative Attitudes and Difficulties with Writing

Lesson--Usually this writing exercise does well early in the semester when you are covering the basics of the writing process and discussing writers block and common misunderstandings about writing.
Practice--Post this writing prompt as a message in a bulletin board and read it aloud to the students to help guide them. Students reply to this prompt to write.

The Watcher:
Think about times when writing was hard for you, when it didn't work or flow well--perhaps you failed in some regard. Try to remember one or more specific experiences in as much detail as you can. Now, close your eyes and try to see what image is inside your head--like an image projected on a movie screen. Don't question what it is, just see it. This image is your "Watcher"--the imaginative embodiment of what makes writing hard for you. It could be a little gremlin, a blank wall, a clock, or a warty-nosed version of your awful seventh grade English teacher--anything. Once you have a Watcher, write a text that contains two parts: first, describe your Watcher in as much detail as you can; second, write your Watcher a letter (you may have a few choice words for it).

Sharing/Reflection--Have students read the Watcher pieces of their peers. Another fun way to have students read and reflect upon the posts of their peers and the topic is to have students create a collage piece from the posts of their peers (this works well in pairs). Have students open a word processing document as they are reading the Watcher pieces. Ask them to copy and paste out a line or two from each of their peers' Watchers. Then have them post these new Watcher collages to the network and read them. This activity also has the benefit of reviewing how to copy and paste text.
Follow-up--Have students compose a short piece generated from their experience writing the Watcher that describes their own difficulties with writing and what they have learned are other common problems people have when they write.

Alternatively, you could have students write the companion piece to "The Watcher" called "The Muse." The Muse is the imaginitive figure who embodies what helps you write.

These are only two examples of the kinds of sharing text you can do. I should mention that peer response as well as asynchronous and synchronous communication are all about sharing text and communicationg.