I've emailed some past teachers of mine, and I hope to get more feedback from them and from others about this topic. I asked them if they think digital writing is good or even beneficial. If and how they use it in their classrooms and what they personally think about writing. I just sent them out, but when I get their responses I'll keep you updated. For now though, what are you thoughts? I don't care if you are a teacher or not, or even in school anymore. What do you feel about learning how to write on a blog or video record a research paper? What about your kids learning this?
I think you know where I stand: digital writing is going to be the main kind of writing, and if we don't teach students its modes -- or if we insist upon print modes of writing or writing instruction -- then we effectively disenfranchise students, taking them out of the conversation. Much remains to be sorted out regarding what composition is or can be through the new media -- creating a video is not the same as crafting a paragraph, for example. We should expect to see many hybrids and experiments as we try to figure out what it is that remains so valuable about traditional kinds of writing, and how this can be extended and enhanced via new media. One thing is certain: traditional writing is isolated and largely detached from social or civic involvement. Digital writing is primarily social and we have to make both the processes and products of writing in the digital age have that social component.
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