Dec 09 2009
Writing Across The Digital Curriculum
For years I’ve taught writing online just like I’ve taught writing face to face.
this is the slow way
Typical face to face run-through: A student turns a paper in while in a face to face class, and I write all over it in red ink, giving the student tons of valuable feedback. The student gets the paper back, looks at the grade on the top, and then crams it into the trans-dimensional black hole he carries around on his back. The time I’ve spent reviewing the paper -not satisfying. Typical virtual run-though: student turns in paper, and I use Word’s track changes function or the comments function to write all over it. I’ve also used screenjelly to give individual 3-minute feedback screencasts for individual papers. The student looks at the grade book to see how he did, and he ignores the feedback almost every time. I’ve even set up easy extra credit opportunities embedded in the feedback to see if they’re reviewing the feedback. They aren’t. As every English teacher knows, the value of the paper is in that feedback -it’s the learning that’s going to take place. How do we show them that consistent errors can be remedied, improving and maturing the writing process manually? That was the question I wrestled with when I came up with this new process using google docs.
Gotta Love Google!
Imagine using student work as the canvas from which they learn and collaborate. Imagine showing them, using their own writing, how to write better… then giving them work to show their learning… using their older writings! Imagine getting them to collaborate with people in the community like parents and other students! This is all possible. This will make the process relevant. First, remember that this is like coaching and evaluation -the google doc is where the coaching happens, but the evaluation is still happening in the LMS -in this case, blackboard. In short, students will still turn in their work like they always have through blackboard. Second, there are going to be some how-to’s. Here are the things students will have to be able to do. 1. They must get a google account. 2. The must open a google doc and make it a public document, editable by anyone. Then they must get the url for that doc and share it with their teacher. In all reality, this’ll take about 5 minutes to learn how to do. They probably already know how to do this. The concept is fairly basic. A student produces a paper in rough draft form, and then his teacher gives him feedback based on the paper. The student continues to work on it until it’s polished, and then he turns it in. Then, rather than coming up with a new document, he writes his next paper directly under the first one in the google doc. All the while, the teacher is leaving feedback. Personally, I’d use google sidewiki for this. It’s pretty awesome. Here is a quick explanation: It’s not entirely necessary to use sidewiki though; instructors can also use the ‘comments’ feature in google docs. If it were me, I’d make sure to include canned screenjelly presentations in my comments for direct instruction. As the course progresses, students begin to correct consistent errors in every paper, not just the current one. As their writing improves, so will each and every writing product. The instructor would naturally give credit where credit is due as old writing products improve. Students will see the relevance of feedback in this way. Below is a nuts and bolts tutorial on how this will work. How to share a google doc: Keep in mind, the feedback is the most important part of this process. Using google sidewiki, anyone can give feedback on the paper and the student can change the paper as a result of the feedback he’s given. Two ways a teacher might give feedback are using google sidewiki and also using the add comments feature of google docs. Here is a tutorial on these methods: Students might not be able to access google sidewiki via a toolbar link due to their technology departments protecting them from innovation, but that’s ok. They will be able to see comments using this tool after they enter their url: http://digitalinspiration.com/tools/google/sidewiki/ Last, there is also a tool you can use that’ll make this all work. Asking students to email you every time they update or revise their work is, in my opinion, asking too much. Instead, use this little tool to make any web page work like an rss feed. Every time it changes, you get an update in google reader… which, of course, is free with your google account! Here is
how it works: This process is still in development, so I’m looking forward to hearing developmental ideas and encouragement in the comments. Thanks everyone! shu
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