ENGL665

There is a visual here that wouldn't highlight... ?

This was a very accessible way to view the differences. 

This makes me think about writing, specifically about the articles that we have read that focus on using technology to make writing a "safe space."  In my opinion, the authors of each article we have read, specifically the Hawisher and Selfe, Selfe and Selfe, Selfe by herself, and the Ohmann article all talked about how technology can either connect or divide groups of people, depending on how we use it within the classroom.  Our country has had a history with prejudice among races, religions, genders, and sexualities.  If used appropriately, technology can create an environment that fosters acceptance.  In my 6th grade class, students are being to notice their differences and are starting to feel uncomfortable in their own skin.  They are afraid of judgement by their peers, whether physically or academically.  I know that being able to publish their papers and have an anonymous reader give them feedback would greatly impact their level of writing. Also, on the issue of publishing--who doesn't want to be published.  There is a lot of honor in having something published.  Publishing, which seems so unaccessible, has become a more obtainable thing with the onset of the internet. Blogs and wikis make information and idea sharing more readily accessible.  I've used blogs to obtain all kinds of information ranging from decorating tips to delightful baking treats.  This, too, has connected us a nation, and even a world.  Everything is literally at our finger tips.  It is easy to say (or type) about how you feel, what your ideas are, or how you see that world.  You always have a voice, which is extremely important in a writing class.   

The first thought that comes to mind refers to the Pew survey we all took that helps define how we use technology. Apparently, I am a "digital collaborator," and the their definition for this seems to fit me pretty well as a user.  I bring this up because I use the web in a very Web 2.0 kind of way, and I know my students are digital collaborators on steroids.  I am excited that Shelley has been modeling all these different ways of online collaboration that are certainly (obviously...) conducive to a classroom environment.