Getting the most out of the computer classroom “The point is to make the computers disappear from view, so that using one in class or for homework is as unremarkable as using a textbook or a pencil.” Bill Thompson. 18 June 2004. How computing is changing the classroom. BBC News. Roland Nord 1st computer game played – Star Trek 1st taught in a computer lab – ALA’s Apple II+s (1983?) 1st taught at MSU – 1989; ACC built previous year? Typewriters in the library 1st MSU satellite computer lab – AH 204 The technology of writing what’s changed? Invention (prompts) fewer choices may be better than more choices (Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice) blogs as prompts Research notecards vs. ? Type from upper left to lower right; literally cut and pasted documents Composing (craft & comforts) pen & paper vs. typewriters vs. computers typewriters never did make it into the classroom (though many of us composed on typewriters) Steven King—3 typed pages per day Printing handwritten vs. typed vs. printed copy importance of legibility (the technology of deception) Publishing handwritten manuscripts --> typed manuscripts --> (editing, proofreading) typeset copy carbon paper --> stencils --> dittos --> photocopies --> disks --> web --> CMS Composition (Eng 101) course objectives Students will be able to demonstrate and practice strategies for idea generation, audience analysis, organization of texts, drafting, evaluation of drafts, revision, and editing; write papers of varying lengths that demonstrate effective explanation, analysis, and argumentation; become experienced in computer-assisted writing and research; locate and evaluate material, using PALS, the Internet, and other sources; analyze and synthesize source material, making appropriate use of paraphrase, summary, quotation, and citation conventions; employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic writing and the professional world. Students Sommers, Nancy, and Laura Saltz. “The Novice as Expert: Writing the Freshman Year.” CCC 56.1 (2004): 124-149. Abstract Why do some students prosper as college writers, moving forward with their writing, while others lose interest? In this essay we explore some of the paradoxes of writing development by focusing on the central role the freshman year plays in this development. We argue that students who make the greatest gains as writers throughout college (1) initially accept their status as novices and (2) see in writing a larger purpose than fulfilling an assignment. Based on the evidence of our longitudinal study, we conclude that the story of the freshman year is not one of dramatic changes on paper; it is the story of changes within the writers themselves. Beloit College’s Mindset List—2010 The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union. They have known only two presidents. For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt. Manuel Noriega has always been in jail in the U.S. They have grown up getting lost in "big boxes." There has always been only one Germany. They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register. They are wireless, yet always connected. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'. Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front. How tech savvy are your students? Cell phones, text messaging, and IRC Video games and multimedia The Instructors Your writing tasks Syllabus, exercises, assignments, comments, correspondence you are always modeling writing, revision, editing, and research for your students Your students’ writing tasks Your goals Increase students’ research, writing, and revision Decrease your writing, reading, and evaluation Your computer classroom Technology Word processing vs. computer-assisted writing word processing is a misnomer; text processing is better word-processing software was developed by programmers to ease their writing tasks we taught a lot of writing in the word processing classes 90/10 rule Styles, templates, outlines, comments, track changes, document compare, forms HTML editors Files vs. documents Filenames File storage: MavDisk (including MavWeb), myMSUportal, D2L, MavMail, memory sticks Smart boards vs. smart students Demonstrations vs. participation limitations of the computer classrooms demonstrations by librarians vs. student searches