First Paragraph
The three of us have been involved in secondary school writing centers for longer than we like to admit. Although our ages, backgrounds, and schools differ, we agree that computers, when used in writing centers, are tools for teaching writing across disciplines. We believe that writers should not be forced to do all phases of their individual writing processes at a computer 1. We also are aware of the new literacies (Heath 1990; Selfe 1989) necessary to use this tool and realize that our students are far more comfortable with them than we are. However, we have witnessed the tendency of teachers to use all the whistles and bells without considering whether writing and learning are improving because of them. We agree that word processors have improved our typing ability, but is that what writing with computers is about?
Citation Information
Type of Source: Book article
Authors: Pamela B Childers, Jeannette Jordan, James K. Upton
Year of Publication: 1998
Title: “Virtual High School Writing Centers: A Spectrum of Possibilities”
Publication: Wiring the Writing Center (available online)
Page Range: 137-150