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last.updated 9.2.08

Writing with Technology

Purpose

In the twenty-first century, most people both compose and present written communication with/through computer technologies. Therefore for the purposes of this class, it will be important that you understand how to use the computers in the classroom and to think about what the technology does and does not allow individuals to do as writers.

Discussion–Diagnostic Writing Opportuity Debriefing

After handing back the diagnostic writing samples, the instructor will discuss the the patterns that all students will want to pay attention to...

• answering the prompt
• organizing the essay (5PE)
• staying focused
• punctuating dependent and independent clauses
• hyphens and compound adjectives
• spelling

Tutorial–Macintosh and Virtual PCs

The instructor will walk students through documentation for working on the computers in BAL 2019.

Activity–Reading the Interface

In groups of four, you will examine the interface of Microsoft Word and address the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the program?
• How do you think the programmers of this application envision their audience of users? Pull some evidence from the program's interface to support your answer.
• Do you feel that this program was designed with you in mind as the target user? Explain.
• What do you wish this program could do that it currently does not?
• How would you redesign this program's interface? To answer this question, sketch a revision of the interface or revise a screenshot.

The answers to these questions should reflect the range of responses that your group generates; in other words, you do not have to come to an agreement. You will submit these for process credit at the end of class.