Module 3
For this week’s reading, in “Writing space” David Bolter brought forward many great ideas and raised interesting discussion. He explored the history of writing technology from carving in stone to papyrus scroll to the computer. Since all kind of information and data is digitalized therefore Botler calls this time as the late Age of print. Further he looks at how changes in technology challenge more traditional forms of engaging material. He focuses readers attention on material practices as he claims that writing spaces are both material and visual fields, “whose properties are determined by a writing technology and the uses to which that technology is put by a culture of readers and writers” (p.g 12).
People are becoming more reliant on computers. As Bolter indicates that there is a shift, taking place throughout our culture. I agree to Bolter that computers have redefined the writing space and therefore writing process will never be the same. Clearly in this digital era, internet has privileged the visual over the verbal, and the interactive over the static. From my current experience of working with EFL, students find writing process a difficult one. But now there are many interactive resources available which can make writing more engaging and interesting like using vocabulary builders, mind mapping tools or some other programs like Writer’s Software Companion program that facilitate genre convention.
Lastly, writing is a creative process and cannot be done in isolation. As Ong suggest in chapter 3 that these are immediate, internalized and holistic life experiences and cannot occur in isolation. Furthermore, today writers have greater opportunities to build effective readership through participation on various online writing communities like blogs, webinars or other social media platforms etc.
References:
Bolter, J. D. (2000). Wrting Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Ong, Walter. (1982.) Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word. London: Methuen.
Hi Mehdia;
“…computers have redefined the writing space and therefore writing process will never be the same. Clearly in this digital era, internet has privileged the visual over the verbal, and the interactive over the static. … students find writing process a difficult one.”
So true, the writing process will never be the same but some writers will cling to old ways and still come out on top. Alix Hawley is on our staff and made a point in her interview of saying she prefers to write long hand.
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/entertainment/article_688b6b82-b2e9-11e4-b6ad-031d9139c967.html
And I also noticed that more young people are making the finalist list for literary prizes. Maybe computers offer cleaner, neater support for younger writers to stay with it. We need not worry of running out of quality literature to read in our old age. Writers need not be concerned with running out of material and duplicating what has already been written.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/alix-hawleys-all-true-not-a-lie-in-it-wins-amazonca-first-novel-award/article24544041/
Students may find writing and reading (as I thin they go together) difficult but that is where teachers come in with ways to make it if not enjoyable then rewarding. I once heard that students should concentrate on the skills they are good at, but i think the opposite. If you are good at a particular skill, you will want to learn it no matter what. Schooling should be using positive encouragement to assist students in learnign how to deal with the difficult skills and therefore produce well rounded individuals.
Terry