On Monday, February 22nd at 3:00 p.m. in Powers Recital Hall,

Dr. Julie Perino presents: 
“Tracing Digital Literacies: How Do Our First Year Students Write?”

Since composition studies’ earliest forays into writing process research in the 1970s, scholars have tried to capture the actions involved in writing processes—they hoped to discover what people do when they write. This kind of research has shaped composition instruction in high schools and colleges for the past fifty years. However, many of the findings predate the universal introduction of computers to everyday composition, and even today’s researchers have only begun to touch on the ways that internet access, social media, and other digital tools influence students’ writing processes. What we do know, however, is that students write amid an ever-changing set of digital literacies, such as cross-referencing other websites while typing an essay, listening to music, texting with friends, and using digital thesauruses. In this talk, I report on my research study for which I analyzed digitally screen-captured footage of students writing on their computers to discover the digital literacy activities they employ while completing schoolwork. I then compare my analyses of this footage with students’ own assessments of their writing processes to find out which digital literacy students use and value the most. Finally, I suggest pedagogical strategies that teachers can implement to help students write in digital environments.

All are welcome; please join us!

College policies on social distancing and mask use will be observed.