Technology and Secondary Writing: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This article reports a review of the literature that focused on relationship between writing instruction and technology in the secondary classroom since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act over the past two decades. Based on the search, six themes have emerged across the fields of writing instruction and assessment. Within writing instruction, it was found that researchers often focused on a third space (Bhabha, 1994) where writing can take place in meaningful ways. Also, technology often served as a motivator during the instructional process of writing and worked to engage students in varied lessons. Finally, researchers found an increase in the amount of writing for secondary students when technology was introduced into the instructional classroom. Within writing assessment, the research focused on special populations including special education students, minorities, economically disadvantaged and English language learners. Next, technology served as a motivator in both the instruction and assessment of writing and tended to be a factor that increased writing assessment scores. Finally, researchers posit technology can be used to allow teachers to give effective and efficient feedback through the instructional and assessment cycles and tended to increase student assessment scores. These themes emerged across all articles reviewed and truly demonstrate where writing with technology research has occurred in the secondary classroom.

A Review of Effective Technology-Based Writing Interventions: A Componential Analysis

“…In addition, studies comparing the effectiveness of an ICT on K-12 students with and without writing difficulties show that its effect is greater on students with learning difficulties versus typically developing students [18,19]. Likewise, all these findings coincide with those found in previous reviews [13,20,21,23,24]. Some of the previous reviews also analyzed the types of ICT used in writing interventions and for what purpose they were used (e.g., learning a foreign language).…”

“…Specifically, previous meta-analyses, in which experimental and quasi-experimental interventions were analyzed, showed that writing instruction through ICTs has a larger effect size than those conducted without them on students' textual quality, with significant improvements in their performance, motivation, organization, productivity, mechanics (i.e., readability, clarity, and flow), and content of their texts [17][18][19]. Regarding the findings found in previous empirical reviews, most have analyzed the effects of ICTs on different writing variables, showing that they improve both high-and low-cognitive-level writing processes, motivation, and performance [13,[20][21][22][23][24]. Moreover, in the case of high-level processes, it stands out that the most considered processes are planning and revision; and among the low-level processes, spelling, grammar, and phonological awareness stand out.…”

“…Some of the previous reviews also analyzed the types of ICT used in writing interventions and for what purpose they were used (e.g., learning a foreign language). In relation to the latter, it was observed that ICTs have been used with a higher frequency for learning to write in a second or foreign language, focusing mostly on the textual product compared to the writing process [13,16,21].…”

Understanding writing teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge: A study with five in-service teachers

“…Both studies (Lam & Lee, 2010;Lee & Coniam, 2013) emphasized that teachers' professional knowledge and skills to implement AFL in the classroom are crucial in the successful promotion of student learning. Therefore, professional development to improve in-service teachers' knowledge of assessment in writing (including giving feedback on student writing) is necessary (Blankenship & Margarella, 2014;Lee, 2011;Lim & Chai, 2008).…”

“Ditch the Study Guide”: Creating Short Films to Analyze Literature Circle Texts

“…As learners are empowered to undergo a transformation from novices to emerging experts, the role of the instructor is not diminished; effective implementation of digital literacies involves active facilitation of inquiry‐driven, socialized environments (Lipman, ). As Blankenship and Margarella () attested, when literature study is situated within a community of learning and digital literacies, “students develop an identity within their social context and extend learning in formal and informal environments. By following this form, students engage in meaning making through the various interactions of all types of texts they encounter” (p. 147).…”