Swales' Outline

Move 1: Establishing a Territory

· The importance of this research is that it shows how technology is changing writing and how students are benefitting and changing because of the evolving digital age.

· Students’ writing processes are changing with technology as they go through school and advance through college. Their research is changing and the way they do research is changing also.

· Wardle and Downs explore how students’ writing develops as they progress through college and look at how writing is taught.

Move 2: Establishing a Niche

· Technology is improving the quality of new research because it gives the researcher much easier access to countless other opinions and research.

· There is little research on how writing processes change for students from high school to college.

· How do students adapt their writing from high school to college?

· Many researchers have done studies relating to this subject (i.e. how writing processes change as students progress through college)

Move 3: Occupying the Niche

· The purpose of this research is to explore how technology is changing writing and how students are benefitting and changing because of the evolving digital age.

· Students’ writing processes are changing and the way that they do research is changing due to the advancement of technology.

· First, I state my own knowledge and experience with the subject. Then, I look into other studies and research and finally discuss my findings and answer my research question.

Chapters 7 & 8 quiz

My research for Core IV is exploring how students’ writing is evolving from high school to college with the exploding digital age and advancing technology. The research that I have done fits under the category of an argument of fact. Some of my research contains studies that follow students from early college careers to the end and shows how their writing has changed as they progressed through school. Students are fronted with many different writing situations through college and must adapt to satisfy each assignment and professor. There is debate whether writing can be taught to students in a short, two-semester period, if it can even be “taught” at all. One of the main articles that I have looked at while doing my research is Elizabeth Wardle and Douglas Down’s “Teaching about Writing, Righting Misconceptions: (Re)Envisioning “First-Year Composition” as “Introduction to Writing Studies”. This article argues that teaching writing to students is near impossible. They argue that even the students’ professors and themselves are still studying writing and it is best learned through experience, practice and research. This is something that can easily be argued, but it also supported by observations and facts throughout the article and the researcher’s studies. Another article that I have closely looked at during my researching is Chris Anson’s "Distant Voices: Teaching and Writing in a Culture of Technology." This article is also very debatable but is supported by facts that the researcher has gathered. This article talks mainly about the teaching methods of writing and how technology is changing the way it is being taught. He presents evidence that technology is being used in classrooms and students are developing a more varied argument because of the use of the Internet and the many sources that are a click of a button away. Students can gather much more information much easier from all over the world. All of the researchers that I have examined have all stated a developed issue in the beginning of their research and stated a clear hypothesis before they go into the facts and backing information and studies that they have gathered in an attempt to answer their research questions. While writing my own research question and exploring many different sources of information, examining many different opinions, gathering my own observations and information, and eventually writing my own research report, I have chosen the evidence that I find are important in getting my point across and getting people to see things how I see them, in order for them to make sense to others. This is what makes my research paper an factual argument. I have set up a research paper in a way that describes what I will be researching and describing the situation, making a claim that brought me to my research question, and I supported my claim with evidence and facts that I have gathered. The evidence that I have gathered is cited and considered a peer reviewed, respected article from a scholarly journal. With all of these elements put together in an effective way, I have a argument of fact research paper.

Research Reflection

My topic deals with writing at a college level and how technology is changing the way students write. The research that I have done on this topic is very interesting and the opinions and conversations going on around my topic is appealing because I am a college student and this applies closely to my life. The research that I've done also shows how writing develops from high school to college and even throughout college. This research and information is helpful and is going to be useful when I am writing at a higher level on topics that apply to my major.

Researching this topic is difficult because it is rather specific. I have gathered information, although I am still looking for more. Some articles that I have found focus more on the actual technology that is evolving as the digital age advances. It is difficult to weed that information out and find how the actual writing processes are changing and developing as students progress through school.

Core 1: Digital Literacy

Kimberly Scottaline

Moody

ENC 1102-025

February 11, 2010

Core I: Digital Literacy

It’s the year 2001. As the new millennium begins, my naïve, 10-year-old mind launches into wonder. What new inventions will emerge in the years to come? How will life be different? It is now 2010. It wasn’t androids, magical monoliths, or space planes that took over the universe. No. The idea of computers and digital technology taking over the world did not seem to cross Kubrick’s mind. Even in my lifetime, I have seen technological advances emerge and grow like wildfire. In this day and age, as I type on my 1.08 inches thin and 4-pound laptop computer, if you don’t know how to operate a computer, you may as well be considered digitally illiterate. DeVoss defines digital literacy as, “formulating insights about what it means to read, compose and exchange texts in electronic environments”. As people are changing, literacy is also changing just as it has done for many years. To keep up, you must be willing to learn the language.

To me, my level of technology expertise is relatively low. I know how to operate my Mac Book very well, and I can navigate on the web fairly easily. I started using Office programs since I was very young. Throughout middle and high school I learned how to use many different aspects of Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, and Adobe. These are all programs that were required for me to know for the purpose of completing a school-related assignment.

As I get older and progress though college, I realize that it is essential that I learn how to use these programs in their entirety. Being in college, I have learned how to better navigate certain websites and online course materials. Websites like WebCourses, Mastering Chemistry, MyUCF, Hotmail, and Cengage are just some examples of the vital digital tools that every student needs to learn to operate as they are all essential to keeping in touch with professors, completing assignments and quizzes, checking grades, and downloading documents that could impact your academic success in college. Keeping up with the advancing of technology is very important also. There are many other types of technologies that I need to become more familiar with and learn how to use to fully succeed in school. I would like to learn how to use programs like Excel and online course tools to their full capabilities and feel comfortable with using them.

Although knowing how to use common technologies such as Office and networking websites is going to be very useful for me in the future, that is not the end of the road. When I graduate from college, I would like to be working at a hospital as a specialized neonatal nurse in the intensive care unit. Technology in hospitals is becoming more and more advanced at a particularly high rate. If I am going to become successful and be on the same technologically literate level as the hospital and the staff, I am going to have to be willing to learn and keep up with the current and upcoming technologies that need to be used to the best of our advantage.

Digital advancements are also taking over the classrooms themselves. Students are being taught with newer technologies that make it much easier to learn because of all the different options that come along with the technologies. For instance, in my high school, a new building was built and the students were promised new technologies that would revolutionize the way we were taught. The day we stepped into our new classrooms, we learned that those promises were very vivid and were hard to miss. The lights were motion activated to save energy. The horrid overhead projectors were replaced with top of the line SmartPads and SmartBoards where the limits were endless. The new “Smart” technology supplied the class with Internet, television, CD/DVD/VCR playing capabilities, radio, and much more. The teachers were even supplied with microphones! It was a whole new learning experience. I finally was feeling the overture of the technological advancements that were taking over the world.

Of course, the teacher must be willing to learn the language of the technology and become digitally literate in order to use these tools. Most of the older generations are not used to this new technology and some refuse to learn. Many of my older teachers did not want to use the technology that was readily available for use to use. This upset the class and it all seemed like such a waste. If that mind-set were applied throughout our society, we would probably never get to see where technology would take us and how we could improve life. Selber said, “Computers are indeed a fact of life in educational settings, yet too few teachers today are prepared to organize learning environments that integrate technology meaningfully and appropriately.” People who refuse to become digitally literate are slowing down the process for the rest of us.

One example of the ever changing and advancing of technology in hospitals, especially among nurses, is a pen that is a tablet PC that has a wireless radio and a barcode reader built in. This highly versatile and advanced piece of technology allows nurses to easily and quickly scan a patient's identification tag and prescription medications then enter data into the system all within a few seconds (Yin and Gorman 2005). This is just one example of the technological advancements that I would have to learn to use and understand when I become a part of this community.

The computer has changed dramatically over the past 40 years. I often find myself wondering, “How would I ever be able to do this without a computer?” I am a part of the first generation that has not experienced life without a computer, so it is sometimes difficult to come up with an answer to that question. Today, it is not only computer that have taken hold of the world, it is every piece of technology imaginable. Whether it’s an extremely tiny cell phone that has more capabilities than a modern PC, or just the idea of easily accessing any type of information via the Internet with the click of one button, technology is rapidly changing the way people think, feel, and live. People are communicating in a whole new way. Important business meeting are taking place through video chats and conference calls between people across the world. News is reaching opposite hemispheres within a matter of seconds. It is difficult to not fall into the hold of computers and technology today. As a society, we would be lost without it.

Growing up with computers and watching them change and improve has leaded me to becoming dependent on technology. I do not think that it a negative aspect of technology. Since I have become dependent on computers, I am keeping up with how things are done today in the modern world. Technology is never going to come to a halt, it is only going to progress and people should learn to use technology. Constantly, computers, phones, and other technologies are developing new features and new programs, websites, and applications are popping up and learning how to use them is imperative, especially to new college students. Keeping up with new technologies has helped me to learn about the technologies themselves and I feel now that I understand how they work. To me, the technological revolution is a very good thing. Advancements in technology mean advancements in science, communication, entertainment, and ultimately, the quality of life for every person on the planet.

References

Yen, Po-Yin, and Paul Gorman. "Usability Testing of a Digital Pen and Paper System in Nursing Documentation." National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2010.

Core 1

Kimberly Scottaline

Moody

ENC 1102-025

February 9, 2010

Core I: First Draft

My level of technology expertise is relatively low. I know how to operate my Mac Book very well, and I can navigate on the web fairly easy. I started using Office programs since I was very young. Throughout middle and high school I learned how to use many different aspects of Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, and Adobe. These are all programs that were required for me to know for the purpose of completing an assignment.

As I get older and progress though college, I realize that it is essential that I learn how to use these programs in their entirety. Being in college, I have learned how to better navigate certain websites and online course materials. Keeping up with the advancing of technology is very important also. There are many other types of technologies that I need to become more familiar with and learn how to use to succeed in school. I would like to learn how to use programs like Excel and online course tools.

Although knowing how to use common technologies such as Office and networking websites is going to be very useful for me on the future that is not the end. When I graduate from college, I would like to be working at a hospital as a specialized neonatal nurse in the intensive care unit. Technology in hospitals is becoming more and more advanced at a particularly high rate. If I am going to become successful and be on the same technologically literate level as the hospital and the staff, I am going to have to be willing to learn and learn to keep up with the current and upcoming technologies that need to be used to the best of our advantage.

One example of the ever changing and advancing of technology in hospitals, especially among nurses, is a pen that is a tablet PC that has a wireless radio and a barcode reader built in. This highly versatile and advanced piece of technology allows nurses to easily and quickly scan a patient's identification tag and prescription medications then enter data into the system all within a few seconds. This is just one example of the technological advancements that I would have to learn to use and understand when I become a part of this community.

The computer has changed dramatically over the past 40 years. I often find myself wondering, “How would I ever be able to do this without a computer?” I am a part of the first generation that has not experienced life without a computer, so it is sometimes difficult to come up with an answer to that question. Today, it is not only computer that have taken hold of the world, it is every piece of technology imaginable. Whether it’s an extremely tiny cell phone that has more capabilities than a modern PC, or just the idea of easily accessing any type of information via the Internet with the click of one button, technology is rapidly changing the way people think, feel, and live. People are communicating in a whole new way. Important business meeting are taking place through video chats and conference calls between people across the world. News is reaching opposite hemispheres within a matter of seconds. It is difficult to not fall into the hold of computers and technology today. As a society, we would be lost without it.

Growing up with computers and watching them change and improve has leaded me to becoming dependent on technology. I do not think that it a negative aspect of technology. Since I have become dependent on computers, I am keeping up with how things are done today in the modern world. Technology is never going to come to a halt, it is only going to progress and people should learn to use technology. Constantly, computers, phones, and other technologies are developing new features and new programs, websites, and applications are popping up and learning how to use them is imperative, especially to new college students. Keeping up with new technologies has helped me to learn about the technologies themselves and I feel now that I understand how they work. To me, the technological revolution is a very good thing. Advancements in technology mean advancements in science, communication, entertainment, and ultimately, the quality of life.

Summary of Audience Awareness Article

In this article, the author is skeptical whether young children can develop a sense of audience or not. She suggests that children as writers gradually develop an audience awareness with time and practice. Many studies were done on children of different ages and their awareness of their intended audience. They were told to write to a friend, teacher, the children wrote more words and less slang for the teacher and professor and more slang and less words for the friend. This is an example of audience awareness.

Core 1- Part 2

Although knowing how to use common technologies such as Office and networking websites is going to be very useful for me on the future, that is not the end. When I graduate from college, I would like to be working at a hospital as a specialized neonatal nurse in the intensive care unit. Technology in hospitals are becoming more and more advanced at a particularly high rate. If I am going to become successful and be on the same technologically literate level as the hospital and the staff, I am going to have to be willing to learn and learn to keep up with the current and upcoming technologies that need to be used to the best of our advantage.

One example of the ever changing and advancing of technology in hospitals, especially among nurses, is a pen that is a tablet PC that has a wireless radio and a barcode reader built in. This highly versatile and advanced piece of technology allows nurses to easily and quickly scan a patient's identification tag and prescription medications then enter data into the system all within a few seconds. This is just one example of the technological advancements that I would have to learn to use and understand when I become a part of this community.