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Computers for College Writing: a Promising Beginning DOCUMENT RESUME ED 289 173 CS 210 870 AUTHOR Styne, Marlys M. TITLE Computers for College Writing: A Promising Beginning. PUB DATE 24 Apr 87 NOTE 22p.; Paper presented at the University of Illinois at Chicago/City Colleges of Chicago Partnership Program Conference "Cultural and Cognitive Approaches to Teaching Writing and Mathematics to Undergraduates" (Chicago, IL, April 24, 1987). PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) -- Speeches/Conference Papers (150) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software; *Computer Uses in Education; *Freshman Composition; Higher Education; Teacher Administrator Relationship; Teaching Methods; Word Processing; *Writing Instruction; *Writing Laboratories; Writing Research ABSTRACT Noting that computers have fascinated teachers looking for new and better ways of teaching writing, not because the machines make students into better writers, but because they are useful tools that make editing and revising much easier, this paper explores the use of computers to teach writing, based on the experiences of a writing laboratory instructor at Chicago's Wilbur Wright College. The paper first discusses choosing a computer for the laboratory, recommending unconnected microcomputers over mainframes or networks. Next considered is choice of word processing software; full-featured programs are recommended but simpler programs for beginners are also suggested. Other software, such as sp.Illing checkers, outliners, and style checkers are also discussed. Next the document focuses on political issues, such as the relationship of writing laboratories to administration, laboratory scheduling, and money matters. The document then examines the details of working word processing instruction into the freshman composition curriculum, stressing the importance of handouts. Advantages and disadvantages of using computers in composition courses are then enumerated, and the lack of research studies on the topic is noted. An annotated, selected bibliography is appended. (SKC) **************A******************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Marlys M. Styne Professor of English Wilbur Wright College 3400 N. Austin Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60634 (312) 794-3160 U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research andImprovement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) "IkThis document has beenreproduced as received from the person or organization originating it Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated In PIMdocu merit do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy COMPUTERS FOR COLLEGE WRITING: A PROMISING BEGINNING PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Marlys M. Styne TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Presented at the Unive- ity of Illinois at Chicago/City Colleges of Cnicago Partnership Program conference "Cultural and Cognitive Approaches to Teaching Writing and Mathematics to Undergraduates," April 24, 1987. ild t From the teaching machines and drill-and-practice programs of the t.ixties and seventies through the microcomputers and word processing programs of the eighties, computers have fascinated teachers looking for new and better ways of teaching writing. Experiments and reseitrch projects and the resulting books and articles have proliferated, but so far there are no definitive answers to the complex problems of hardware and software selection, 'ab staffing and scheduling, or curriculum changes to accommodate computer use. No one has proved conclusively that students who use computers become better writers. However, computers have proved to be useful tools. Most students like computers and gain valuable skills as they use them. With word processing, editing and revising are no longer such time-consuming chores, and longer, neater, and more correct papers usually result. In this short paperI cannot survey the history of, or summarize the research on, computers in composition. I cannot present all prevailing views or give detailed explanations of everything going on in this field. Instead, I shall give a broad overview of a complex topic, based mainly on personal experience, observation, and opinion rather than on formal research. For those who wish to explore the subject in depth, I recommend my selected bibliography. The extent of writing in the field is indicated by the Feldman and Norman book's selected bibliographies of thirty-four computer-related Styne 2 journals and periodicals and 896 books, pamphlets, and articles on both writing and research applications of computers. I shall begin by explaining how Ibecame involved in using computers in my composition classes at Wright College and go on to review briefly such controversial issues as hardware, software, politics and lab management, and curriculum; to explain how my students have used computers for writing, what problems I have encountered, and what I have concluded from my experiments; and finally, to consider the future of computers in college writing. I hope I'll be able to show you why I have used the phrase "a promising beginning" in my title. When Wright College got thirty IBM Personal Computers and fifteen IBM Graphics printers and set up a microcomputer lab in the former home economics room in spring, 1984 (Styne, "Yellow Curtains"), I immediately applied for a 1984-85 sabbatical and learned as much as I could about using computers in composition. I attended conferences, 1.-ad journals, ':orresponded with teachers all over the country. and learned a great deal. During the past two years,I have taught twelve English 101 (first-semester college composition) classes which spent from one-third to one-half of their time in the microcomputer lab. I'll leave the details on how my students have used computers for later sections of this paper. In addition to those twelve classes, I taught one English 100, one English 102, and one literature class which visited the lab 4 Styre 3 occasionally, and also introduced at least nine classes other than my own to the microcomputer lab. For my first impressions of some of these efforts, see my article "Humility, Flexibility, and Humor in the Microcomputer Lab." Besides my sabbatical,I have had released time during two semesters to pursue my conference and writing activities. I'd like to thank the local Wright College and central City Colleges administrations for providing excellent computer equipment and for supporting my efforts. For anyone planning to set up a computer laboratory for writing, the first concern usually is, "What kind of computers?" There are large mainframe and minicomputer systems, both of which can and should be used for teaching composition if the systems are already established and offer enough access time. These systems, as well as networked or connected microcomputers, offer advantages for collaborative writing, communication among students and between tea'her and students, and freedom from floppy disk handling. They also may offer such disadvantages as system overcrowding and those frustrating "system is down" times. I admit to a bias in favor of unconnected microcomputers or personal computers. I guess I'm old-fashioned enough to feel uncomfortable about being at the mercy of some giant system over which I have no control. I like the idea of each student being in control of his or her computer, learning to 5 Styne 4 turn it on and off, and learning how to handle floppy disks. These skills can be very useful later in small offices and at home. Barring total power failure, our "system" cannot be "down." If one computer breaks down (and this doesn't happen very often), there are still twenty-nine available for a class to use. I also admit a bias in favor of iBM Computers. While the Apple II series computers have held the lead in elementary and secondary schools, colleges (except for teacher training institutions) seem to be turning toward IBM. IBM has set the standard for the business world, the destination of many of our students. Virtually all software is now available for IBM, including most of the educational programs originally written for Apple. The newer Apple Macintosh offers superior sound and graphics, but I still prefer the IBM for writing. There are other excellent microcomputers available, including many IBM compatibles. The problem with some other excellent computers, such as the DEC, is that there is so little educational software available fc- them. Actually, any computer system or brand of microcomputer can be used for teaching composition as long as a manageable word processing program is available. Other important hardware considerations involve monitors, disk drives, printers, memory, and rnare. I'll only say here thatI have found both monochrome and color monitors (we have some of each), two floppy disk drives per computer, one dot matrix printer for every two 6 Styne 5 computers, and memory from 256 to 512 kilobytes perfectly adequate. You may consult the books in my bihliography, especially the Collins and Sommers and the Wresch books, for explanat;ons of unfamiliar terms and to see what hardware has been used and how. You'll find no general agreement on what system is best. In computer software for composition, the most important item is the word processing program, the program which lets the writer move, erase, and otherwise manipulate words
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