Classroom Schedule

Hypertext, Computers, and Writing Instruction: A Bibliography

Note: Though this bibliography is not yet up to date, its entries are not out of date.

Butler, Wayne M., and James L. Kinneavy. "The Electronic Discourse Community: God, Meet Donald Duck." Focuses 4 (Winter 1991): 91-108. Rpt. in The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook . Ed. Gary Tate, Edward P. J. Corbett, and Nancy Meyers. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. 400-14.

A brief history of the evolution of writing groups leading up to the electronic discourse community. Included are explanations of how the physical location for the community is set up and an examination of the implications of the electronic community for collaborative learning. Also provided is a transcript of an electronic discourse community's on-line dialog. Concludes with a short analysis of content and skill issues in relation to computers.

Dobrin, David N. "A Limitation on the Use of Computers in Composition." Computers and Writing: Theory, Research, Practice . Ed. Deborah H. Holdstein and Cynthia L. Self. New York: MLA, 1990. 40-57.

An examination of the utility of a variety of computer software programs designed to assist writers. The conclusions reached are that those programs which do not depend on a reference to the context of the writer's meaningÑ-spell checkers, E-mail, word processorsÑ-have a high utility, while those which require a reference to meaningÑ-style analyzers, idea processors, invention aidsÑ-because they cannot know the writer's meaning, have a very low utility. The author would limit the use of the latter group.

Hawisher, Gail E. "Research and Recommendations for Computers and Composition." in Critical Perspectives on Computers and Composition Instruction . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. New York: Columbia UP, 1989. 44-73.

An overview of a large number of studies on the effects of computers on writing instruction. The essay contains a detailed chart of the results of a number of studies. Information contained in the chart includes location of study, age or school year of students, software and computers used, pedagogical approach to writing, and results (improvement, no improvement, etc.). The author found that a large proportion of the studies were "techno-centered" (over-focused on the equipment) thus ignoring the students. Suggestions areoffered in the conclusion for future studies that focus more closely on students and their relationships to the technology.

Hawisher, Gail E., and Cynthia L. Selfe. "The Rhetoric of Technology and the Electronic Writing Class" in College Composition and Communication 42 (February 1991): 55-65. Rpt. in The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook . Ed. Gary Tate, Edward P. J. Corbett, and Nancy Meyers. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. 381-90.

An examination of the pros and cons, gleaned from the experiences of composition teachers across the country, of the electronic classroom. Concludes with a discussion of the implications for future professional conversations on the topic.

Montague, Marjorie. Computers, Cognition, and Writing Instruction . Albany: State University of New York, 1990.

A brief discussion of the philosophical and theoretical implications of bringing computers into the writing classroom is followed by a lengthy discussion on how to implement computer-assisted instruction. Setting up computer writing programs for primary, secondary, and special-needs students is also addressed, and advice is offered on choosing a computer system.

Moulthrop, Stuart. "The Politics of Hypertext." in Evolving Perspectives on Computers and Composition Studies: Questions for the 1990s . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. Urbana: NCTE, 1991. 253-71.

A discussion of the relationship of authorship to hypertext. The essay speculates on both the ownership of texts and the composing process when information is retrieved, via omputers, from a variety of nonlinear, non-sequential locations. Stasis questions for future studies on the implications of hypertext on both process-oriented and product-oriented teachers are provided in the conclusion.

Ray, Ruth, and Ellen Barton. "Technology and Authority." in Evolving Perspectives on Computers and Composition Studies: Questions for the 1990s . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. Urbana: NCTE, 1991. 279-99.

This work compares what is described as the current paradigm (i.e. technology reinforcing the authority of the institution to define what passes for making meaning) with the authors' alternative: an interaction between institution and individual in a collaborative making of meaning through the use of technology. Suggests ways that English Departments might work to promote the latter.

Rodrigues, Dawn, and Raymond Rodrigues. "How Word Processing Is Changing Our Teaching: New Technologies, New Approaches, New Challenges." in Computers and Composition 7 (November 1989): 13-25. Rpt. in The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook . Ed. Gary Tate, Edward P. J. Corbett, and Nancy Meyers. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. 391-99.

A comparison and contrast of the pedagogies associated with the traditional classroom, the traditional classroom plus computers, and the computer classroom. Implies that teachers who integrate computers into their teaching are teaching a higher order of writing.

Selfe, Cynthia L. "Computers in English Departments: The Rhetoric of Techno/Power." in Computers and Writing: Theory, Research, Practice . Ed. Deborah H. Holdstein and Cynthia L. Self. New York: MLA, 1990. 95-103.

This work examines the negative power relationships which can arise when computers first enter an English Department: who has them, who gets to use them, and who knows how to use them. Offers suggestions on how to make the decisions about computers a humanistic and community process within the department.

---. "Redefining Literacy: The Multilayered Grammars of Computers." in Critical Perspectives on Computers and Composition Instruction . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. New York: Columbia UP, 1989. 3-15.

This work looks at how traditional literacy competence in reading and writing has been modified by computers through the addition of an "on-screen" literacy: the abilities to move about the computer screen and within the document, to search for and retrieve texts, and to shift from revising on paper to revising on screen. The author finds that, being for the most part raised on the print medium, teachers at the current moment have a more difficult time shifting to computer-assisted writing environments than do students.

Schwartz, Helen J. "Ethical Considerations of Educational Computer Use." in Computers and Writing: Theory, Research, Practice . Ed. Deborah H. Holdstein and Cynthia L. Selfe. New York: MLA, 1990. 18-30.

A discussion of the changes in the relationship between teachers and students when a computer enters the mix. Brings up ethical questions of text ownership when both the software and computer discussion groups have contributed to the individual student's text. The essay also compares the differences between the teacher's and software's responses to the students' writing: software is inflexible and has no tone of voice or facial expression, and it cannot reflect before responding.

Strickland, James. "The Politics of Writing Programs." in Evolving Perspectives on Computers and Composition Studies: Questions for the 1990s . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. Urbana NCTE, 1991. 300-17.

An examination of the political implications of computer-resource distribution throughout the institution. Distributing computers to writing programs has usually been viewed as a poor use of resources by schools of business and by the sciences, the expected locales of computers, so writing programs have often had to make do with second-rate equipment or without. Ironically, when writing programs have gotten computers, the same areas of the institution that felt computers were wasted on writing programs began to view these programs as serious and valid disciplines within the institution.

Thiesmeyer, John. "Should We Do What We Can?" in Critical Perspectives on Computers and Composition Instruction . Ed. Gail E. Hawisher and Cynthia L. Selfe. New York: Columbia UP, 1989. 75-93.

This essay discusses spell checkers, style checkers, and invention aids, which are all are found to be wanting. Spell checkers are dismissed as offering more information than a user needs or can easily absorb, invention aids as providing writing before thinking, and style checkers as forcing writers to adapt to arbitrary standards of readability. The use of word processors is encouraged, at least for preparing final drafts, because of their usefulness as aids to revision.