Writing With Technology

At a Glance:

Standards / Framework:

Students will be able to identify the benefits and drawbacks of publishing and/or sharing content online.

Students should be familiar with how to navigate the Internet, as well as have some experience using online platforms, blogs, or social media sites.

Ask students:
- “Have you ever read something online that had a significant impact on you? What was it, and why did it affect you the way it did?”
- “Have you ever shared your writing online? If so, where?”
- “What do you think are the benefits and drawbacks of sharing your writing with a wider online audience?”

Have students utilize the T-Chart and individually brainstorm the benefits and drawbacks related to sharing writing online.
Have students discuss and compare their individual brainstorming lists, in small groups or pairs, highlighting common themes and prioritizing the most important benefits and drawbacks.
Have students share the top three benefits and drawbacks that their group agreed upon with the whole class by adding them to a T-Chart displayed at the front of the room (digitally or drawn on a board).
- Potential Benefits:
  - Increased exposure and potential for a larger audience
  - Receiving feedback from a diverse group of readers
  - Opportunities for collaboration with other writers
- Potential Drawbacks:
  - Privacy and security concerns
  - Potential for negative or hurtful comments
  - Copyright and plagiarism risks
Have students explore an online writing platform of their choice, e.g., a blog, social media, or a dedicated writing website and create a brief, fictional post or story, to share online (you can use a sandbox environment if privacy is a concern).
Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a comic displaying the online sharing scenario, making sure to emphasize the potential consequences.

Have students share their comics with the class or in small groups.
Have students explain the platform used in the comic to publish personal content including the consequences considered.
Emphasize the experiences and challenges students could encounter while using online writing platforms. Encourage them to reflect on how the benefits and drawbacks discussed earlier played a role in their experience. Reinforce the idea that sharing writing online can be a powerful tool for writers when used thoughtfully.

Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
Pre-teach popular online sharing platforms, as well as directions on how to share.