Response to Diana Gabbert

Diana, you ask and examine some of the questions I have been thinking about during my transition to the computer classroom. I do worry about marginalizing students who are not technologically savvy and how much time I will have to spend teaching "computer" as opposed to teaching writing. I think I will try to capitalize on the skills they have and introduce new ones gradually or refine the ones they have. For example, they all love instant messaging although I notice that they say little of value - even to their friends. Since they can instant message, they can MOO and we'll just need to refine what they write in that forum.

You also talk about on-line journals and e-mail building community. I think that here at WIU we have the best of both worlds in that we spend time in a traditional classroom and in the computer lab, allowing us to build community in more than one way. I especially like Hallie's comments and research on how on-line journals enfranchise students who remain silent in large group settings, promoting different voices.

You are also concerned about the value of on-line journals among other issues. One thing I have noticed as I listened to presentations yesterday and today is that we tend to be "too hard on" computer learning. I think we should remember that not all our problems will disappear with the use of technology. You mention the connection between those students with lots of e-mail responses and grades. Don't the same students put forth more effort in the classroom? I feel our problems aren't going to go away, they are just changing or seem highlighted through the technology. Some students dominate class discussion just as some dominate electronic discussion. We can hope by using two forums that more students will be empowered.

Kathleen O'Donnell-Brown
2002