The use of computers in a university setting is almost inevitable nowadays. Whether the computer is being used to interact with a word processor, research information, or retrieve/submit assignments, the computer is able to impact nearly every stage and facet of writing.
For ESL students, it goes one step further by "[relieving] the anxiety some L2 writers feel about writing the L2 script, about producing work in their L2, and about writing in general" (Pennington, 1999a; Phinney, 1989). In my own experience working with L2 writers, I have seen L2 students use a word processor to write a paper in English by allowing the processor to take L1 script and translate it. While this process may still require an editing pass where the student checks that the translations are producing the correct effect, it allows the student to think in and write from the comfort of their L1 (particularly if the student does not yet think in English).
It is not only automatic translation that potentially plays a role in writing in the L2. Students who attempt to write in the L2 script (English) will also find that spell checkers and grammar checkers are acting as a sort of coach. When writing via pen-and-paper, mistakes (or perceived mistakes) may cause students to devalue their writing ability by focusing on lower order concerns, even though they may be doing a great job concerning higher order concerns such as structure or ideas. Thus the computer medium allows students to "write in a less self-conscious way and with greater engagement" (Pennington, 305). The result of this is longer periods of writing and longer texts being written.
Going beyond the word processor, other changes in the writing process are clearly improved. Researching information has never been easier than it is now. With online scholarly libraries offering millions and millions of articles, all with keywords, downloadable PDFs, and automatic citation generators, researching is as easy as hopping onto a computer and browsing through endless data.
This alleviates some barriers while creating others. Many students may find that they have access to computers at nearly any moment, but some students who either do not have access to computers often or who are not savvy with technology may not see as much benefit. Many students may find that not having the time or transportation to go to a physical library is eliminated by this access, but some students may benefit more by having professional support from librarians nearby.
Computers are also allowing educators to interact with students virtually 24/7. I have already mentioned Canvas in a previous blog, so I will not go into how that technology gives educators tons of options for discussions, submissions, providing documents, providing support materials, etc. Instead, I want to consider how a particular word processor, Google Docs, can give teachers the power to comment directly on a paper via a digital medium without ever having to meet face-to-face to provide that feedback. Now, instead of needing a physical submission to pore over, write marginalia, and return to the student, all of which requires face-to-face interaction either before/during/after class or during office hours, the educator can simply request that a document be shared (a quick ten second process!), then get online and highlight, comment, etc.
The same risks of less savvy students not taking full advantage of this technology remain, but if the hurdle is truly too much, then face-to-face options still remain (unless it is an online course...but then why would they do that!?)
It's interesting that you mention the use of edited automatic translation. That's a serious topic, and I believe that the majority of non-native English professionals who work with speakers of other languages use translation tools to support, or at least double-check, their communications. But as you said, those writers are still thinking in their L1, and that's problematic. Each language requires somewhat different thinking, given that it features varying politeness norms, expressions, and culturally dependent background information. I'd worry about the writing of someone who used even a perfect translation tool to write in English, because that different thinking is a huge part about what makes writing effective. And I worry that now, where students have access to excellent translation tools, those tools may lure people into writing grammatically excellent but fundamentally non-English papers. Writing without a computer support, on the other hand, forces your mind to realign itself to the new language. That seems like a benefit to me.
ReplyDelete