Collegedegree 9 | - Freelance Writer
Jun 05, 2018 | #1
As suggested by the title of the essay by Kiefer entitled "Do Students Lose More Than They Gain in Online Writing Classes?" the use of an online format to teach writing remains controversial within academia. Kiefer believes that although there are certain benefits conferred in terms of ease with an online format, the negatives outweigh the positives. She argues that historically, writing classes have been intimate venues with only a small number of students. For Kiefer, writing is a conversation and only through face-to-face interactions can a teacher of writing convey to students the nuance and situated nature of language. But although there may be many aspects of language which are contextual, it is equally possible to argue that the essence of good writing is being able to communicate with people outside of the writer's immediate social and cultural context. Most students are able to easily communicate with friends via text and social media with ease but often this does not translate into formal writing. Similarly, in many small, traditionally-run writing classes, when students get to know one another very well, they are able to understand one another easily on the page. But being able to write well in the real world requires communicating with audiences who may be unaware of the writer's slang, framework of reference, and everyday vocabulary.
The public nature of online, professional content versus personal content is more accurately mimicked in an online writing class format. Simply because online writing classes are a different format from what is traditionally used does not necessarily mean they are inferior. Furthermore, online class formats have also substantially progressed over the 10 years since Kiefer wrote her essay. While Kiefer notes that technology is often a barrier to enable free dialogue and communication between students, today in many ways it is easier rather than more difficult to communicate online. For example, if a student receives a critique and wants to immediately ask if a new sentence in a revised document is superior, he or she can simply send the question via email to the other student, rather than waiting until the next class for a response. The contention that it is difficult and jarring to communicate with other students using Blackboard technology seems less applicable when students can communicate with one another by leaving comments on stories and essays in a shared Word document. In fact, students may be more honest about one another's writing than they would be in a face-to-face context. Although civility is certainly important when discussing writing on one hand, on the other hand, honesty is also of great value.
Kiefer also contends that responding to other students' discussion posts is cumbersome and time-consuming. However, it is arguably even more cumbersome and time-consuming to drive to a physical building and find parking. Of course, there is value in a traditional residential educational setting and focusing solely on one's academics for four years. But not all students have such a luxury. For commuting students, having at least some online classes can result in significant time savings. Time that is not spent commuting is time that can be devoted to writing.
Perhaps the most serious allegation that Kiefer makes against online writing courses is that they facilitate student solipsism and narcissism-in other words, they encourage students to solely focus on their own writing and foster little interest in the development of other students as writers. But any student who has taken a standard brick-and-mortar writing class must acknowledge the fact that this is a risk in any classroom. Students can very easily tune out and ignore other students or even the professor when it is not their turn to have their work reviewed. At least in an online format, professors can be ensured that students are providing thoughtful feedback in the form of comments on other students' papers. This is not to say that some students will be more enthusiastic about doing their duty as participants than others will be but rather varied levels of commitment are common in many classes. It is not an issue which is solely limited to online classes and it is important not to idealize the past simply because a new innovation is being presented for the future.
Kiefer's notion that the online format is full of distractions discounts the fact that more and more students are writing for the web than ever before in a professional context. When students write online for employers, they are communicating to a wider audience who may not be familiar with their body language, personal situated language, or even their culture. It is no secret that when people communicate online they are more apt to be misunderstood. Online writing classes allow students to confront this fact directly and to improve the quality of their writing so that it can be understood by people who do not know them well. There is no opportunity to try to persuade people to understand a poorly-crafted essay or story using the student's appealing public persona.
Writing is ultimately a word-based art. Although writing classes conducted on a face-to-face basis may be interesting and engaging, the purpose of a writing class is to promote superior writing. The fact that there is a high rate of attrition from online writing classes, as noted by Kiefer does not necessarily mean that the classes are inferior but rather that they may be challenging and tap into skills students are unfamiliar using, like the ability to communicate with people in print whom they do not know well. But merely because something is difficult does not mean it should be avoided. This is not to say that all standard brick-and-mortar writing classes are problematic but rather that online writing classes do have some unique values and qualities which should not be discounted.
Reference
Kiefer, K. (2007). Chapter 8: Do students lose more than they gain in online writing classes? In Brave New Classrooms. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., pp. 141-151.
The public nature of online, professional content versus personal content is more accurately mimicked in an online writing class format. Simply because online writing classes are a different format from what is traditionally used does not necessarily mean they are inferior. Furthermore, online class formats have also substantially progressed over the 10 years since Kiefer wrote her essay. While Kiefer notes that technology is often a barrier to enable free dialogue and communication between students, today in many ways it is easier rather than more difficult to communicate online. For example, if a student receives a critique and wants to immediately ask if a new sentence in a revised document is superior, he or she can simply send the question via email to the other student, rather than waiting until the next class for a response. The contention that it is difficult and jarring to communicate with other students using Blackboard technology seems less applicable when students can communicate with one another by leaving comments on stories and essays in a shared Word document. In fact, students may be more honest about one another's writing than they would be in a face-to-face context. Although civility is certainly important when discussing writing on one hand, on the other hand, honesty is also of great value.Kiefer also contends that responding to other students' discussion posts is cumbersome and time-consuming. However, it is arguably even more cumbersome and time-consuming to drive to a physical building and find parking. Of course, there is value in a traditional residential educational setting and focusing solely on one's academics for four years. But not all students have such a luxury. For commuting students, having at least some online classes can result in significant time savings. Time that is not spent commuting is time that can be devoted to writing.
Perhaps the most serious allegation that Kiefer makes against online writing courses is that they facilitate student solipsism and narcissism-in other words, they encourage students to solely focus on their own writing and foster little interest in the development of other students as writers. But any student who has taken a standard brick-and-mortar writing class must acknowledge the fact that this is a risk in any classroom. Students can very easily tune out and ignore other students or even the professor when it is not their turn to have their work reviewed. At least in an online format, professors can be ensured that students are providing thoughtful feedback in the form of comments on other students' papers. This is not to say that some students will be more enthusiastic about doing their duty as participants than others will be but rather varied levels of commitment are common in many classes. It is not an issue which is solely limited to online classes and it is important not to idealize the past simply because a new innovation is being presented for the future.
Kiefer's notion that the online format is full of distractions discounts the fact that more and more students are writing for the web than ever before in a professional context. When students write online for employers, they are communicating to a wider audience who may not be familiar with their body language, personal situated language, or even their culture. It is no secret that when people communicate online they are more apt to be misunderstood. Online writing classes allow students to confront this fact directly and to improve the quality of their writing so that it can be understood by people who do not know them well. There is no opportunity to try to persuade people to understand a poorly-crafted essay or story using the student's appealing public persona.
Writing is ultimately a word-based art. Although writing classes conducted on a face-to-face basis may be interesting and engaging, the purpose of a writing class is to promote superior writing. The fact that there is a high rate of attrition from online writing classes, as noted by Kiefer does not necessarily mean that the classes are inferior but rather that they may be challenging and tap into skills students are unfamiliar using, like the ability to communicate with people in print whom they do not know well. But merely because something is difficult does not mean it should be avoided. This is not to say that all standard brick-and-mortar writing classes are problematic but rather that online writing classes do have some unique values and qualities which should not be discounted.
Reference
Kiefer, K. (2007). Chapter 8: Do students lose more than they gain in online writing classes? In Brave New Classrooms. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., pp. 141-151.