What was computer “literacy” in 1996?

As of 1996 (when I enrolled as a freshman at Miami University), I had hardly used computers for academic work or recreation. Yet it did not seem to matter. Classes were still held in traditional classroom settings; most instructors continued to rely on teacher-centered pedagogical approaches; and students personally visited their instructors rather than e-mail or call them. In such an environment, I thrived as a computer illiterate. I worked on a bulky but reliable typewriter, and in many respects fared better than my peers, who often suffered the misfortunes of lost data or broken computer disks. Not surprisingly, none of my professors insisted that I somehow become computer literate. Perhaps they all believed (as I did) that computer literacy, although certainly useful, was not essential. (For further details, see tech autobiography.) (Return to Top.)

What is computer “literacy” today (as of April 2003)?

My perception of computer literacy drastically changed over the next several years. Because I had squeaked through college having scarcely touched a computer or used the Internet, I was poorly prepared for my first teaching assignment at the University of Dayton. I was simply dumbfounded by the tremendous changes in computer literacy since 1996. My students, for instance, e-mailed their instructors rather than visited them during office hours. They participated in on-line discussion forums, visited chat rooms, and conducted research using library research databases and Internet search engines. Computer literacy, it seemed, was no longer a valuable commodity. It was now indispensable.

My first-year composition students were not only literate themselves, but they had assumed I was literate. And I certainly wasn’t, so I knew that I must adapt quickly, and become computer literate myself, or I would find little success as a college writing instructor. Mimicking the methods of more computer-savvy colleagues, I reluctantly abandoned the teacher-centered pedagogy with which I was accustomed in favor of a more student-centered approach. I learned first to use e-mail to contact and respond to students, and gradually integrated other student-centered activities (such as discussion prompts, peer review sessions, and on-line office hours) into my teaching repertoire over the next several years. And I discovered that as my comfort level with technology rose, my authoritative role diminished. I learned to use technology not to control but to guide students’ writing, not to demand but to facilitate student discussion. In essence, I used technology to help my students help themselves. (For further details, see my essay on computer lab design.) (Return to Top)

And how will we teach now and tomorrow?

Because I have become computer literate (at least, to some degree), my teaching methods have been substantially modified to accommodate my students’ learning methods. My pedagogical approach, which was once stringently teacher-centered, is now predominantly student-centered. I consider myself a guide, a discussion facilitator, a conference mediator, and a counselor. And my use of computers and computer labs reflects my changing teaching philosophy. I still favor peer interaction and student-instructor conferencing (even for on-line courses), but I have abandoned extensive lectures and whole class discussions in favor of forums, small-group work, and drafting workshops. (Return to Top)

Sample Teaching Unit: Introduction

To demonstrate my teaching philosophy, I have included a sample on-line teaching unit. I have adapted this unit from my English 112 course (which I normally teach in a traditional classroom) to show how technology can be used to foster class discussion and peer review sessions, and accommodate students’ learning styles.The focus of this three-week long unit is the researched essay. For this unit, students choose their own topics, conduct research, and draft their essays while keeping in contact with the instructor through e-mail Most class activities and assignments can be completed from computers at home or at labs. However, to foster personal interaction between students and the instructor, students are also required to meet with class members (for studio reviews) and conference with the instructor on several occasions. This unit includes a sample class schedule, the researched essay and exploratory draft assignments, discussion forum prompts, and other heuristics to guide students through the research and writing processes (Note: All documents are in PDF format.)

This unit (and its integration of technology) will be assessed according to: 1) students' levels of preparation for face-to-face interactions, 2) students' levels of engagement during face-to-face interactions, 3) the quality and synthesis of students' comments on the discussion forum, and 4) the progression of students' work from prewriting to drafting to revising to final submission. (Return to Top)

Teaching Unit Elements

Click on link to visit PDF formatted page for each teaching unit element.

Class Schedule
Researched Essay Assignment
Exploratory Draft Assignment
Brainstorming Handout
Researched Essay Outline Handout
Discussion Forum Prompts

To learn more about my teaching experiences and academic pursuits, please visit my curriculum vitae.

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