How Students Writing Skills Are Affected by Technology

The advancements in technology have changed the way we interact and communicate with other people from around the world. You no longer have to wait for hours to be connected to another individual from across the globe. With increased usage of the internet, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones; more and more students are using technology in their writing projects.

In the institutions of learning, most of the written work is submitted electronically and not by hand. It begs the question of how technology affects the writing skills of students. You may not find the best paraphrase machine, but you sure can access a phone or tablet.

In a research by the Pew Research Center, in 2013, it shows that technology has both negative and positive impact on how a student writes. Though we may be five years past the research period, this effects can still be witnessed among the students.

Effects of Technology on Writing

Pros:

• Improves creativity

With the internet, students can now share their works with an extensive network. Some have blogs that they need to update on a regular basis. It is also essential for them to find paraphrase tool online, to ensure that they have no plagiarism issues, in their online content.

They also get feedback on their writing from colleagues and other online users. They can express themselves in their work.

• Encourage collaboration

Now that it is possible to connect with others online, it encourages collaboration in students. One can join forums to discuss a topic. They can also start a WhatsApp group, dedicated to addressing the problems in a given assignment or project.

It, therefore, encourages the students to approach the writing process with fluidity.

• Increased communication in written form

Technology allows students to communicate more, using written form. While you can make a call at a price, with access to the internet, one can send a text at an almost insignificant cost. Personally, I prefer texting to calling unless it’s urgent.

It, in turn, causes one to revise and improve their content using the available digital tools which would have been a challenge had it been on paper.

• Digital tools make teaching writing easier

Numerous digital tools are available to meet one’s writing needs. From grammar checkers to plagiarism checkers. You can also get paraphrase website free for your paraphrasing needs. It makes the writing process more comfortable.

Cons

• Cyber Slang

Many digital platforms restrict the users’ ways of expressing themselves using text. Twitter recently increased its number of possible characters to use in a post. However, this limitation brings about the use of informal writing which many students incorporate it in formal settings.

Students may find it challenging to write long and complicated pieces, due to the adoption of truncated communication.

• Impatience with the Writing Process

Some students may find it difficult to concentrate on long assignments. Technology has caused many processes to be instant. If you can use a digital tool to proofread a document, why do you have to do it by yourself?

Students prefer taking shortcuts and exert little or no effort in their writing.

• Plagiarism

You can access a vast array of resources on the internet. This ease of access leads to plagiarism issues. Students may find it easy to copy-paste rather than write in their own words. It only takes mere seconds.

Conclusion

Technology has both good and bad effects. While we do not need to revert to traditional ways of writing; we can always find a balance for both, for the sake of the writing process.