Dear All,

Thank you very much to you all who have successfully completed their tasks in the first week. We enjoyed a lot reading the introductions and having the WiZiQ session. We will design the course as a continuous process, so the participants will attend the next step when they have completed the previous one. Therefore, we would like to inform the members who haven’t filled out the database on our yahoogroups page (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/collaborativewriting09/database) that they should do this task, and then upload their introductions on our blog page (http://collaborativewriting09.blogspot.com/) as soon as possible to keep up with the group thoroughly.

As you know, our topic for the second week is word processors. Actually, we thought over this subject a lot since it seems to be a very simple one considering other issues like blogs and wikis which are becoming more and more popular. However, we believe that we should also design collaborative writing activities for our students not having internet access. Furthermore, we claim that word processors, which are much more than electronic typewriters, are tools having a wide range of features. Last but not least, the most widely-used word processor, Microsoft Word, is probably the most common program used throughout the world and we argue that we should take advantage of this as educators.

As for this week’s readings, we have uploaded Renata Chylinsky’s thoughts – a one-page document from Dudeney and Hockly (2007), on the files part of our yahoogroups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/collaborativewriting09/files/) and also put a link on the links part (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/collaborativewriting09/links) on which you can access Vance Stevens’ essay on word processors including some very useful websites.

Throughout the week you are expected to work in pairs as listed below (they are the participants completed their first tasks; if you haven’t completed your first task, you can also take part in this activity when you have finished filling out the database and uploading your introduction on the blog page):

                        A                         B

1.      Patricia      -           Vanessa

2.      Carla          -           Nellie

3.      Nadia         -           Veronica

4.      Rita            -           Gabriela

5.      Aaron        -           Joel

6.      Sheila         -           Berta  

7.      Rogerio      -           Mariel

8.      Dora          -           Vicky

You are going to analyze the two resources we have uploaded in the files and links parts, and then write a response to the thoughts and opinions presented there. By Saturday evening (20.00 GMT, 24^th January), you must write a short paper conveying your own thoughts on word processing tools in collaborative writing and mentioning at least one authentic activity that can be carried out through a word processor and to be adapted in a writing class. There will be four steps in this task:

1.      “A”s in each group will compose the first draft of the paper and send it to his/her pair

2.      “B”s will revise this paper using track changes option of Microsoft Word, adding his/her perspectives having made changes if necessary and then send it again to his/her pair

3.      “A”s will send the final drafts to me (kenanbarut@yahoo.com) or Sedat (sakayoglu@yahoo.co.uk) by Saturday evening (20.00 GMT, 24^th January)

4.      The moderators will publish these essays on the blog page on Sunday (25^th January) in case everybody can benefit from all these valuable ideas and activities

Please do not hesitate to get in contact with me or Sedat if you have any questions, remarks or comments.

Best,

Kenan

A video extract about track changes from Dudeney and Hockly (2007) Download 

Article to be discussed: Download