April 2008 — News
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Study: Teens See Disconnect Between Personal and School Writing
Eighty-six percent of teens surveyed said they thought "good writing ability" would be important for later success in life, according to the survey, and 82 percent said they thought their writing would improve if their teachers spent more time on it in class. Most (82 percent) indicated that their typical writing assignments were a page or less in length.
Said Richard Sterling, chair of the advisory board for the National Commission on Writing: "We think these findings point to a critical strategy question for all educators: How can we connect the enthusiasm of young people for informal, technology-based writing with classroom experiences that illuminate the power of [well organized], [well reasoned] writing?" Sterling is also executive director emeritus of the National Writing Project and senior fellow at the College Board.
So what does inspire students to write? According to the study's focus group results, motivations include:
- Topics relevant to their own lives and experiences;
- Teachers and other adults who challenge them;
- Receiving detailed feedback on their work;
- Opportunities to write creatively; and
- Having an audience for their work.
The Writing, Technology and Teens survey results have a margin of error of ±5 percent. The complete study, including focus group results, is available in PDF form here.
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About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at dnagel@1105media.com.
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