In this Symposium focused on MOOCs, this journal carries forward a tradition of attending to the technologies associated with composing and the teaching of composing. In the May 1983 issue of "College Composition and Communication," for example, most of the articles focus on composing and include a mix of inquiries, from Jack Selzer's on the…

Examines research on using word processors for writing and writing instruction. Argues that research can mislead and discourage teachers from using computers in their classrooms. Asserts that word processing encourages students to have fun while guiding them through the revision process. (MM)

Discounts Collier's study of the effect of computer-based text editors on the quality of students' revision, arguing that editing is not an innate skill and that the computer predictably would not improve upon a process with which the students are not familiar. Collier replies that he excluded several methodological alternatives to reduce the…

Discusses what computers (word processors) can do for the writer. Examines the physical and psychological constraints experienced by writers and explains how word processors can help in overcoming them. (FL)

Describes an experiment at Montana State University in which 12 professors and four freshman composition students were trained to use the university's central computer as a word processor. Concludes that the computer can be a powerful revision aid for writing students. (FL)

Based on interviews with university faculty, describes the impact of word processing upon their writing habits. (HOD)

Explains how a year of observing two successful novelists write and revise on the computer provided a number of ideas that are encapsulated in the concept of a fluid text or the writer's conscious avoidance of a text that becomes static or fixed. (HOD)

Suggests a computerized writing workshop provides an ideal setting for collaborative learning, enabling students to participate in activities such as peer evaluation and group brainstorming. (HOD)

Explains how students in a basic writing course gained confidence and independence as writers by producing and revising their texts on screen. (HOD)

Reports on a small pilot study that investigated the effect of word processing on the revision of six college freshmen. The results suggested that word processing did not encourage students to revise more extensively. (HOD)