A discussion is provided of the use of computers in writing instruction at the community and junior college level. After providing an account of the introduction of computer technology into the author's personal and professional life, the paper outlines ways in which the computer can be used to teach writing skills. Following an analysis of the…

Discusses the use of computers and word processing programs in two-year college writing instruction. Compares levels of student use of word processing in writing tasks. Reviews factors to be considered in evaluating software. (DMM)

A computer-based collaborative approach to writing like the Daedalus Instructional System (DIS) can help students to learn to write for communication and to read for understanding. The DIS, created to reflect the collaborative learning philosophy, is networked, and fosters communication through reading and writing. The system provides CONTACT, an…

Community college English composition classes are ideal for expanding the circumference of poetry because (1) reading poetry broadens students' horizons and may lead to an interest in literature, (2) writing poetry helps students express themselves and skills acquired in poetry-writing may carry over into essay writing, (3) reading/writing poetry…

This first-year progress report considers the objectives and achievements of CompuEnglish, a project developed at Saddleback College's North Campus (California) to introduce word processing skills into traditional composition classes. Section I offers a summary report on progress as of 1985, reviewing the four phases of project implementation and…

In 1992, the English Department of Florence-Darlington Technical College, in South Carolina, initiated a freshman composition program utilizing computer word processing in a full-term writing workshop format. The program includes 12 to 16 sections of English 101 taught in classrooms containing 22 networked computers, while software consists of…

In its second year of operation (1988-1989 academic year), the Electronic Writing Center (EWC) of the Union County College in Cranford, New Jersey has expanded its capabilities and the amount of service it provides to at-risk students through the Computers in the Curricula Project. Major changes include: (1) increased numbers of classes and…

More than half of the entering freshmen at Rio Grande College in Ohio are required to take developmental English. In addition to having grammar, reading, and writing difficulties to overcome, most of these students have negative attitudes toward writing. In an effort to improve students' writing skills and attitudes, word processing instruction…

These two serial issues are devoted to the impact of computers on education, and specifically their effects on developmental education programs. First "The Effects of Computer-Based Instruction" summarizes the literature on the impact of computer-based instruction, including a study by James and Chen-Lin Kulik and Peter Cohen, which found that:…

A summary is provided of the activities and outcomes of Irvine Valley College's (IVC's) CompuEnglish Project, a program designed to introduce word processing skills in Freshman Composition classes and assess improvements in student writing. First, introductory material describes efforts in computer-based composition undertaken at other schools,…

Vocational Literacy is a new academic field which has arisen in response to criticism from industry that vocational graduates are not sufficiently literate to perform on the job. South Seattle Community College (SSCC) in Washington has investigated the feasibility of coordinating courses in computer literacy with English and technical courses to…