TEACHING AND LEARNING WRITING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

This study reviewed various literature on teaching writing in the digital age and its benefits for teaching and learning writing. This paper is to encourage and support initiatives to develop people capable of engaging in the personal, political, practical, artistic, and scholarly types of writing that are required for effective participation in their social environments in the 21st century. To participate fully in any society today, literacy skills must be taught in schools. Literacy is necessary for learning and acquiring new skills whether vocational or academic skills. Many students today all over the world are said to be digital natives and as a result, teachers should explore this opportunity by integrating technology in teaching their students some skills especially writing. From the literature, it was revealed that digital tools have helped in improving students' writing skills tremendously. Communication, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and global awareness, are improved by the use of digital technologies. Despite these, researchers discovered that technology harms students in terms of students’ inability to draw a line between “formal” and “informal” writing, lack of funds from the government to promote digital teaching and learning, etc. It was also revealed that teachers must identify the most accessible digital tool that will work for them and their students. It was concluded that teachers who are not digitally literate need to go for training on how to integrate digital tools into teaching. Beyond this, the government also needs to support teachers and students with free or affordable digital facilities that will make digital teaching and learning possible in our schools.