Electronic Communities in Writing Instruction:
A Beginners Guide

Intro

Teachers

Students

History

Texts

Electronic class communities can be a valuable writing tool. Listervs and web bulletin boards provide class members with increased opportunities for collaboration and interaction. At the same time, they allow instructors to address both individual and collective student needs. Instructors often choose to use electronic forums as a collective form of journaling in their classes.

Electronic Communities allow class members to:

• Discuss thoughts, joys, and concerns about writing
  
• Reflect on writing processes
  
• Post portions of drafts for feedback
  
• Give feedback for the portions of drafts that others have posted
  
• Help each other discover topics or find sources
  
• Respond to readings
  
• Share knowledge or speculation about various topics
  
• Tell the class about what they have read and/or written on their own, or for other classes
  
• Ask each other questions to spur further thinking and/or drafting
  
• Respond to posts other class members and have written conversations
  
• Get to know other members of the class and develop positive working relationship