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Computer-Based Invention: Its Place and Potential

1984; National Council of Teachers of English; Volume: 35; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/357682

1939-9006

Raymond J. Rodrigues, Dawn Rodrigues,

Writing and Handwriting Education

A recurring goal of writing programs is to lead students toward independence as writers-to teach them how to adapt what they have learned about the writing process to their own styles of composing. altering strategies as needed for different kinds of assignments. The potential for computers to help students achieve that goal has been documented for writing, revising, and editing: Colette Daiute has explained the value of word processors for writing and revising;' Kate Kiefer and Charles Smith have demonstrated the power of the Writer's Workbench program in offering editorial stylistic advice at the editing stage.2 But the power of the computer in helping students with invention has not been examined fully. Several interactive invention programs-such as those of Burns,3 Wresch,4 Schwartz,s and Rodrigueshave been referred to in journal articles or explained at national conferences. Individually, these programs demonstrate how the computer can be a valuable tool: each goes far beyond drill and practice as it guides students through specific heuristics. Viewed collectively, computer-based invention programs like these promise to help students understand and use heuristics for invention with more facility than typical classroom instruction allows them to develop. Undeniably, teachers can present invention heuristics without computers. But to apply invention strategies independently, students need abundant practice and guidance-more than class time ordinarily permits and more than many instructors choose to include. Prewriting activities and invention of ideas can take the majority of a writer's time,7 yet composition instructors commonly devote only a few class periods to explaining how a few prewriting strategies work, perhaps running students through sample invention exercises and possibly reviewing an heuristic by giving students appropriate questions.