Can Social Networking Skills Improve Writing? > Carolyn Stevenson

I remember back in grade school asking a teacher, “How can I improve my writing?” The response was always, “Good writers write every day.” Hence I began the reflective journals, reaction papers, and then dissertation. Practice does create improvement. This leads me to ask this question: Can social networking tools like writing comments on a blog, wiki, or Facebook improve the writing of our students?

As with anything, there are benefits and drawbacks. Research reports indicate a decline in the use of “formal” English in recent M.B.A. graduates, contributing this demise to use of texting, emoticons, and other NetLingo (i.e., "AFAIK CU 2NITE" which means, "As far as I know, I'll see you tonight").

However, going back to the premise of practice makes perfect, social networking tools do allow the opportunity for students to express themselves outside of a formal writing assignment. The concept of journaling, for example, has been widely accepted as a means of capturing authentic thoughts and events of the author. A personal blog is really just an electronic journal, allowing the free flow of ideas that used to be captured with the quill pen and parchment. Students can have a forum for expressing views and opinions without the restrictions and requirements of class assignments. Most importantly, students are WRITING!

If a blog is set up with a professional tone there is a tendency the students will model the quality of the writing based on the style set forth by the lead blogger. An example of the ways instructors can promote student writing is through posting on a blog. For example, although newly launched in August, the Communication Department blog (available at: http://kaplancommunicationdepartment.wordpress.com/) has received positive feedback from students:

“I just found out about this blog while checking e‐mail here on campus. I think this is a fabulous idea! This gives us all a forum to share our experiences, dreams, hopes, and goals.”

“I found this blog after checking my email on campus. I find it very liberating there is someone who is interested on our thoughts and prospects for the future‐‐especially from an online university.”

“I am happy to find this blog. I was one of the hundred students who checked it out when it was first announced, and expect to come back throughout the next year as I work toward my BS in Communication.”

While APA is not a formal requirement on the blog, students have informally followed a format of professional writing. Writing takes practice, practice, practice. In today’s world of emerging technology, writing remains a critical skill. The focus should remain on the audience and content, but as instructors we need to get creative on ways students can practice their writing.

Carolyn Stevenson is a professor in the Department of Communications at Kaplan University.

[This article was originally published in our September, 2009 issue.]