Writing with iPads in Grade 7: Studentsʼ perspectives on possibilities and limitations

Abstract

Digital technologies have the potential to shift literacy practices, as the act of writing involves great semiotic and technological complexity. This paper examines the reported capabilities of iPads and writing-specific apps used in writing activities in a Norwegian elementary classroom. A written assignment was designed to inquire into studentsʼ perceptions of creating texts using iPads. The analyses of 42 student essays and questionnaires yielded three categories that contribute inherently to the description of writing with iPads: functionality, interaction, and multimodality. This paper presents how affordances of iPads and apps facilitate the writing process, enhance co-creation and sharing of texts, and help shape multimodal representations in studentsʼ writing. In relation to these themes, this paper discusses how iPads and apps offer possibilities for writers, as well as presenting challenges and limitations for them. Keywords iPads writing affordances multimodality digital literacy

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