WHEN WRITING IS PRODUCED WITH KEYBOARDS: Unique Elements of Digital Writing

Writing cannot be produced without some form of technology –whether a chisel on stone, a pencil on paper or a keyboard connected to software. Each tool has some impact on the writing process, product and the writers’ perceptions. This chapter reviews digitally-mediated writing using word processing software embedded in on-and-offline environments. Two distinct bodies of literature deal with the effects of digital technology on writing. Empirical researchers study its effect on various aspects as time on task, motivation, orientation within the document, type of planning and revision, retention of the text, and the quality of the products. Philosophers of technology and semioticians theoretically address issues concerning consciousness, society and culture. The two groups depict a very different picture of the impact of technology on writing. We will review these findings and introduce various writing options which are unique to the online environment –reproduction of texts written by multiple writers, synchronous collaborative writing, multimodal production, nonlinear writing, automatically produced texts and voice typing. Such activities are only peripherally incorporated in models of the writing process and therefore should be addressed in further research. Finally, instruction of early writing in an era when most of the written texts are digital and implications for teaching digital writing will be discussed. Bichdei lichtov anu zekukim lekli –bein im izmel al even, ipparon al niyar o mikledet hammechubberet letochna. Lechol kli hashpa’a mesuyemet al tahalich hakktiva, hattotzar ve’al tfisot hakkotvim. Perek ze soker ketiva hannotzeret betivuch digitali be’emtza’ut me’abdei tamlilim –tochnot yi’udiyyot urechivim hammutma’im bisvivot mekuvanut. Ha’issuk hammechkari behashpa’at kelim digitaliyyim al ketiva mitrachesh beshnei sadot mechkar nivdalim. Chokerim empiriyyim mityachasim lehashpa’atam shel kelim digitaliyyim al hebbetim shonim shel ketiva, kegon meshech hattahalich, hebbtim motivatzyoniyyim, hitmatze’ut betoch hammismach, sug hattichnun vehashichtuv, echezur hattekst ve’eichut hattotzarim. Leumat zot, filosofim vesameyotika’im danim besugyot hannoge’ot lettoda’ah, chevrah vetarbut. Shenei sadot mechkar halalo meta’arim tmuna shona me’od behityaches lehashpa’at hatechnologya al ketiva. Beperek ze neta’er et temunat hammechkar ha’ola me’techumim elleh venatzig tahalichei ktiva hayyichudiyyim lassevivah hammekuvenet –shi’atuk teksttim shennichtevu al yedei mispar kotevim, ktiva shittufit sinchronit, ketiva bemedyah shonim, ketiva she’eina line’arit, teksttim shehufku otomatit vehaklada kolit. Modelim hammeta’arim tahalichei ktiva mityachasim lehashpa’at hakkli haddigitali al ketiva uletotzarav be’ofen shitchi bilvad, lachen yesh leharchiv et hamodelim be’emtza’ut mechkarim nosafim.