Adding Writing

Adding Writing

Although the LP Workspace is a tool with several visual components, it is important to consider that the blog and the practice of blogging are primarily meant to present writing online.  Blog-based writing can be paragraphs or pages, imaginative or persuasive, and often prioritizes the author’s unique voice.  With this perspective in mind, the LP Workspace is well suited to share writing.

Types of Writing

Captions, Labels, Titles & Tags

Short sentence/ word length text is extremely important on the LP Workspace.  Clear use of labeling sets up organization and communicates concepts to the reader.  Descriptive labeling clarifies procedure and cites sources appropriately.  Distilling complex ideas into simple titles and tags builds the ability to synthesize knowledge.  Tagging also encourages connections across courses and years.

Response Writing

Response writing is work produced exclusively for theLP Workspace.  The length of this writing spans a few paragraphs to a few pages.  This may be a pre-writing assignment on the LP Workspace, a response to an exhibition, link a lecture to popular culture, or an online journal.  This writing engages with course content as well as builds personal voice.  Writing of this type takes advantage of the blog format of the LP Workspace and relates to professional practices of online blogging.

Reflective Writing

Reflective writing is also writing produced exclusively for the LP Workspace.  It is writing that requires stepping outside of a paper or project.  Posing questions such as:  ”what did I learn?” “why did I” “what if”, “why not” and “what’s next”.  Repeated and regular practice of reflection builds metacognition, the ability to self-assess, and teaches how to learn in any context.  These are skills that impact both agility between disciplines and intrinsic connection to learning.

Writing Samples/ Essays, Papers & Reports

Writing produced in a course that often takes the form of journal entry, essay,  paper and report.  These items are often long and include individual and assessable content that may or may not be appropriate to share in original form. As the LP Workspace is meant to showcase learning, adding a SELECTION of an essay or an ABSTRACT of research is an excellent choice.  The sample can be posted with reflection writing that describes and archives the project or course.  For example a three paragraph selection of a fictional story might be added with reflection describing the process of formulating character.  The same method works well with research projects.  Upload a complete final report in keynote or powerpoint.  Or select one essential flow chart or graph and present an abstract of the research. 

Drafting Writing and the ELP

The LP Workspace does not allow active drafting or annotating of text.  Other platforms such as canvas or google docs work best for this process, as does pen and paper.  Projects that require this interaction are best developed outside the LP Workspace.  Reflection on iterations, drafts and annotations can then be posted through photographs of handwritten pages, screen shots of the editing process and samples of changes to text.

Comments

The comment section of the LP Workspace allows a reader to write feedback at the bottom of the post.  This comment is public and can open a feed of dialogue.  The method works well with small teams who develop trust and build a constructive dialogue.  Keep in mind that the comment section becomes a component of the blog and is viewable to all readers.