Abstract

Public writing evolved from the social turn in composition pedagogy as scholars sought to determine which practices would be most effective in utilizing writing instruction to help fulfill the civic mission of the university and educate not just for vocational training, but to train students as better citizens as well. Based on the scholarship of Susan Wells, Elizabeth Ervin, and Rosa Eberly (among others), public writing scholars strove to distance the theory from old, generic forms, like letters to the editor, and create new arenas where students could be genuinely involved in civic acts and public discourse. As these scholars sought out new venues for their students, they proclaimed the Internet might offer better opportunities for public writing. This article discusses the effect new media, specifically blogging, has had on public writing, and how the promises of blogging in the classroom fall short of our expectations of public writing.

Degree

College and Department

Humanities; English

Rights

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