"Academic" Writing Vs. New Media

Aside from learning to keyboard in around third grade, my elementary school English classes were filled with endless worksheets, Venn Diagrams, writing stories, and practicing handwriting. Because I knew of nothing else, I just accepted this traditional style of academic writing. However, in today’s society, where new media is ever-present, “academic” writing feels a bit restricted and rigid.
There is no doubt that new media challenges the conception of writing. It poses questions of validity and effectiveness. We are very much used to the old-fashioned, “academic” style of writing and have established it, in a sense, as a precedent and standard. There are many people who are still not open to the kind of change new media poses, although this surely varies with generations and even within certain types of people. Redefining the conception of writing is a controversial issue, and one that is ongoing. There are some who believe that “academic” writing is the only option, that it provides necessary order and a better opportunity to revise. On the other hand, there are others who believe writing through new media is necessary in our continuously changing society.
This leads me to my next discussion of the benefits and consequences of incorporating new media into English curriculums. There are a number of pros and cons of adapting new technology into this subject area. Students will most likely be more engaged when exposed to new media in their classrooms. This is only natural, since the majority of students today have grown up in a world where they are surrounded by developing technology. New media will also provide a broader sense of connection. Theoretically, a student’s blog is a connection to anyone in the world. This might help students gain perspective of their own position in the world around them. New media also provides a very quick way to broadcast a message. However, there are some consequences of incorporating new media into English curriculums. Because new media is so fast-paced, there is little time for revision of errors. People are mainly concerned with delivering more information in a quick fashion. Issues of validity and correctness also come into question because of the fact that anyone is able to post information.
New media definitely challenges the old conception of “academic” writing. As I mentioned earlier, there are many people who are wary of the concept of new media. Learning about and understanding it is out of their comfort zone. However, I believe it is necessary to have the ability to adapt to our changing times. No one is quite sure what role new media will play in future English curriculums, but I’m guessing it will be an increasing component.