Writing Conferences

An instructor of a composition and computers writing course (designed for economically and culturally disadvantaged students) at the State University of New York at Buffalo, developed electronic conferences which combine the capabilities of the computer with the conference approach. The instructor reads students ' papers while sitting at the computer and then begins to type, in a conversational format, her comments, ideas, suggestions and examples, geared to the needs and stage of writing of the students. Students continue to revise their papers until they feel the papers are ready for a grade. Final drafts get an analytical scoring and a grade, minus any further comment. Students ' oral and written comments in course evaluations and journal entries indicate that students find written comments more helpful than any other type of response. Using the computer as a writing tool for electronic feedback means tha