Taylor, Todd. “Ten Commandments for Computers and Composition.” In The Allyn and Bacon Sourcebook for Writing Program Administration. Eds. Ward and Carpenter. New York: Longman, 2002.
Taylor presents ten principles for WPAs to think about when designing their program’s use of computers and instructional technologies. These principles are ideological guides, not nitty-gritty technical advice about the kinds of computers or programs to use because that information changes so rapidly and depends on institutional context. The ten commandments:
- Keep people first
- Build from program principles
- Start simple
- Invest heavily in hands-on instructor training
- Revise strategies for instructing students
- Consult with others
- Expect the crash
- Consider access
- Be critical of technology
- Use technology as a lever for positive change
Quotable Quotes
“We need to be aware that experiments require leaps of faith that place students, teachers, and writing programs at risk.” (235) – make people, not the technology, come first
Notable Notes
big emphasis on professional development – corporate world invests $1 for training for every $3 of hardware – it doesn’t do any good if you don’t have people who can use it effectively
WPAs need to be always responding to the changes in technology
