Digital writing in the new literacies age: Insights from an online writing community

Abstract

Young people write themselves into being through online forms of expression characterised by literate digital practices. This paper focuses on the characteristics of writing in authentic digital spaces. It begins by introducing new understandings about writing, summarising the research literature associated with new literacies and the impact of new technological ‘stuff ’ and new ethos ‘stuff ’ (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006). An analysis of writing practices from one online community, typical of the digital sites frequented by middle years’ students, is then conducted, demonstrating how the literacy practices enacted by its members reflect many of the salient shifts in writing that Merchant (2007) argues characterise digital literacy. The distinctive features of these forms of expression compel literacy and English teachers to reconsider what constitutes the writing classroom so that relevance is promoted within contemporary communicative contexts.