Writing, Technology, and Teens

The Pew Internet & American Life project has released a new study entitled: Writing, Technology, and Teens.  The study examines the way teens think about writing: both in digital and analog formats.  There were questions about why teens write, what they think of as "real" writing, instruction in writing in their schools, and more.  It's not surprising to me that teens don't think of IMing and texting as " real writing."  I don't think adults would think of it as "real writing" either.  Formal writing takes time, you think about what you're going to write, revise it, examine what you've said.  With the live world of IMing and texting, you are pressured by time -- you need to respond.  It's more like a phone call than email.  At any rate, the study was very interesting to me and showed me the real disconnect between digital communication and traditional communication overall, not just with teens.  We write differently.  We think differently.  The technology has created a new way of thinking of communication and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.