Digital Writing for the Real World

As we near the end of this Digital Writing course, themes are being tied together. All the tools identified in this course serve a greater purpose than just looking better on a digital platform: they help convey messages more strongly and widely. Further, these lessons educate readers and viewers to participate ethically and strategically in content. Once-hidden agendas are illuminated when we analyze the subtle (or glaring) ways that media is targeted and angled for the sake of an argument. Entering the digital writing world with this advantage makes greater creators. Equipped with this knowledge, the new wave of digital writers will create online content that is more attractive and approachable. The new era of accessibility starts with these moves.   

Digitally Literate Netizens of the New Digital Era

This National Center for Education Statistics data graphs reading and math rates on a general decline since about the start or just before the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Will this audience base be capable of keeping up with the demands of digital writing and literacy? What does that mean if they do or don't accept the challenge? Source: USAFacts.org

The final chapters of Rheingold’s Net Smart (2012) conclude that this learned literacy is an element of modern-day survival. Society has determined that fundamental literacy is a necessary human right to get anywhere or do anything. This digital age asks us to do more than the fundamentals and evolve to a higher understanding of new means and mediums of communication. Society is moving so much daily life into the online sphere. It only makes sense that we understand it to the best of our abilities and participate to the maximum of our worth in the public forum. 

Driscoll’s Writing Space elaborates on this point of citizenship in the digital age. It asks us to weigh what power and influence digital writing can have in the real world. It is important to not fall into the trap of ego and convince ourselves that we have the power to mold minds. Instead, Driscoll clarifies that we have the power to connect with others more purposefully and directly within digital writing. More importantly, the responsibility of digital literacy and writing requires extensive planning and research. Driscoll describes the path of the public academic or intellectual as active with continual participation in the digital sphere, by publishing our thoughts and commenting opinions. 

Small Acts of Digital Writing Stewardship

Small acts executed with integrity as digital writers will be the building blocks of the coming age of the online world, which constantly seeks improvement. One application that comes to mind is the presentation of headlining news, both from regular individuals and major news corporations. It is too easy to publish swiftly without a second thought. News organizations must hold steadfast to integrity by not sensationalizing news nor painting a story a certain way without substantiating evidence. For example, when news organizations publish the smiling senior photo of the fraternity brother accused of heinous crimes but the mugshot of a black man accused of trespassing while out on a run, they determine who is the vulnerable victim and who is the evil perpetrator. 

TikTok creator Christian Divyne has earned numerous viral moments for his topical takes on current content. It often leads to political commentary but more often speaks to societal challenges and solutions. Here in this screengrab, Christian replies to a comment criticizing his failure to publicly address his associate Yuval's viral disrespect of another black influencer's opposing opinion on the relative sufferings of the black race as compared to other genocides like that in Palestine and the World War II Germany Holocaust. Here, Christian claims that his offline conversation with Yuval was more productive. Christian adds that he does not actually enjoy call-out content. As a fan, I judge his content as often falling into the call-out category. This is not his first controversy of the summer. 

These principles are at play as I execute the final infographic project. For example, my infographic topic was changed when I determined that the first topic was too convoluted to be effectively captured in the format. Visual rhetoric needs the space to accomplish its goals, and if the infographic is covered in text blurbs, the overarching message will be muddled. Conversely, with a more appropriate topic, I can incorporate more visual rhetoric principles into the content. 

What makes an infographic eye-catching to you? Have you ever actually absorbed content from an infographic? I prefer them for their visual way of communicating the most important information. In the complex and layered world of the Internet age, simplifying ideas feels impossible!

#netizen #socialmedia #tiktok #digitalwriting #digitalliteracy #covid19 #postpandemiclearning #literacy #education #communication

References

Foss, S. (2005). Theory of Visual Rhetoric. In Smith, K., Moriarty, S., Barbatis, G., Kenney, K., and Erlbaum, L. (Eds.), Handbook of Visual Communication: Theory, Methods, and Media., pp. 141-52. 

Rheingold, H. (2012). Net smart: How to thrive online. The MIT Press. 

Homes, A.J., (2022). Public Writing for Social Change. In Driscoll, D.L., Heise, M. Stewart, M.K., & Vetter, M. (Eds.), Writing spaces: Readings on writing. (pp. 188-300). Parlor Press. 

Tucker, V., (2024). User-Centered Design and Aesthetics. [Powerpoint Presentation]. https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/149053/files/35175207?module_item_id=6370099.

US Education Statistics and data trends: Public school spending, educational attainment, and more. USAFacts. (2023b, January 23). https://usafacts.org/topics/education/#what-is-the-current-state-of-education-in-the-us.