Every day, our students are inundated by information—as well as opinions and misinformation—in the world and on their devices. Digital texts influence what they buy, who they vote for, and what they believe about themselves and their world. Crafting and analyzing arguments in a digital world could be our greatest possibility to improve dialog across cultures and continents… or it could contribute to bitter divides.
In the following video, Authors Kristen Hawley Turner and Troy Hicks imagine a future where conversation relies on facts and evidence to form productive conversations that move us forward. But how do we get there? Kristen and Troy walk us through how teaching our students to both identify and construct thoughtful, coherent argument, and by teaching them to understand how digital arguments function in their daily lives can affect a shift in both thought and action.
Dr. Kristen Hawley Turner is an associate professor of English education and contemporary literacies at Fordham University in New York City. A former high school teacher, she is a Teacher Consultant for the National Writing Project and the director of the Fordham Digital Literacies Collaborative.
Dr. Troy Hicks (@hickstro) is a professor of Literacy and Technology at Central Michigan University and focuses his work on the teaching of writing, literacy and technology, and teacher education and professional development. A former middle school teacher, he collaborates with K–12 colleagues and explores how they implement newer literacies in their classrooms. Hicks directs CMU’s Chippewa River Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project, and he frequently conducts professional development workshops related to writing and technology. Hicks is author or co-author of several Heinemann titles. You can read more from him on his website here.