Obviously we computers and writing people talk a lot about all kinds of interesting technology that may have serious implications for our pedagogy. Still, while most of us feel comfortable describing ourselves as teachers interested in technology--theoretically, practically, critically, socially, and politically--I am somewhat disappointed when, over and over again, I learn that what most computers & writing people mean by the word "technology" is, whether intentional or not, strictly limited to a computer (or the internet).
What's with all the hubbub about computers? What about other technology that, whether directly or not, shapes the writing and critical processes of our students? Why are there no analyses of "digital wristwatches and writing?" Or "cell phones and writing?" Where are the dissertations examing the interstices of composition and vibrating pens that light up, or the scholarly monographs revealing new understandings of how Etch-a-Sketch and Lite Brite have changed literacy forever?
