Digital Writing

(Particularly relevant for Study Away and reflective writing experiences that students want to shape into personal narratives)

Documentation Stage

Before You Go:

• Planning and Expectations: Note your intentions, assumptions, and relationships.

While You’re There:

• Experience Documentation: Capture your perceptions, sensations, thoughts, and feelings.
• Initial Reflection: Begin reflecting on your experiences as they happen.

On Return:

• Compare and Contrast: Evaluate your initial expectations and intentions against your actual experiences and perceptions.

Platforms for writing and publishing

Composition Tools:

• Word: A powerful tool with extensive features for generating and formatting text.
• Google Docs: Accessible from any device with internet; ideal for collaborative work.
• Notepad: Simple, distraction-free environment for drafting ideas.
• Pencil and Paper: Essential in settings where pens are prohibited (e.g., museums, certain institutions).

Publishing Platforms:

• WordPress: Widely used for publishing blogs and articles, offering some composition features.
• Social Media: Great for quick updates and media distribution, though limited in editing capabilities and saving drafts.

Recommendation: Work primarily in composition tools until your content is finalized. Use publishing tools for final formatting and distribution

Things to note

Regular Logging:

• Location, Date, Time: Always note these details for context.
• Summary: Capture the essence of the media or experience.

Sensations:

• Sights, Sounds, Smells, Tastes, Tactile: Include vivid sensory details to enhance memory and reader engagement.

Interpersonal Elements:

• Conversations and Relationships: Document interactions and their significance.

Relevance/Significance:

• Personal, Cultural, Historical: Reflect on the importance of the media or experience.

Reflective Aspects:

• Thoughts and Associations: Consider what the media makes you think about.
• Relational Context: Relate the current media to other experiences or knowledge.

For Larger Narrative Questions and Emerging Themes

Contemporary Storytelling:

• Change Over Time: Structure your narrative to highlight progression and transformation.

First-Person Digital Story:

• Authorial Voice: Define and situate your voice within the story.
• Voice and Self-Change: Reflect on how your perspective and identity evolve through the narrative.

Conclusion

By structuring your post with clear sections and maintaining detailed logs, you can effectively organize and communicate your experiences and reflections. This approach ensures that your narrative is coherent, engaging, and insightful.