This post first appeared on EdTech Researcher.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to present at Writing X Tech, the annual, virtual writing conference hosted by TurnItIn. This year’s focus, the writing mindset, really resonated with me. More often than I would like, I hear educators and parents lament the impact of technology on writing. They express concerns about students’ inability to focus, to engage deeply with content, and to communicate effectively. However, I think that many of these conversations focus on the product rather than the process of writing.

Most of us grew up in an education system where the final representation of our learning had to fit onto an 8.5×11 page. This is not to discredit the power of paper, only to raise the point that we did not have other options. Paper may have been the technology of our time, but it is not the only tool available for our students.

So what could writing look like when a writing mindset is applied to mobile technologies? I can attest to the fact that students still need to proceed through the steps of the writing process, as I often struggle with this as a student and a professional. However, while that process has not necessarily changed, the associated tasks and procedures have the potential to be transformed given the functional capabilities of iPads, Chromebooks, laptops, and smartphones.

To learn more, you can watch the recording of the webinar, and my slides are embedded below.