But before looking at distance education in writing instruction, let s step back for a minute and look at the bigger picture of computers in literacy instruction. Briefly, I ll cover what is involved in writing instruction, why the computer is seen as beneficial, and how technology is changing the writing environment. Product vs. Process. Writing instruction has two components and both are seen as necessary for good writing. Product - The what of writing.
Instruction focuses on the final product and involves teaching grammar, syntax, style, etc.
There are two levels that can be the focus of instruction. On the micro level, the focus is on grammar, syntax, and other sentence level structures. One the macro level, the focus is shifted to coherence of the parts of the text. This would involve paragraph contentions and styles of writing. Instruction focuses on the process involved in reaching the final product.