Writing in public, as it were, raises consciousness of steps or strategies that normally are taken for granted, like prewriting, for example. However, effort that arises from group work can come out fragmented and contradictory. What follows is a series of steps you might use with students in a group writing activity. Of course, you can do the group project without computers and networks, but in the work world of today, compositions are often composed by groups who never meet in person. So, the practice of writing with computer based tools facilitates the composing process while it affords real and valuable experience with workgroup computing.
Someone takes notes or makes a list based on comments and discussion.
Lists are better because they can eliminate grammatical and spelling worries as good prewriting thinking activities should. If a word processor is used, the lists can be quickly printed out for each member to take with him or her. The group discusses and selects strategies for approaching each dimension of the topic or issue. If electronic mail accounts are available to students or if a school network supports conferencing, the discussion can take place outside class time over the network. The group selects someone to play the role of editor.