Teaching writing in the "Techno-Zone": Exploring new literacies in a first-grade classroom

Grounded in teacher research (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1992), this study is designed to respond to the call to investigate the impact of incorporating new digital media on young students' engagement and performance in academic writing (Lankshear & Knobel, 2003). In doing so, the authors address two central and related questions. First, what is the impact of digital storytelling on primary grade students' motivation for writing and their writing skills and abilities within a process approach to writing? Second, in what ways do young children develop their identities as authors through digital storytelling? Data analysis reveals three themes that provide evidence of the power of digital storytelling to motivate and engage students in generating personal narratives and developing their writing and fluency skills within the five stages of the writing process. Implications for engaging in research over technology-integrated pedagogy are discussed.