Despite the increasing presence of technology in composition classrooms, students have not yet accepted the idea of multiple writing technologies—in fact, most students do not yet fully understand the role of the word processor in their individual writing process. The research goal of this dissertation is therefore to examine the physical experience of writing, both in and outside of a computer composition classroom, from students’ perspective by investigating their definitions of writing and how they understand the relationship between writing and technology. To highlight student writing practices, the analysis uses both qualitative and quantitative data from two classes in a PC computer lab at Texas A&M University, one freshman composition and one advanced composition course. Several important patterns have emerged from the analysis of this data, and each of the main chapters focuses on a different student perspective.

Chapter II argues that students tend to view computers simply as instruments or tools, an understanding that affects how they perceive and work with classroom computers. Because how they perceive and approach computers affects their writing, Chapter III examines student theories of writing and technology. The discussion postings indicate that students write differently at home than they do in the classroom, and this distinction creates context-bound theories. They are more familiar with the personal context, often exhibiting an inability to translate their ease with this type of writing or computer functions into an academic environment. Their makeshift theories lead to writing practices, and Chapter IV examines student responses for patterns regarding how writing happens. Specifically, discomfort with academic writing leads them to compose with a computer because they believe technology makes this process faster and easier; however, their choice of medium can actually derail writing when made for reasons of ease or convenience.

This study finds that physical set-up of the classroom and the curriculum are factors that have perpetuated these problems. Despite these obstacles, a computer classroom approach has unique advantages, and a new approach is proposed, one that focuses on developing rhetorical flexibility or the ability of students to produce multiple texts in multiple contexts.