Exploring the Influence of Digital Devices on First-Grade Teachers’ Selection of Writing Activities

During the last decades, digital devices have been introduced as a new medium for writing instruction, even in first-grade classrooms. The introduction of digital devices might change what writing activities teachers choose to engage their students in. This study addresses the question: Is there a difference when comparing teacher-reported writing activities in handwriting classrooms to classrooms using a digital device and postponing handwriting and classrooms utilizing a combination of digital writing and handwriting? A teacher questionnaire was administered to 33 Norwegian first-grade teachers, representing three different conditions: traditional handwriting instruction, digital device and postponing handwriting, and a combination of handwriting and digital writing. The teachers report on the writing activities they engage their students in. Writing activities include letter learning, amount of handwriting and digital writing, and amount of meaningful writing. Results confirm that the three conditions vary in the extent to which teachers allow their students to use different writing mediums for writing and learning letters; there is a slight tendency for teachers from the digital condition postponing handwriting to devote more time to meaningful writing.