Mr X's second blog post - MS Word

Microsoft Word is by far my favorite word processor to use. This is most likely because it is the one that I used and most consistently. Some of my earliest memories of school are learning how to use MS Word, I recall its older, boxy and more pixelated design interface and have grown up using the programs later, more polished iterations. It just doesn’t feel right to me when I use a different processor like pages or google sheets, and I constantly find myself trying to use certain tools and functions that are featured on MS Word but not the others which distracts from my flow of writing.

 

While I feel that each of the ITSE standards have their own value, the one that carried the most meaning to me was citizen. I think the molding of model citizens is an underappreciated aspect of K-12 education. Learning to collaborate and lead are important parts of a rounded education, but I think that teaching young people to be curious and critical thinkers is crucial. Particularly with the ease with which misinformation spreads on the internet, it is also important to teach students safe and ethical practices when using digital tools.

 

I don’t mind the phrase “digital native.” It feels more like a buzzy phrase used more online than in practical environments, but its meaning makes sense to me. There does seem to be a generational gap between young people who have grown up with access to technology and older generations, as there would be with such major technological changes. I have noticed that in certain instances, students seem to have more of an astuteness towards technology, as if it were second nature to them, than some teachers do. I think future generations of students will become more reliant on technology for their education, as items like books and pens become somewhat more obsolete.

Photo by fauxels from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/flatlay-display-of-electronics-next-to-eyeglases-3184454/

Comments

  1. aheizerSeptember 30, 2020 at 9:32 AM

    I totally agree Mr. X, I also don't mind the phrase digital native. So many people use the term though as if it actually means something when really its just a buzz word like you said. There is truly a generational gap with tech, but that gap will be practically non-existent in a matter of a couple generations.

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