I was skeptical about reading an entire chapter of Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching that focused entirely on the “basic suite,” the so-called combination of word-processing, presentational, and data-crunching software. I read, patiently awaiting a revolutionary twist or even a bite-sized nugget of information I could take away. However, when I reached the list of suggested ways teachers could use word processing software I had to do everything in my power not to throw my computer across the room. Instead I let rip a string of expletives aimed at no one in particular, expressing my overwhelming sense of frustration at having been asked to read about possible uses of a word processor. Granted I do tend toward the reactionary and thus my immediate response may have been a bit hyperbolic, but I do wonder if this book is geared toward generations other than my own.
Born in ‘84 I, rather proudly, put myself (and all other early 30-somethings) at the forefront of the Millennials, raised concurrent to enormous technological advances. We were the first generation to experience almost ubiquitous cell phone usage, the first to get into trouble by our parents for chatting online when we should have been doing our homework, the first to define ourselves on social media… and the list goes on. It is for this reason that Roblyer got no more of my attention after her suggestion to use a word processor to create a “beginning of the year welcome letter” (117). I think I speak for my generation when I say, “where the heck ELSE would I write a welcome letter?!”... or anything for that matter? I literally would not know how to exist in a world without word processing software and thus do NOT need someone to list off suggested uses for it.
I appreciate that this book targets people at all stages of technology integration but at this point in 2016 I highly doubt there are many people studying educational technology who do not already use word processing software (or other basic suite software for that matter). I am sure I’m not alone in feeling some level of frustration - I just learned how to code CSS and html 5 and now I’m learning about the utility of word processors?! While that order might not be prescribed, this book seems to pedal backwards at an alarming rate and to spare my computer from the wall and my neighbors from my expletive-filled rantings, I found it best to end my relationship with Chapter 4 soon after it began.
Works Cited
Roblyer, MD. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching Enhanced Pearson Etext Access Card. 7th ed. Nova Southeastern University: Pearson College Div, 2015. Web.
Born in ‘84 I, rather proudly, put myself (and all other early 30-somethings) at the forefront of the Millennials, raised concurrent to enormous technological advances. We were the first generation to experience almost ubiquitous cell phone usage, the first to get into trouble by our parents for chatting online when we should have been doing our homework, the first to define ourselves on social media… and the list goes on. It is for this reason that Roblyer got no more of my attention after her suggestion to use a word processor to create a “beginning of the year welcome letter” (117). I think I speak for my generation when I say, “where the heck ELSE would I write a welcome letter?!”... or anything for that matter? I literally would not know how to exist in a world without word processing software and thus do NOT need someone to list off suggested uses for it.
I appreciate that this book targets people at all stages of technology integration but at this point in 2016 I highly doubt there are many people studying educational technology who do not already use word processing software (or other basic suite software for that matter). I am sure I’m not alone in feeling some level of frustration - I just learned how to code CSS and html 5 and now I’m learning about the utility of word processors?! While that order might not be prescribed, this book seems to pedal backwards at an alarming rate and to spare my computer from the wall and my neighbors from my expletive-filled rantings, I found it best to end my relationship with Chapter 4 soon after it began.
Works Cited
Roblyer, MD. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching Enhanced Pearson Etext Access Card. 7th ed. Nova Southeastern University: Pearson College Div, 2015. Web.