Introduction
The use of computers has become part and parcel of everyday life. All the sectors in life have embraced the use of computers. Computer usage has conquered several fields of studies as well as a business operation in the entire world. Some operations have been simplified to the extent that without the usage of the computer, the workers cannot understand the normal organizational operation procedure. Different software as well as applications has been put in place by different people and scholars to improve the education standards. The education sector is not left behind in the computer revolution (Fontana 23). The current lot of students is very technology savvy and would use the computer for various learning needs. Despite feeling shy to embrace computer technology, the educators have realized that computers play a big role in the learning process. Therefore, education has embraced modernization by accepting the use of computers in the learning process.
Teaching has been made very simple with the use of computers. In addition, the process of making knowledge available to students has also been simplified by the use of computers. The modern technological high tech classrooms have also facilitated the use of computers. The students of today are very modern and technologically smarter and this has facilitated the use of computers in education (James 103). In as much as the student may forget what he/she has been taught in the classroom, the same student would hardly forget the educational material or component in the computer. Therefore, it is prudent to integrate computer in teaching to enhance the student understanding of various teaching schedules. A good number of students have acknowledged that computers have revolutionized those traditional boring methods of education. Apart from the students, the teachers have also benefited from the introduction of the computers as part of the teaching curriculum. Most schools are currently demanding to have a teacher who has qualified with computer assisted instructions (Skinner 99). This paper explains the use of word processing application of computers in education.
Word Processing Application
Word processing is the process of using a computer application for composing, editing, formatting, and sometimes printing the documents. Such application operates with the editor that facilitates typing and storing of the manipulated words before printing of submitting them to the right source.
One of the most important computer applications is the word processing component. Specifically, the word processing component of a computer has contributed greatly to education. Currently, the ability of the student to know word processing helps to open several opportunities for further learning. Furthermore, the ability of the student to know word processing applications enables them to use the computers efficiently for their training purposes. The word processing tools are important, even after the graduation life of the student (Saeed & Agnieszka 79). One of the important word processing applications in computers is the Microsoft Office. The components that come with MS Office include the Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, among others. Almost all schools teach their students how to use these word processing tools.
The students get a lot of knowledge from their understanding of Microsoft PowerPoint as most businesses are using it in their presentations. Microsoft PowerPoint enables the students to present their work in class to their students and their tutors. This word processor can easily portray images and diagrams clearly during the presentation. Students can easily do a self-study on Microsoft PowerPoint, but they will know more if they undergo some sort of training.
The Microsoft Excel is also another important feature of word processing application that has provided a great contribution to the educational. Students who want to be teachers, accountants, and bookkeepers need this software as part of their daily life. This word processing application has several components that make it important in several lists of computations. For the mathematics, economics and statistics students, excel provides wonderful features that help them tremendously in their studies (Roscorla 15). Whenever there is a huge sum of calculations to be computed, the Microsoft Excel can easily do the job for the student. In this way, students and tutors find it easy to make spreadsheets that are very useful in the learning process.
Microsoft Word is an important component of the education system. It is almost impossible for any student to graduate at the university level without using Microsoft Word. The students need to use the Microsoft Word when they make documents that they present to their teachers. On the other hand, the teachers use Microsoft Word to prepare their notes to their students. It is often argued that Microsoft Office is the most important of all the computer applications as it is used together with other word processing applications. Student exams is usually processed in the word document.
The benefit of using word processor in education is that it comes with a navigation pane that provides the students with much functionality. Therefore, the student or the tutor have several visual representations of many functions that they may need as part of their education system. By the use of the mouse and the cursor, the student or the tutor can manipulate his document to get exactly what he/she wants. In addition, the have the option of erasing or editing their documents anytime without the stress of rubbing it if it were handwritten.
Importance of word processing in education
It is often argued that word processing applications have left a big impact to the education sector. Actually, the word processing offers increased flexibility and versatility in handling the academic work. The teachers can easily use the word processing application to support a diverse form of instructional materials that will help their student to get the best in their academic work. The value of word processing applications in teaching and learning is universally acknowledged such that it has become the commonly used software in education.
One of the benefits of word processing application is that it saves time for both the student and their teachers. With word processing application, the teacher can easily modify an educational material without the need to create a new one that would be time consuming. On the other hand, the students can easily make the changes in their word processing application more quickly to save time.
Apart from saving the time, the word processing application helps the students to enhance the appearance and tidiness of their documents. It is usually evident that the material created by the word processing software looks neater and tidy than the materials that are purely handwritten. The students seem to like the word processing software as it makes their work more polished and professional. On the other hand, the teachers love the work presented by the word processing application as it appears more presentable and of high quality (Joyce 17).
During writing, the students are bound to make spelling and other grammatical mistakes that can reduce their marks. With the use of word processing application, the students are likely to notice their mistakes when they write and rectify them accordingly. The word processing software has the possibility of highlighting the grammatical errors that are made by the students and correct them accordingly. With the use of the computer with the word processing application, the student can correct all the grammatical errors with the click of a button. As the students correct their work with word processing applications, they are likely to enhance their grammar.
On the other hand, the word processing application helps those students who suffer from multiple sclerosis or some form of paralysis. Such students can easily pursue their educational goals without the need to struggle while holding their pens. Furthermore, the word-processing application allows the students to copy and paste their documents without the need to rewrite their previous documents. In addition, the students can easily make templates with their word processed applications and save such documents for future use.
The word processing application allows for easy sharing of documents from one user to another. The word processed document can easily be shared among the students and their teachers through email or document holding gadgets such as the memory card. Through email, the student can easily submit his work to his teacher who may be miles away or even in a different country altogether (James 399). Before submitting such documents, the students can easily modify the materials accordingly to suit their unique academic needs. It also creates a platform by which the students can easily create and share information and ideas among them. Therefore, the word processing application allows for the close collaboration between the students and their teachers.
Most students appreciate the fact that the word processing application enables them to learn several things that are useful in their lives. First, the word processing applications help the students to prepare to work in the administrative positions. Regardless of the industry, the word processing applications are always used by administrators to organize their work. It was once demonstrated that the ability of the student to have the word processing skills gives him or her competitive advantage in education. Therefore, it is evident that most employers desire the students with word processing skills as they are of great benefit to their organization.
Having the knowledge of the word processing application helps the student to be more confident and productive. In most cases, the students find it embarrassing when they fail to resent their work in PowerPoint or Excel (Joyce 12). On the other hand, the students find it interesting and encouraging when they can easily present their work with word processing applications. Such students don’t have the time to waste while asking their fellow student on how to complete their tasks. Therefore, the use of word processing applications helps students to gain confidence and get more marks. Later in life, such knowledge will help the student to perform well in administrative positions.
Word processing application is the industry recognized certification that can help boost the resume of the student. Some educators prepare their students for the Microsoft office specialist exams to enable them boost their resume. The student’s educators are aware that the industry recognized certifications are a huge boost to their academic and professional life and can make a great difference in securing employment. When the educators see that their students are well acquainted with the word processing applications, they feel very happy for producing high quality graduates (Roscorla 16).
Word processing has eliminated the need for complex the use of large volumes of papers in the education sector. Without word processing, most students would be writing all their schoolwork by their hands. Currently, most students use their computers to do their assignments and coursework and submits them electronically to their tutors. The tutors also mark their students work and gives the marks through the online system. Therefore, the word processing application has reduced the need for handling large volumes of papers in students work. Students who print their documents only do that as an alternative to the already submitted electronic paper. Therefore, the word processing applications have reduced to cost of education by reducing the need for papers for handwriting.
In the field of engineering, different computer applications have been developed to ensure easy design and quantitative determination of different engineering products and substances. Computer-aided drafting (CAD) is a common application that has been developed by the engineers and programmers for the use in the engineering field for design and analysis of materials and substances. Through the use of CAD software, engineers are always finding it easy by observing the changes in the software outlook to analyze the effect of some conditions in engineering design. Such application can easily be used with word processing applications in the computer to produce a perfect document.
Since in the field of engineering there are several situations of references being made, computers have formed the best reference materials. Engineers have the software that enables them to store a large amount of data as well as information concerning design, thus making their reference processes easy. The references and data stored are important in realizing the challenge and mistake that were once done in the design (Fontana 23). It is from the data recovery and analysis of the previous information from the computer storage that the engineers develop the new design procedure to correct the past mistakes.
Recently, the merger of computer technology and engineering with the best understanding of the satellites that quick analysis of space assembling can be done by the engineers. The simulation of the origami models with the understanding of the satellite helps in ensuring the maximum utilization of the land to avoid miss use of the limited space. The planning as well as the designs on the land use is done by the engineers with the use of the satellite information on the computer without necessary movement. The reduction in transportation cost to visit the areas has been reduced by the use of computers through satellite coordinate analysis.
The computer system has been used by the engineers, especially in the manufacturing sector to ensure the development of several materials and substances. The idea of Nano technological applications which ensures detailed evaluation of the materials has helped in the development of several tiny materials and substances (Saeed & Agnieszka 77). The Nano technological process which is aided by the computer has it possible for an engineer to study more detailed information concerning the substance or material structural make-up. The process allows engineers to develop more durable materials and substances for manufacturing industry since minor details of the materials are keenly monitored through the computer.
Different tests are done to the airplanes as well as automobiles during development which include the wind tunnel testing for efficiency determination. These tests are usually done in order to ensure that the drag force on the machine is greatly reduced to ensure efficiency of the machine operation. The processes of physical testing usually involve the use of large volumes of fuel having a long term effect on fuel consumptions in the country. However, through the use of the computers in corporation with the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software the testing is usually done virtually in the three dimensions (3-D). The process ensures time saving in testing and immediately calculate the effects-drag force without having the physical testing.
Prototype development is necessary in the initial stages of product introduction since it forms the basic reality to be brought to the market and its testing is mandatory. Through the use of computers, outsourcing of the machines has been made simpler and files sending processes made quickly. The exchange of the information through the use of software like quick parts has made the testing easier.
The alteration and upgrading of the materials and products have become very easy and engineers no longer find it hard to solve the problems. Through the computers, the software development early detection of the machine errors in development and faulty operation parts is detected at the initial points in development (Roscorla 15). Through the use of computer, the problem can easily be identified as well as the solution easily determined from the same computer. Some serious accidents on the bridges as well predictions of the changes in engineering designs have been solved by the use of computers.
Computers through different software and proper decision making by engineers has ensured the operations of engineers very accurate. The problems of long mathematical calculations have been reduced by the computers and daily engineers’ works have become interesting. In the navigation pane of the application, the student have several options and formulae that they use to process their work with much ease (Joyce 14). Despite the solutions provided by the computers in the engineering fields, engineers still have the mandate to intervene and solve some more problems. Computers only understand the command given to it and the engineers in the field have the responsibility to make the right decisions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the word processing application has been of great use in the field of education. The education sector is not left behind in the computer revolution (Fontana 23). The current lot of students is very technology savvy and would use the computer for various learning needs. They find it easy and enjoyable to use the computers and their applications in their learning process. Microsoft Office is a word processing application that has provided unlimited functionality in the education sector. Teaching and learning have been simplified by the word processing application. Word processing can easily be used to reduce student errors and to make their work appear more presentable. The navigation pane in the word processing applications provides unlimited functionality that is used by the students and their tutors to make presentable and wonderful documents. In addition, word processing by computers enables easy sharing of documents from one person to another to facilitate education. On the other hand, the word processing applications can be used in tandem with other applications to facilitate education. Also, the word processing application has reduced the need for paperwork in education that used to be costly and cumbersome to use. Therefore, it is true that word processing has contributed significantly to the education sector.
Work Cited
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