Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!uunet!lll-winken!unixhub!shelby!neon!lucid.com!challenger!pab From: pab@lucid.com (Peter Benson) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: Against educational fads Message-ID: Date: 14 Dec 90 21:22:16 GMT References: <9426:Dec1315:38:2390@kramden.acf.nyu.edu> <26567:Dec1403:56:2390@kramden.acf.nyu.edu> Sender: pab@lucid.com Organization: Lucid, Inc., Boulder, Utah office Lines: 33 In-reply-to: brnstnd@kramden.acf.nyu.edu's message of 14 Dec 90 03:56:23 GMT [flamage between Dan and Alton deleted] I think they are getting a little caught up in the argument. I think Alton is not presenting the most important point for making learning word processing skills part of the curriculum. And Dan is stuck on how important learning to write is compared to learning to use a word processor (or type or whatever). I think Dan is right that it is more important to learn to write (meaning organize and present ideas) than to learn a tool that makes writing easier. Most of us (probably including Alton) agree with that. The point that is missed here is that there is a significant portion of the school age population that find it so obnoxious to write and rewrite using pencil or typewriter that they avoid it however they can. Now, if these students had access to word processors then writing would be much less of a horrible task. With practice writing becomes easier. If practice is too painful then you practice only as much as is required and no more. If practice is interesting then at the very least you will do it more and see improvements. I say make word processors available to students who need to write and make sure they are not too imtimidated by them. Let's cool down a little and see that others have opinions that differ with our own. Please ignore any spelling and grammatical mistakes in this. I was one of those people who hated (the physical part of) writing in school. -ptr- pab@lucid.com