How do word processors
help revision?
The question
of whether or not word processors help students improve the quality of their
own work is obsolete. It has been concluded that word processors are excellent
tools that also promote higher quality writing. Ilana Snyder observed two
classes taught the same lessons by the same teacher. One class used computers
and the other did not. She concluded that, “the analysis of the quality of
the texts offered strong
evidence of the effectiveness of word-processing in the promotion of quality”
(146). This point was reinforced by the Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development in April of 2003. So what is it, specifically, about
word processors that can make the revision process easier and more effective
for students? There are multiple answers to that question, but they all
come back to saved time and student perspective.
The aspect of word processing that first struck users was the idea
of saving time. With word processors, retyping is a forgotten activity.
While observing students writing on computers, Snyder noted, “their time was
used for improving the texts, rather than the dreary, universally unpopular
task of recopying” (151). A few simple mechanical errors could be enough
to warrant recopying, but that need is erased with computers (McKay, 33).
By eliminating the recopying step of the process, much time is gained that
can be used for increased reflection and revision. Saving time is an obvious
benefit of using computers, but a very important advantage that should not
be discounted.
The
time saved by using computers can be more productive time. Many students
use this time to improve their writing and continually revise, as they should.
When looking at the writing of middle school students who use computers regularly,
researchers at San Diego State University found that, “the reason for the
high quality [of writing] was related to the number of times students revised
their work on the computer” (Fisher, 3). The ASCD reported that the willingness
of students to revise was greater when they used a computer (ASCD). Martin
McKay found that computer-aided revision, “allows more time to focus on other
areas such as style, creativity, or communication” (33). Added practice with
computers and added time with their text will improve students’ writing and
revision skills. One of the students in the Snyder study wrote, "Writing
with a word processor is much better than writing with pen. It has made English
a lot more enjoyable because it is a challenge. I seem to have ideas flowing
more than I used to when I used to when slaving away with pen and paper"
(152). Eighth grade students who were regularly used word processors wrote
higher quality papers than other computer-savvy eighth graders who wrote
their papers by hand (Lehr, 4). Many studies have concluded that if students
spend more time working with the text on computers, then they end product
will be of a higher quality than students who use the computer for typing
only or students who do not use computers at all.
Another
obvious advantage of using a computer is the appearance of the text. While
revising on paper, edit marks can crowd and confuse a draft. Computer revision
eliminates the clutter. Laura Parker, 2nd grade teacher from Boston, said,
"It’s easier to correct [a child’s composition] when it’s on the computer.
It looks OK when you’ve corrected it—when you erase, it doesn’t look messy
and it comes out looking really nice when you’re done. I think there’s a
lot to be said for that” (Wood)! A draft covered in correction marks can
be discouraging to students. When a computer is used for revision, corrections
can be made easily, quickly, cleanly, and without the need for slash lines,
circles, or arrows. William Costanza, as quoted by Patterson, said that,
“writers have a smart tool at their disposal, one that helps them create ‘professional’
looking writing that can be changed efficiently” (60). The computer allows
students to create a professional document by combining its quality with
its appearance.
When
students use computers, they are put in charge of their learning. They control
the flow of text onto the screen. They decide how and where or if to move
text. The liberation of their learning is the direct result of their use
of technology. Snyder observed that, “this self-initiated learning procedure
seemed to be facilitated by the special capabilities of word processing” (156).
Computers can allow a class to be less teacher-led and more student-focused,
taking a constructivist approach, so that the students spend more time working
on their own learning. Students become independent learners when put in charge
of their instruction. While only a tool, word processing can inspire actions
from the students that eventually create a better product.
Computers
can inspire students to work harder and longer. There is a “magnetic pull”
(Snyder, 151) of computers that somehow engages students. That engagement
and interest is an important factor in the quality and quantity of writing
that students produce. An engaged student is often a productive student,
and computers can be used to excite students’ concentration. The ASCD looked
at the effects of computers on student writing and reported that the use of
a word processor increased the amount that students wrote, especially among
older students (ASCD). Nancy Patterson reported in Voices from the Middle
that “the group who used computers were more engaged in the writing process,
and, perhaps as a result of that engagement, produced more complex pieces
of writing” (61). The pull of the computer keeps them interested in their
writing for longer periods of time, and as students work with their writing
more, they will continue to revise and improve.