Do Teachers Use Free Word Processors?

Some teachers do use free word processors. If they don't, maybe it's because they don't know about them, or how to use them. Open Office meets the needs of both teachers and students. It has a flexible word processor, powerful spreed sheet, dynamic graphics, database access and more. It meets all the requirements of an office software package. Schools pay quite a bit of money monthly for MS Office, but they could save some money with OpenOffice.org. It is becoming more and more mature with every release.
Google Docs is an easy to use online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor that enables you and your students to create, store, and share instantly. Through the revisions history, teachers can see which and when students contributed to projects.
Zoho Office Suite is a web-based online office suite containing word processing spreadsheets, presentations, data bases, note taking, Wikis, CRM, Project Management, invoicing, and other applications developed by ZOHO Corporation. These are free at the entry level but require a fee for more extensive or professional use.
The first time I used Microsoft Office, I was attempting to write a paper. I knew how to use a regular typewriter, but this was of course different. I got very frustrated, so rather than throw the computer out of the window, I opted to take my paper to my daughters' house and asked if I could do it there with her assistance. Whenever I couldn't get it to do what I wanted it to. She showed me how to use it correctly. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks? My daughter did!

Word Processors....Clark,D.

I like to think that because I’m a “digital native” I’ve had enough classes reviewing how to use word processors that I can eventually remember how to do almost everything in Word. There’s definitely always a few minutes of frustration, though, when I can’t remember how to make the TextBox do what I want it to do or the border isn’t how I imagined it. For example, the text boxes I used for the Venn diagram assignment drove me nuts! I couldn’t get the size right for the images and text I wanted to enter into them and then the diagram disappeared every time I tried to move the text box onto it. My method of coping is usually to first fiddle with the document, clicking through all of the tabs and drop down menus, hoping something in my memory clicks into place and I suddenly remember what I need to do. If I’m smart, I remember that Google is King of All Answers Land, and just search for my answers through that.

As frustrating as these moments are, they are good for remembering how it feels to be completely unsure, and honestly kind of scared, of how to make technology do what we need it to do. I think part of that fear of the unknown is what keeps some teachers from utilizing newer tools like Zoho Suite or Google Docs. Or maybe they just prefer what they know. Either way, for those who want to employ these processors, they can make the every day paperwork side of teaching easier and more accessible.

Software for Teachers

The advanced features of office would be including software able to perform the tasks of Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Database, and Power-point …etc. With these entire components incorporated into one task it will be organized and able to be up-held as a teacher. Google Docs would also be useful because it allows the documents to be made online. These documents are not only limited to Word Processor, but those used when working off-line as well. This app is directed toward consumer users. Zoho suite works similarly to the Google Docs, but like other apps, Zoho has some things that Google Docs does not and vice-a-versa.  Zoho suite is directed more towards the business users. These advanced features are a great tool to know, but it is not necessary for the teacher to know how. The advanced features are only the older features updated and put compiled into one.

One instance I had in Microsoft Office was trying to create a Word Art title at the top of my business page. I could not figure out how to move and make the clip smaller. To help me figure this out I asked my children how to fix the problem. After it was done it seemed to be so easy, but it was hard at that moment. I had then shrunk my Word Art, placed it in the correct spot, and styled the words.

Documents for Teachers

I think that teachers may use Zoho Suite for calendars, grade books and any other important information for their classroom.  I think that it would be beneficial for them to know how to use this type of software.  Google Docs are an easy way to share documents between emails, but I don't really see the importance for teachers to learn about this.  Open Office is a great way for teachers to create teaching materials and this would be something that the kids would be able to have access to as well.  I think that teachers would benefit from learning about Open Office.  I have had problems with Word Processors, but I usually google it and find out how to do it.  Google is a great way to figure out how something works or what steps you would need to follow to get the results that you are looking for. 

Microsoft Office H.E.L.P

With any other proccesor, Open Office, Google Docs or Zoho Suite offers help links for anyone to use. I'm sure many have to learn before using it in their classrooms or lessons. Teachers can learn much more now about technology then from 20 years ago. Our world is changing vastly and teachers improve their lessons and projects for classes with findings like these. If they are able to use them, it's easier to past it on to the students. I have had many issues with not knowing how to use a processor of some sort. One that I can think of was in Microsoft Office, I was taking a computer course at FTCC a few semesters ago and we had to make flyers. It looked so simple and easy to do and I did it, but what I didn't understand was how to create borders. I was puzzled. I wanted to just finish the project so I just did what I had to do and skipped obviously a few important steps to what the teacher was looking for. So I went back and read step by step how to create the borders. So in other words I was basically looking at a picture and recreating it without listening to her directions. So I did delete it and spent the half hour that it said it would take and repeated but did it step by step this time. I never had to help a colleague fix a problem with a problem but more along the lines of a student in my class. She was to create the same thing, a flyer. But she was doing it for something that she was attending and wanted to make it look creative, fun, and represented her. So we found pictures of herself and inserted it into the flyer but she wasn't quite sure how. I told her to save the picture she wanted in a file and then go through BROWSE to look up her picture. After that she understood that you have to have a file for it in order to insert the picture itself. If anyone is ever puzzled like I was, the HELP link can offer many questions already been asked previously. Sometimes I use youtube and it shows you step by step for those who are visual learners.

Word Processor

Do teachers use free wordprcessors? I guess it depends on the age of the teacher, or if they take workshops and or continue their own education. Teachers who earned their teaching degree years ago were not exposed to much technology. Teachers coming into the teaching field now have had an education where technology was require of them, plus younger teachers have grown up in a generation using computers and being exposed to these types of software. Yes, teachers should know how to use these tools because once they have learned how to use them it will help them by cutting down on thier time spent on activities and it will help them to share and introduce these tools to there students who are in a digital world.
There are often times when I would like to know more about the computer and programs that are available. Like in taking this class, if I already knew how to do he technological stuff this class wouldn't be so frustrating, and it wouldn't take soooooo much time! Specifically there was a time when I wanted to know how to us Excel to create a page with formulas. I wanted to use it in relation to my bills. I know how to just type in the rows and columns but that is about it. I gave up, just didn't do it. Now were has that gotten me, no where. I still don't know how and I still would like to know. I believe through the information this week and with a lot of frustration and time I will have a better understanding of how to create and utilize a spreadsheet.
When it comes to using Microsoft Word, I'm pretty good at making things look pretty. My husband was selling his motorcycle and wanted to create a flyer. I helped him to add a picture and change the font style and size to look nice. To me it was very easy, to him it was not so easy because he had never done it before.

Class Blog Microsoft Office

Have you ever wanted to do anything with word processors and couldn’t figure it out? Have you wanted to type something really special and could not figure out how to get the computer to format it so it would look the way that you wanted? Describe one instance of a time when you wanted to do something in Microsoft Office and could not figure out how to accomplish it? What did you do? If this has never happened to you–then tell of a time when you helped a colleague with this same kind of problem.

I think with computers there is always something that I want to do, but cannot figure it out and my vision is not always the same as my finished project on word, or with anything technology which can be very frustrating for me e.g., doing my Venn diagram was very frustrating I could not get it exactly the way I had vision it, and my poor husband came home for lunch to a mad, frustrated women. Thinking of a time when I could not figure out something on Microsoft Office, oh so many to choose from. One instance was years ago while I was an FCC provider for the Army I wanted to make a newsletter for my parents and I did not know how to make one, so I talked with my director about wanting to make newsletters for my parents, she provided me books on how to make newsletters using Microsoft Office and a few months later her husband offered a computer class to all of the providers.