Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has been a staple in my education process. I immediately think of the numerous papers I have written using this program, and well they may be the most common use of Microsoft Word, there are multiple ways in which this program is beneficial to education for both the student and teacher.

Using Word prior to now, I felt confident that I had a pretty good handle on the program. However, after doing some research and looking into all of the functions that Microsoft Word has to offer, I see that I simply knew the basics of this program. I knew how to use spell check to check the accuracy of my vocabulary, and the thesaurus to try to build and expand it. I also was comfortable with changing the font, font size, color, and position; all things that Word offers to help personalize your piece and make it unique.

Beside using Microsoft Word for documents it can be easily used for a variety of other tasks, especially for education. There is easy access to templates that can help with classroom assignments such as: brochures, flyers, letters, calendar's, cards, etc. We are also given the ability to help make a document interactive by inserting a hyperlink. Hyperlinks can be used in multiple ways: whether it be allowing the reader to click and become connected to the desired website, or click and be navigated to a different part of the document that you are searching for.

Looking into more ways to apply Microsoft Word into a classroom, I was happily surprised to see all of the ways in which the program is progressing education forward. Style wise, there are now even more options besides Clip Art, fonts and color. With Drop Cap, we are given the option to make our document look like an authentic novel written with a quill pen and ink. A text box can be inserted anywhere within the document, limiting your words to stay right where you want them to be, even if that means within a photograph! Another  really cool feature is Watermark. Watermark gives the user the option to blend a word or image in the background of the document. This is ideal for paper drafts, do not copy's or invitations.

Besides just looking professional and clean, Microsoft Word 2010 has also helped to make documents more interactive. With the option of track changes, the writing process has become a whole less messier. Track changes allows for editing and suggestions to be put in a side bar next to where the document needs more thought or grammar changes. It also allows the user to see what changes have been made and you are given the option to use them or return your document to its original form. You can even use the comment bar as an electronic "post it" to help yourself remember where to go back and make changes. This is ideal for education when it comes to editing with teachers or within a group project.

Word should be used in every classroom by both teacher and student. It allows for student's engagement and a hands on approach to learning. Microsoft Word opens door for diverse learners with unique needs, while promoting fun and interactive learning.