Word Processing simplifies the writing process a great deal, allowing students to accomplish their goals of writing a letter or research paper in a shorter amount of time. Morrison and Lowther (2010) provide a comparison of the different processes students go through in writing a paper by hand or by computer. When a student composes something by hand, much is wasted. For instance, paper is being wasted on every little mistake. This causing time to be wasted, especially if the means to avoid it are available. The student using a computer does not waste paper because the document can be checked for errors at any time and corrected. Additional features can be added to the document like images or colors that would not have been previously possible.
Through the use of word processing, students can actually engage in higher-level thinking. This is possible as a result of the additional functions that are available through word processing. For instance, the use of hyperlinks to provide support from an image, video, or educational essay/journal that the reader can click on and view. Word processing also allows more creativity to take place as many different styles, pictures, audio/video etc, can be added to a work to make it look either funny or professionally done.
Morrison and Lowther (2010) provide an example of how the individual needs of students are met through the use of Word Processing. These needs can be met through the functions that are associated with the software. Misspelled words are underlined so the student knows his/her mistake. The student can then select which word he/she was attempting to spell from a word bank. If the student is not sure of the correct spelling, he/she can look up the definition through the program. This allows students the same level of thinking as before only without the teacher having to do it for them. Students are able to take more ownership of their work through word processing tools.
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