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Geek Culture / You are ten years old. Word 2007. What would you like to learn?

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Lukas W
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 16:48
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Hey guys, so basically I am kind of a teacher now and need to prepare for a computers class tomorrow in which they will hopefully learn some things about Word 2007.

I was at first OK with this idea because word is a rather easy and self-explanatory tool, but as the hours passed I realized I have no clue where to begin.

If you were ten years old, what would you like to learn in Microsoft Word 2007?

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heyufool1
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 16:55 Edited at: 7th Sep 2011 17:00
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Honestly, nothing. MW is used for typing up essays and what not and 10 year old kids probably don't have essays to type up. If I were you I would show them how to simply type stuff and then skip the rest and do something more practical like math and grammar. Save the more specific MW stuff until they have to use it in an essay or something.

Assuming you can't do what I said above then I would show them simple typing and then show the special font stuff They really shouldn't be bothered with learning stuff like changing fonts, alignments and other things of that nature because they probably won't use any of that until they are older. I don't think my teachers cared what font or how I organized my papers until High School, and if they can't figure out MW when they are 13/14 then there is a problem.

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"
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Van B
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 17:00
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Some creative writing perhaps. Let them write a short story, or a poem, then format it nicely, and print out a few copies to give to their family. I would have enjoyed that when I was 10.

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Fallout
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 17:02 Edited at: 7th Sep 2011 17:02
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Key things:

Choosing funky fonts, boldidization, italicization, underlinization and colourization.

Tables. How to make tables and rows so you have boxes.

Importing pictures.

Pasting the world "willy" a million times by holding ctrl-v after putting it onto the clip board.

Maybe make a simple poster.

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Quik
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 17:07
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Quote: "Some creative writing perhaps. Let them write a short story, or a poem, then format it nicely, and print out a few copies to give to their family. I would have enjoyed that when I was 10."


I too would have loved that^^

But maybe let them use the graphic tools there, with pictures and such? Atleast i think you can do that in word...

And formatting etc, maybe help them download some cool texts? show them that function

and for the record, I am a man.

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Dazzag
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 17:19
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I was totally into programming, even at 10 years old, so I would be totally wanting to know about VBA.

Oh, how about WordArt? You know that toolbar that creates funky text.

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Lukas W
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 17:54
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Thank you all for your input.

So I plan to have them write a poem in different colors and fonts add some bold, italics, and underline with a WordArt title on top. Next they will make a poster. I imagine birthday parties are popular in this age, and learning how to make a birthday invitation could be something. Here they will learn how to add images and change color on paper among other things.

For the kids who will finish this before class is over, I will let them experiment for themselves, copy paste "willy" a million times.. or draw figures using the Shape tool.

Generally we use the computer room only to do math and grammar and similar using online web applications that our school has bought license from. But I was asked this time to teach them Word, this is why we do this heyufool1 although I agree with you.

And Dazzag, I was also asked for another class who are three years older to teach them html coding. And while some kids might find this enjoyable or maybe even useful, I don't see how that is part of school agenda for kids this age hehe.

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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 18:46
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A fun way to get them used to changing fonts is by telling them they can write secret messages by selecting the Wingdings font and typing something. To "decode" the message hightlight the text and select a normal font.

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lazerus
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 20:13
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A poster is a very good idea, you can introduce them to font styles, colors, word art, borders, headers, footers, a table in the middle. Just let them play around with it till there hearts content.


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old_School
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 20:37
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Well I would let them write letters or storys to their parents as a class project.
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Dazzag
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 21:19
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Quote: "And Dazzag, I was also asked for another class who are three years older to teach them html coding"
Heh, yeah I would think VBA might be a little over the heads of most 10 year olds. On the other hand even working amongst other programmers for years a quick bit of VBA in Word, Access, or Excel can right make a mark!

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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Nickydude
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:27 Edited at: 7th Sep 2011 23:31
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Quote: "Honestly, nothing. MW is used for typing up essays and what not and 10 year old kids probably don't have essays to type up."


Sorry, but I'm afraid that's rubbish, Word is an excellent tool, the FPSC Community Guide was created in it and I've been teaching it for just over a year (not to 10 year old though, good luck with that! lol!)

Definitely a poster, possibly about a computer game they'd like to create if they could, getting them to import pictures and use WordArt, also get them to use the shapes and drawing tools then, for example, ask them to create some sort of Christmas scene and then write a short story about it. Don't just sit them down with a page of boring text and ask them to copy it.

You need to keep their attention so try to be a bit funny when delivering, attention wanders very quickly and you need to pull focus.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:37
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Quote: "Sorry, but I'm afraid that's rubbish, Word is an excellent tool, the FPSC Community Guide was created in it and I've been teaching it for just over a year (not to 10 year old though, good luck with that! lol!)"

Yeah, it can be used for more than just essays (by essays I mean anything text related) but my point is, a 10 year old kid has more important things to be learning than MW word.

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"
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Nickydude
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:44
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Why? One of them might grow up to be the next J.K Rowling.

Everyone has more important tings to be doing but that doesn't mean they shouldn't do it.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:52
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As they get older then sure, but when they are 10 they should be focusing on things like math, proper grammar, reading, etc. Not something to make them the next J.K Rowling Anyway, MW Word should be self explanatory, and the non self explanatory features are probably unnecessary for a 10 year old to know.

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"
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Quik
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:53
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Quote: "Yeah, it can be used for more than just essays (by essays I mean anything text related) but my point is, a 10 year old kid has more important things to be learning than MW word."


are you kidding me?

In say, high school you will be using computers for 90% of the courses, and you are telling me MW word is crap to learn at the age of ten?

i WISH i learned it at the age of ten. and once i get out in working life i suspect its just going to be using more MW word: the earlier you learn it the better, heck if you are unlucky it might not be a course in high school and then you would have to learn it yourself.

and for the record, I am a man.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 7th Sep 2011 23:55 Edited at: 7th Sep 2011 23:56
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I never once used it in elementary school (~7 to 11 year olds), and it took a good minute or two to understand when I eventually used it.

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"
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Nickydude
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 00:02
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Excellent points on all sides guys.

Let's not get sidetracked from the original post with 'good Word, bad Word' (yes, me included )

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Kevin Picone
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 00:04
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Get come clip art, some funky fonts and have them make greeting cards from mum & dad.


Hmm, I wonder what's coming in 2011?
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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 00:26
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Just teach them the basics, show them font size, color, maybe style, tell them how to print, copy, paste, all that other stuff and they will like it!

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Libervurto
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 00:43
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I remember in school printing out a page that just said "HELP ME!" it was so funny to watch people's faces as they went to get their work and found that.

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Lukas W
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 15:42
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Hey guys ^^ I wanted to give you an update. I feel it was a success, so thank you very much for suggestions. I dropped the poem bit, couldn't really find one; instead we did a poster.

I made an example with projector, showing them how to create a birthday invitation card/poster without trying to go into design and colors too much. And I set them to work on creative ideas for themselves.

The girls in particular loved it. The boys, well, some did a good job, others were too focused drawing batman characters.. using the Shape tools.

We were sad when the printer did not work so they could not take it with them home.

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Quik
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Posted: 8th Sep 2011 16:47 Edited at: 8th Sep 2011 16:47
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Quote: "The girls in particular loved it. The boys, well, some did a good job, others were too focused drawing batman characters.. using the Shape tools."


ususally that way it is in that age haha xD

Edit: too bad on the printer, happy to know it was a success though

and for the record, I am a man.

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Libervurto
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Posted: 9th Sep 2011 01:02
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Quote: "I dropped the poem bit, couldn't really find one"

Really? There are several.

Posters and batman pictures, sounds like a fun lesson!
I think it's great doing stuff like that, you can find out a lot about kids when they have a bit of freedom. Did any of them impress you?

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