1. Software Identification and System Requirements
Title: Microsoft Office, Standard Edition, version 4.2.1. for the Macintosh (© 1994)
Publisher: Microsoft Corporation
System Requirements:
For Macintosh's with 68030 or 68040 processors:
- System 7 operating system or later
- 8 MB of memory to run two programs (16 MB rec.)
- Hard-disk space required: 17 MB compact; 30 MB typical; 62 MB custom
(maximum)
- CD ROM drive
- A Macintosh compatible monitor (colour rec.) and printer
- QuickTime required for playing QuickTime movies
- PowerTalk Extension required for PowerTalk Mailer
* Macintosh SE, Classic®, II, LC, and PowerBook™ 100 models are not compatible
with Microsoft Office, Standard Edition, version 4.2.1.
For PowerMac™ computers
- System 7.1.2 operating system or later
- 8 MB of memory with virtual memory turned on to run two programs
(16 MB rec.)
- Hard-disk space required: 24 MB compact; 37 MB typical; 76 MB custom
(maximum)
- Other requirements as listed above
System requirement information obtained from documentation accompanying software.
* System may need to be restarted after installation
2. Value Judgement
Cost: $199 from Campus Computers (listed regular price - $399)
This might seem like an expensive outlay, but I have found this package to be extremely user friendly, and well worth the money. I have certainly found it to be easier to use than Claris Works, which came with my computer. All around, it just seems to be a very uncomplicated piece of software, which makes it quite useful as a teaching tool.
This software is very easy to install. You simply insert the disk, double-click on the Microsoft Office Setup icon, then follow the instructions on the screen. Nothing could be simpler.
3. Documentation Accompanying
There is not a lot of accompanying literature with this software. A fold out sheet gives you installation instructions and system requirements, but that is virtually all. All other operating instructions can be obtained from the disk once the program has been installed.
You cannot change any of the basic content of this program, although you do have scope as far as setting up margins and pages etc. However, this software is predominantly a word processing one, and as such, requires only such alteration as will allow one to facilitate the production of their documents, whatever form they take.
4. Operation of Software
Operation of this software is very easy. In fact, this document is created in Word 6, which is a part of Microsoft Office. When you open Microsoft Office, a document template will appear on your screen. All you do is set up your page from the tool bar at the top of the screen, using your mouse, then start typing.
Pre-set tool bars at the top of the screen allow you to select underlines, italics, print functions, font size and type, and many other attributes, simply by clicking on them with your mouse. If you don't know what the tool bar icons represent, simply place the mouse pointer over the appropriate icon, wait for a second or two, then the computer will show a label describing the function of that icon. You can also custom design your own tool bars, according to preference.
Although there are other functions that this software is designed to fulfil, the word processor is the one that would be most used in the primary school. For that use, once your page is set up, you only need to have an understanding of a typing keyboard, and practice building up your speed and accuracy. Your documents can incorporate tables, pictures, frames of text, or combinations of the above. Your only limits are those that you set for yourself.
5. Observation of Grade 5 student using this software
I observed my niece, a grade 5 student at Norwood Primary School, using this software package over the space of a week. She already had a very basic working knowledge of how to set up her page for typing documents, which I had anticipated, but her use of different font sizes and styles, line spacing, tab stops, and other types of formatting was not what I had expected. Her knowledge of these was almost non-existent, as was her ability to touch type, which is the KITO cell that the next section of my assignment deals with.
I started by giving Tenille a tutorial dealing with the formatting concepts listed above, then had her prepare some homework on her own. I stressed the need for her to attempt to touch type if possible, because that would eventually help her to speed up her work. At the end of the session (approximately 40 minutes) I went over her work with her, making suggestions for alterations and corrections.
Each day we spent the same amount of time at the computer, and I was rather disappointed by her progress. I expected her to have a greater capacity for recall than she did have, and as a consequence, it took the entire week for her to learn basic manipulative techniques such as changing the font style of a paragraph of pre-typed work, or how to delete several words without simply back-spacing.
Her touch typing progressed at about the same speed. By the end of the week she was reasonably sure of where the letters were placed on the keyboard, but remained stubborn in the fact that she insisted on watching what she was doing, rather than attempting to touch type as she was supposed to.
As can be seen, there was a fairly large gap between my expectations, and Tenille's ability, both prior to and on completion of our week of work. As a result, I can only assume that other children of the same age would exhibit the same behaviours. Hence, I feel that only repetition and close observation would result in competent use of this software and an acceptable rate of improvement in the area of touch-typing within this target age group.