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Subject:Tools for newbies (was TW grad school) From:Miles Kimball <miles -dot- kimball -at- MURRAYSTATE -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 12 Feb 1998 12:24:28 -0600
As an educator, I think I need to put a word in here--
I must say that I agree with John Cornellier that the tools we teach
students to use are less important than the conceptual skills they learn.
Conceptual skills give students -- or as I see them,
professionals-in-training -- the ability to adapt to any new tool that
comes down the pike -- and you know how quickly they've been coming!
Besides, most universities don't have the funding to keep up with every
advance in software. I've argued from here to Tuesday that my program needs
more and more up-to-date software, but the facts of educational funding
make these purchases unlikely.
By the way, if you know of any companies who might like to contribute
software -- even out-of-date software -- to a bootstrap program in
technical writing, let me know. My students are clamoring for more!
For what it's worth---
Miles
Miles A. Kimball
Asst. Prof. of English
Murray State University
miles -dot- kimball -at- murraystate -dot- edu
