The mysterious disappearance of word processing

Abstract

As on instructional technology, word processing has almost disappeared from accounts of writing with computers, but this article argues that most student writers have never used word processing in a meaningful sense, so that far from “disappearing,” word processing has not yet appeared. Experimental research reports and published practitioner accounts are examined to show that in hardly any cases can the subjects or students be said to be using a word-processing package at anywhere near its full potential; this is true even in reports of so-called “experienced” users. To overcome this problem, the author used a heuristic device to encourage Japanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to use word processing more fully, but the results showed little improvement in the students' reported use of the functions of word processing. The conclusion draws on studies of computer use in the workplace to evaluate the results and discusses the need for fuller exploitation of word processing in writing instruction.