Law Technology

From Renee: Mavis Beacon - Where are you when we need you??

By Renee

Mavis Beacon - please, please come back!

It’s true: I am firmly entrenched in middle age, but I can still out-cycle my 13 year old daughter and I can still type 80 words a minute with just one error ? that?s about 40 wpm faster than some high school seniors I recently tested.  Kids are taught keyboarding early in their school careers today. However, there appears to be little or no emphasis on accuracy, proper fingering or speed.  In what Ross refers to as “Generation Text,” young people let their thumbs do the talking, texting madly and constantly, and can’t even rely on spellcheckers  which don’t understand the abbreviated language of texting and IMing — I won?t even go there!

Okay then, call me a curmudgeon, but if someone can?t type faster than I can dictate, they should invest in a copy of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing v. 20.  She?s still out there, and the software today, which used to be so popular in the early 80’s is perhaps even more important today. Everyone needs to know how to type actual complete words on a QWERTY keyboard - it’s just the reality of the grown-up world.

While they are at it learning to use more than their thumbs to type, young folk should print out the Microsoft keyboard shortcuts, laminate them and stick them to the wall next to their monitors as well. Why shouldn’t everyone who uses ANY kind of computer know the basic keyboard commands for daily functions such as copying, cutting, selecting and pasting? (perhaps when cutting and pasting is added to the iPhone I fear - maybe that’s what it will take for young users to take this seriously).

Technology gives us the tools to be more efficient, but as with all tools of any trade, you really have to learn how to use them.

Full post as published by Ross Ipsa Loquitur on May 08, 2009 (boomark / email).