THE WORD-PROCESSOR AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL - A METAANALYSIS OF WORD-PROCESSING IN WRITING INSTRUCTION

Word processing in writing instruction may provide lasting educational benefits to users because it encourages a fluid conceptualization of text and frees the writer from mechanical concerns. This meta-analysis reviews 32 studies that compared two groups of students receiving ide ntical writing instruction but allowed only one group to use word proc essing for writing assignments. Word processing groups, especially wea ker writers, improved the quality of their writing. Word processing st udents wrote longer documents but did not have more positive attitudes toward writing. More effective uses of word processing as an instruct ional tool might include adapting instruction to software strengths an d adding metacognitive prompts to the writing program.