Re: [libreoffice-users] Paragraph styles

Hi :)
I am a bit bitter about this sort of thing too.  Even back when i was in school i could see 
teachers clearly trying to help people.  Unfortunately general attitudes of the kids in the 
classroom meant that even those of us that were interested in learning the skill had a tough time.  
It didn't improve at Uni.  


There have been some excellent suggestions in this list.  Perhaps set a mini-competition half the 
class using 1 technique. Perhaps ask for hands up if  they can't cope with using styles, in order 
to play to the machismo of some.  When the results are in ask who can change the formatting of 
their document fastest.  

Another idea is to get a horribly mangled paragraph and challenge them to insert it into their 
document to fit the style of their own work.  

I frequently have to do this for my company's newsletter and at first found it took hours to try to 
fix people's messes in Word.  In LibreOffice i just pasted as unformatted and then applied styles 
taking just a couple of minutes at most.  

However i still think it's easier to teach people things they want to learn.  Trying to trick them 
into wanting to learn about something else is a tough challenge.  

Regards from 

Tom :)  







> ________________________________
> From: T. R. Valentine <trvalentine@gmail.com>
> To: LibreOffice-list <users@global.libreoffice.org> 
> Sent: Tuesday, 30 April 2013, 4:08
> Subject: Re: [libreoffice-users] Paragraph styles
>
>
> On 29 April 2013 20:48, Virgil Arrington <cuyfalls@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > It pains me to watch people mouse around a document going from paragraph to
> > paragraph trying to get formatting consistent when all they need to do is
> > make one change to a paragraph style and "voila", every paragraph having
> > that style is automatically changed. Just today, one of my students was
> > stunned to watch that work. "You mean I don't have to make the same change
> > to every paragraph?" she asked.
>
> > There is a better way, and since a university pays me to teach students how
> > to take advantage of modern technology, I feel it my duty to at least give
> > it a college try to find a way to explain it to them.
>
> Virgil, I think it is great that you are trying to show your students
> a better way. I don't understand why there was an accusation (using
> 'Nazi' no less — that post seemed full of bitterness) that anyone was
> trying to force anyone to use styles.
>
> Styles are a better way, but some people are resistant to change,
> preferring to use a word processor as if it were merely an electronic
> typewriter. As the saying goes, 'you can lead a horse to water ....'
>
> --
> T. R. Valentine
> Your friends will argue with you. Your enemies don't care.
> 'When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food
> and clothes.' -- Erasmus
>
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