Five winning stories will be selected by a panel of judges, and the winning entrants will each receive an Amazon Kindle 2 as well as Dragon NaturallySpeaking upgrades for three years.
Dragon Naturally Speaking is my Official Teaching Assistant. I teach writing and research on both the graduate and undergraduate levels. For years I would make corrections by writing between the lines, around the side, top, and bottom of the page, crossing over, crossing out, and trying my best to help my students become better, more effective writers. Some of the more challenging papers ended up looking like Etch-a-Sketch rejects. Nevertheless, I plodded on, doing my best to help my students do their best.
The I met my Official Teaching Assistant - Dragon Naturally Speaking! First, she rather timidly assisted me with writing my personal letters. Then, because I am also an attorney, she boldly helped me draft legal pleadings. We go way back, so I have not-so-fond memories of lengthy learning curves. I had to spend a good amount of time training my Assistant to understand my speech. I must admit that I laid her off for a while, until I learned that she had mended her ways, and had advanced to the point where there no learning curve is needed at all. In her latest versions, she understands me completely. She let me know that she was now ready to help me tackle those pesky student papers.
She suggested that I require that my students submit electronic versions of their papers, using in-text, MLA style reference notes, so that we can make our corrections with footnotes. Using Dragon Naturally Speaking, I insert a footnote where a comment is needed. Now I am able to dictate to my Assistant, as I wax eloquently through corrections and comments on how papers can be improved. My students are happy because they do not have to strain their necks and eyes trying to read my chicken scratch. I am much happier because my Assistant helps to make me a better professor, which makes my students better.
Thank you Dragon Naturally Speaking
Prof. Louis Jenkins