Keyboarding

Today in class we discussed keyboarding and when it should be taught. I remember first being taught keyboarding in my sixth grade computer class. The class was everyday for a quarter of the year and was required of everyone. This was the same for seventh and eighth grade. After that, no more computer or keyboarding classes. In computer class we would have to type from a book to practice being a fast and accurate typer, using Microsoft Word. We created a power-point, but that was the extent to the programs we used. Now that computers are such an integral part of our lives, I believe keyboarding should be taught at a younger age than middle school. In my fifth grade student teaching I noticed how some students were very good typers and some struggled so much I thought they would never finish. I felt that by fifth grade they should all be able to type at least some. The problem was that this school didn’t have a computer lab. During practicum I was also in a fifth grade room and that school did have a computer lab. A few times a week the students had computer class with a computer teacher who taught them keyboarding and had them use different computer programs. They did some really neat stuff on the computer. Today really opened my eyes to the importance of keyboarding. I had never really thought about it being a necessary skill in the classroom. However, after creating our pro and con lists, I realized that just as Dr. Schmidt said, in this day in age it is a life skill. Here are a few of the things we came up with for the pros and con’s of learning keyboarding at a younger age.

Pros
· Helps improve motor development
· Gives more opportunity for creativity with lessons
· Helps guide them for the future
· Is quicker than writing
· Can be used as a better organization tool than a notebook, saves paper

Cons
· May be pricy
· May add more time than needed to a lesson
· Students may be on all different levels depending on who has access at home
· Access to computers may be limited
· Teachers may have to teach it as opposed to a more qualified computer teacher

This was just a sample of the full list we made in class. After weighing the pros and cons, I am in favor of incorporating keyboarding and more computer usage into the classroom. I think it will open more doors for new and more creative lessons and will benefit students in the future.