K-8 Keyboarding Standards and Benchmarks for
Hopkins Public Schools August 2011
Contents: ● Background
● Expectations for Keyboarding Instruction
● Expectations for Student Progress (Accuracy and Speed)
● Keyboarding Standards and Benchmarks Based on Hopkins TILS (Technology & Information Literacy Standards) which are drawn from standards developed by MEMO (Minnesota Educational Media Organization), ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), and the Framework for 21st Century Learning
● Grade-Level Rubrics
● Resources and Helpful Documents
● References
Background The Hopkins Technology and Information Literacy Standards (TILS) provide benchmarks for enriching and enhancing curriculum projects through the use of computer and other technology tools that enable students to access and present information. Although other methods for computer input are being developed, including speech and handwriting recognition, the keyboard is likely to continue to be a major input device for the foreseeable future. Therefore, in order for our students to be fluent computer users and participate fully in computer-based opportunities for enhanced learning, they need to learn proper keyboarding techniques and good keyboarding habits at an early age. Traditionally, formal keyboarding skills have been taught to 3rd or 4th grade students (Vicki D. Bruns, 2007), since students are believed to have developed sufficient coordination and motor skills by that time. However, our kindergarten through 2nd grade students also use computers for a variety of learning activities, and therefore they need to be introduced to the keyboard, learning such aspects of keyboarding as proper posture, left and right hand keys, home row, the shift key, the space bar, and the delete key. The teachers in Hopkins Public Schools will use Type To Learn 4 for instruction and reinforcement in keyboarding skills. Some introductory lessons may possibly be started during the spring of 2nd grade, but more intensive practice time will be scheduled at the beginning of each school year in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. The standards and benchmarks charts included later in this document overview the skill expectations for each grade level. Hopkins will continue to explore possible online programs that students at any grade level can use to reinforce keyboarding skills at home. In addition, Hopkins staff will look for an alternative keyboarding instruction program that may be used with 5th and 6th graders once these keyboarding standards are firmly in place, since there may be a readiness among those older students to have experience with a different program from the one they have worked with intensively at their previous grade levels.
Expectations for Keyboarding Instruction Best practice for teaching keyboarding includes a combination of teacher-led activities and keyboarding practice using a self-paced software program. In order for students to achieve grade-level expectations, formal keyboarding practice should begin in 3rd grade, with 20 minutes per day of instruction and practice for the first two months of school if possible. Teachers should be sure to continually observe their students throughout their keyboarding practice, reminding them to:
• stay on home row • maintain good posture • keep their eyes on the screen • work on accuracy before speed
Several helpful teaching resources are included in the Resources section of this document. Below is a excerpt from “Keyboarding, Typing, and Computer Skills for Elementary Students,” prepared by Victor Montemurro for Dr. Veronica McDermott, The School of Education and Human Services, St. John's University, 2004. “The issue presented here isn’t whether or not educators should allow for the teaching of typing or keyboarding in the primary grades, but why this teaching isn’t occurring more consistently and regularly in a structured, skill-specific program. More specifically, a broad range of computer skills including keyboarding should be taught to young children, reinforced with regular practice, and supported by developmentally appropriate and educationally sound learning experiences.” If we expect our students to reach keyboarding goals set out for them, we need to devote the time and effort to provide keyboarding lessons that are consistent and that are presented at the beginning of each school year.
Expectations for Student Progress (Accuracy and Speed)
in coordination with Type To Learn 4 (TTL 4)
Grade By Completion
of TTL 4 Lesson
Accuracy Speed (WPM = words per minute) for
Average Grade
Comments
2nd See Rubric See Rubric See Rubric See Rubric
3rd 20 85% - 100% 15 wpm See TTL 4 default settings
4th 20 90% - 100% 20 wpm See TTL 4 default settings
5th 28 90% - 100% 25 wpm See TTL 4 default settings
6th 28 90-100% 30 wpm See TTL 4 default settings
Keyboarding Standards and Benchmarks Based on Hopkins TILS (Technology & Information Literacy Standards)
drawn from standards developed by MEMO (Minnesota Educational Media Organization), ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education),
and the Framework for 21st Century Learning
Grade Strand
Standard Benchmarks (For Keyboarding Only)
Resources
K–2 Technology Use and
Concepts
Explore multiple technologies, evaluate their suitability for the desired educational or personal task, and apply the tools needed.
1. Students use the space bar, letter keys, number keys, enter/return key, arrow keys, Esc key, delete key, and shift keys on the keyboard.
2. Students use right/left hand positioning on the keyboard and maintain correct posture at the keyboard.
Type To Learn 4 “Keyboarding Fun for Everyone (but Mostly K-5)” Flipchart
3–5 Technology Use and
Concepts
Explore multiple technologies, evaluate their suitability for the desired educational or personal task, and apply the tools needed.
1. Students keyboard using home row, correct fingering, and ergonomic position.
2. Improve speed and accuracy • 3rd grade at least
85% accuracy, and 15 WPM
• 4th grade at least 90% accuracy and 20 WPM
• 5th grade at least 90% accuracy and 25 WPM
Type To Learn 4
6–8 Technology Use and
Concepts
Explore multiple technologies, evaluate their suitability for the desired educational or personal task, and apply the tools needed.
1. Students improve keyboarding skills, including advances in speed, accuracy, and general efficiency. • 6th grade at least
95% accuracy and 30 WPM
Type To Learn 4
Keyboarding Skills – K-1st Grade Student Name:
CATEGORY Good Job! Most of the Time
Keep Trying!
Locates the home row keys
Demonstrates pressing keys on right side of keyboard using right hand fingers
Demonstrates pressing keys on left side of keyboard using left hand fingers
Demonstrates pressing spacebar once between words
Demonstrates use of the "delete" key
Demonstrates use of the "return" key
Keep Trying!
Keyboarding Skills – 2nd Grade Student Name:
Category Good Job! Most of the Time Keep Trying!
Locates the home row keys
Demonstrates finger placement on the "home row" keys (starts with index fingers placed on the "F" and "J" keys)
Demonstrates pressing the spacebar once between words in a sentence
Demonstrates use of the "delete" key to erase letters or words or blank space
Demonstrates use of the "return" key while typing a list of words
Demonstrates use of the shift key with the right or left "pinkie" finger to make a capital letter
Keep Trying
Keyboarding Skills – 3rd Grade
Student Name:
Category High Flyer! Satisfactory Not Yet Demonstrates correct home row position
Presses keys with correct right/left hand fingers
Presses spacebar with thumb
Holds shift key down with "pinkie" fingers
Knows the difference between the caps lock key and shift key
Uses only one space between words
Uses only one space after a period
Typing accuracy: Satisfactory = 85%
Speed: Satisfactory = 15 wpm
Lessons completed: Satisfactory = 20
Keyboarding Skills – 4th Grade Student Name:
Category High Flyer! Satisfactory Not Yet Demonstrates correct home row position
Presses keys with correct right/left hand fingers
Presses spacebar with thumb
Holds shift key down with "pinkie" fingers
Knows the difference between the caps lock key and shift key
Uses only one space between words
Uses only one space after a period
Typing accuracy: Satisfactory = 90% -100%
Speed: Satisfactory = 20 wpm
Lessons completed: Satisfactory = 20
Keyboarding Skills – 5th Grade
Student Name:
Category High Flyer! Satisfactory Not Yet Demonstrates correct home row position
Presses keys with correct right/left hand fingers
Presses spacebar with thumb
Holds shift key down with "pinkie" fingers
Knows the difference between the caps lock key and shift key
Uses only one space between words
Uses only one space after a period
Typing accuracy: Satisfactory = 90% - 100%
Speed: Satisfactory = 25 wpm
Lessons completed: Satisfactory = 28
Keyboarding Skills – 6th Grade
Student Name:
Category High Flyer! Satisfactory Not Yet Demonstrates correct home row position
Presses keys with correct right/left hand fingers
Presses spacebar with thumb
Holds shift key down with "pinkie" fingers
Knows the difference between the caps lock key and shift key
Uses only one space between words
Uses only one space after a period
Typing accuracy: Satisfactory = 90% - 100%
Speed: Satisfactory = 30 wpm
Lessons completed: Satisfactory = 28
Keyboarding Skills – Technique Teacher Name: Student Name:
CATEGORY Not Yet! Needs Improvement Satisfactory High Flyer!
Posture: Student sits up straight, body is within a hand span of keyboard
Student's eyes are looking at the screen not the keyboard
Hand/palm position: Student's palms are off the desk and keyboard
Home Row: Student's fingers are resting on the home row keys
Student taps keys with tips of fingers
Student can focus on task without disturbing others
Resources and Helpful Documents Keyboarding Fun for Everyone (but mostly K-5) FlipChart
From Jeffco Public Schools in Colorado: Here you’ll find a wealth of beginner keyboarding reources. http://jeffcoweb.jeffco.k12.co.us/isu/itech/keybo/keydx.htm - Teacher Drill and Practice site: http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/cjh/appliedtech/Business/Keyboarding/d1homerow.html Type To Learn 4 Users Guide Type to Learn Downloads Page use links to download TTL 4 for home use. Keyboarding Guidelines: The Irving School District in Texas has well written keyboarding guidelines. Take a look! Type to Learn 4 (TTL4) Default Settings: The diagnostic pre-test will automatically assign the WPM and typing accuracy goals for each student, so it is recommend that teachers give this test to each student as a starting point of the program. Secondly, default settings for WPM and typing accuracy are as follows, based on the research that Sunburst Technology conducted while developing the program. Note that you can change these settings if you wish in the Teacher Management area.
• Grades K-2: 6 WPM and 60% accuracy • Grades 3-6: 15 WPM and 85% accuracy • Grades 7-12: 20 WPM and 90% accuracy
References
Bruns, Vicki D. "Third-Grade Student Use of a Computer Program for Keyboarding: Development of Keyboarding Skills, Student Perceptions Toward Keyboarding, and Use of Multiple Intelligences ."ARE: Action Research Exchange. Valdosta State University, 2007. Web. 25 Jun 2011. <http://teach.valdosta.edu/are/>.
Bullock, Allen. "Practical Considerations for the Implementation of Keyboarding Instruction in
the Elementary School." ARE: Action Resource Exchange. Valdosta State University, n.d. Web. 25 Jun 2011. <http://teach.valdosta.edu/are/litreviews/vol4no2/AllenBullock_LitRev.pdf>.
Finley, Frank and Jeff Young. (2007). Keyboarding Instruction in Schools: A Technology
Action Plan. Web. 23 Jun 2011. http://sisltportfolio.missouri.edu/youngj/artifacts/9417_actionresearchplan.pdf
Hopkins, Gary. "Keyboarding Skills: When Should They Be Taught?." Education
World (2008): n. pag. Web. 23 Jun 2011. <http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr076.shtml>.
Johnson, Marc. "MEMO: Minnesota Educational Media Organization." MEMO Information
and Technology Literacy Standards. MEMO, 2011. Web. 23 Jun 2011. <http://memotech.ning.com/page/memo-information-and>.
“Keyboarding Camp! Keyboarding Skills for Fourth Grade Students.” Keyboarding Research
and Resources. n.p., May 2010. Web. 23 Jun 2011. <http://www.leighzeitz.com/keyboardingresearch/TypingCampLockhartZeitz2010.pdf>.
Schrock, Kathy. "Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators." Discovery Education. Discovery
Education, 1995-2011. Web. 23 Jun 2011. <http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/>.
Sormunen, Carolee. "INDIANA TECHNOLOGY LITERACY GUIDELINES
For k-8 Keyboarding Computer Technology & Applications (3rd Edition)." (www.educ.uidaho.edu/bustech/. University of Idaho Business Technology
Department, 1998. Web. 12 Jul 2011. <http://www.educ.uidaho.edu/bustech/>. Utah State Office of Education. Keyboarding Publications and Resources. Updated May, 2010.
Web. 23 Jun 2011. http://www.schools.utah.gov/cte/keyboarding_publications.html Zeitz, Leigh E. "Keyboarding Research & Resources."About Keyboarding Research.
WordPress.com, Zeitz, Leigh E., Ph.D.. Web. 23 Jun 2011. <http://keyboarding.wordpress.com/about/>.
Zeitz, Ph.D., Leigh E. Research-Based Keyboarding Instruction White Paper. Sunburst
Technolgies: Type to Learn 4, [c. 2010]. Print.