1. Teaching Keyboarding by Dr. Diane J. Fisher Assistant Professor
Business Technology Education
University of Southern Mississippi

2. Middle School/Junior High Keyboarding
Term “keyboarding” replaced “typewriting” in early 1980’s
Offered as a major part of curriculum and can be discussed in career exploration
Focuses on personal use
Letters, reports, outlines
Keyboarding competence is major objective
Proper use and care of computer
Develop fluency
Input of assignments
Composing and proofreading

3. Important Information
Keyboarding Techniques
Learn the keyboard by introducing 2 characters a day
Allow time to make-up; the goal is LEARN the keyboard
Remember when learning the keyboard:
No regard to formatting (don’t worry about errors)
Emphasis toward speed while using correct finger placement
Finally focus on accuracy (correctness) when all keys are learned
Learn the applications for which the keyboard is used; for example: letter writing and spacing twice after periods at the end of sentences, spacing once after commas, etc.
3. Not all students are the same…so you have to allow for them to get caught up. Otherwise they become frustrated and nonresponsive. Those that are current allow them to do a fun keyboarding activity online.
5. Spacing correctly after punctuation is important because it is a feature that is measured in timed writings in the software.

4. Keyboarding on the Computer
Concentrates on input rather than output
More important skill than ever before
Teach computer terminology
Use keyboarding software as a supplemental resource

5. How to Teach Keyboarding
Stimulus-response (Dictation)
Teacher calls out a letter, student reacts with a stroking response
Crucial when learning new keys
Dictation helps students understand that keyboarding is practiced in rhythm
They should utilize each stroke in sequence with a steady pace
Association: Obviously, for the desired learning to take place, the response made must be the desired response. What is needed is some means of tying together the given stimulus with the desired response. When this happens on a consistent basis, the desired response is associated with the given stimujlus.
Knowledge of results: KR provides four possible functions: reinforcement, correction, direction, and motivation. KR is necessary for stimulus response association to develop. Students must know when they have made a correct response to increase the probability that the response will be repeated consistently in the future. Likewise, students need corrective knowledge when an incorrect response is provided.
Temporal contiguity: Means closeness in time. Useful for increasing the efficiency of learning. Temporal contiguity is required between the response and the reinforcement. In the beginning stages of learning the keyboard, one must ask the question: How can students most quickly respond to a given stimulus after having perceived it? The fastest way is for beginners to look at the keyboard. The contiguity principle states that, if even one response intervenes, the reinforcement is weakened. If a misstroke is perceived immediately, the student may remember the incorrect movement, thus receiving corrective information. Temporal contiguity requires keyboarding teachers to be on their feet moving up and down aisles so students can be given corrective feedback.

6. Keystroking Correct alignment of fingers with the keyboard
Speed of finger movement in striking and releasing the key then returning the finger to home-row position
The “feel” of the appropriate motion patterns
In the beginning focus on speed, encourage students to focus on correct finger placement with each key stroke and not on the errors they are making
Accuracy comes later after keys are learned

7. How To Develop Keystroking Skills
Teach appropriate techniques
Develop rhythm by focusing on techniques that encourage the use of optimal speed
Teach the alphabetic keyboard first, introduce two keys each day
Introduce the keys in whatever order will permit the earliest use of words and sentences for practice (follow the text)

8. How To Develop Keystroking Skills
Permit sight keying in the beginning (watching their reach and location of the key using the correct finger), but encourage students to watch their copy as soon as they are able
Focus on speed until substantial improvement has been made before shifting the focus to accuracy
Review all keys learned each day before presenting new keys
Students should work at 1-2 wpm increments above current speed until 5-6 wpm have been gained.

9. Develop Proper Keyboarding Techniques
Sharp, fluent stroking
Eyes on copy
Feet flat on floor
Fingers curved
Wrists upright
Keyboard at edge of desk/table
Sit up straight
Post techniques in the classroom and review each day.

10. How to become an Expert Typist
Technique, technique, technique…
Learn to type for long periods of time without hesitation
Hesitations reduce speed and increase errors
To reduce hesitations
Concentrate on copy
Maintain correct reading speed
Reduce number of times you look from copy to machine
Eliminate pauses between strokes

11. Reading
Students should read at a speed that matches their keyboarding rate
Pay close attention to sequencing of letters
Poor reading habits result in spelling, punctuation, and paragraphing errors
Correct habits of reading require typist to move eyes smoothly and continuously along lines of copy
Typists read 1 second ahead of fingers
Beginners about 1 letter ahead
Advanced typists about 1 word ahead

12. Evaluation Must go on constantly
Receive feedback about the correctness of their responses
Should not be graded on correctness of their performance while learning a task/keys
Keep grading and learning activities separate; assign grades for performance of the learned task

13. Measuring Speed Gross words a minute (GWAM)
Total words divided by total minutes keyed
Correct words a minute (CWAM)
Subtract number of errors from total number of words and divide by minutes keyed

14. Proofreading A skill that must be taught
read copy slowly word for word, twice—once for meaning and again for correctness of details
read aloud from original while partner checks for errors in copy (reverse order & repeat for important documents)
Emphasize to students to proofread everything and that includes electronic communications such as , discussion boards, blogs, and wikis.

15. Evaluation of Keyboarding Performance
Purpose
diagnose weaknesses
measure achievement
motivate students
determine grades

16. Evaluating Keyboarding Performance
Methods
subjective – primary method for assessing techniques and work habits
give students a copy of rating scale
objective – knowledge and performance tests
Specify expected student performance and behavior in form of objectives

17. Keyboarding Resources
Proven Techniques for Teaching QWERTY Keyboarding
Teaching Keyboarding--When? Why? How?
Lots of Keyboarding Info – Timed Test, Games, Articles, etc.
Keyboarding Resources – Activities
Suggested Keyboarding Activities
Ideas for Keyboarding Instruction, Projects, and Activities

18. Keyboarding Resources
Keyboarding Games
More Games
Assessment of keyboarding skills
Self-assessment
Hands
Healthy computing

19. References
McLean, G. N. (1995). Teaching keyboarding. Little Rock, AR: Delta Pi Epsilon.