Pre-K Computer Whiz
Most parents are not aware that many school districts are requiring even their youngest students to have some computer knowledge to participate in various school activities, but a quick check of the Texas Education Agency, shows pre-kindergarten students have various objectives related to computer knowledge.
According to the agency, the use of technology with pre-kindergarten students expands their ability to acquire information, solve problems and communicate better with others.
By the time they enter kindergarten; children are expected to have some experience in starting, using and exiting software programs, using a variety of input devices such as the mouse, keyboard, voice/sound recorder or touch screens and be able to follow basic oral or pictorial cues for operating programs successfully.
“They usually begin to use more technical terminology as they use the computer,” said Christina Freeman with PC Kidz, a local company that specializes in giving computer instruction to preschool level children. “They can usually identify all the various parts of the computer such as the mouse, keyboard, monitor and CD-ROM pretty quickly.”
Technology applications curriculum specified by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills lists four aspects of technology education. They are foundations, information acquisition, work in solving problems and communication.
Hardware knowledge in the foundation aspect of the curriculum expects students to use technology terminology that’s appropriate to the task at hand, start and exit programs as well as create, name and save files and use networking terminology such as online, network or password and access remote equipment such as a printer on a network.
Students should also be able to manipulate devices such as the mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem and other input devices to communicate with the computer.rnrnWhen using the keyboard, they should be able to use correct hand and body positions and be working on developing smooth, rhythmic keystroke patterns as its grade-level appropriate. By Grade 2, students are expected to be able to demonstrate touch keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation and symbol keys and produce documents, proofread and correct errors.rnrnInformation acquisition refers to the student using a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, in a variety of formats and evaluate the acquired information, all with appropriate supervision.rnrnIn the problem solving arena, students are expected to use the appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems, use the available tools to enhance their own learning experiences and use communication tools to participate in group projects.
“In communication, students are able to use different font attributes like color and size and publish their information using their available media.” Freeman said.
Several software programs are available on the market marked for age-appropriate levels that will help young children learn these skills. In addition, many preschools now offer some sort of computer training, either through an outside source like PC Kidz or High Tech Kids, or through an in-house program taught by the children’s usual teacher.
More information about what students are expected to know can be obtained on the TEA website.
WENDY KAY STRAIN - Staff writer for The Rowlett Lakeshore Times
