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Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools
Posted by Jean Bullock on 6/21/08

I assume your school is K-6. (Ours is K-8.) Technology as a
special should be included even with the lower grades. K and
1 learn to open and close windows and programs, learn mouse
skills and learn to draw with the mouse. They need to
become familiar with the keyboard keys, and comfortable in
general with computers. They need to be able to locate the
menu bar, drop down menus and other basic functions. I use
Kidpix Deluxe with Kinder and also 1st Grade. Mid semester
First Graders uses word processing and drawing programs.
They learn to use the return (enter) keys to create
paragraphs and learn to format text and insert graphics. We
don't use Print Shop to accomplish this. We use regular
office programs and most of them can do very well.

Touch typing begins in 3rd grade and is continued up through
8th grade. The first quarter is spent learning touch typing
and after that the students learn to use applications. I
try to integrate subject matter within the applications
lessons but as computer gal mentioned, we are often not able
to complete it in a timely manner because of insufficient
time allotment.

I hope to change this next year with some creative
scheduling. In the first quarter, I would like grades 5-8
to have keyboarding at least 4 times a week for 20 minutes
and then have a 45 minute weekly software application
session. The application session would teach students how
to use specific applications. Beginning with the second
quarter, I would like to have the students at least 3 times
a week for applications and also core subject integration.

Core subject/technology integration can be counted as minutes
toward the state standards. Language Arts is a good example.
You can easily incorporate spelling and grammar study into
technology time and count them as "minutes" of core study as
long as the content included is actually part of the regular
curriculum. Our school uses "Open Court" reading and I am
going to take the spelling lists from the program and (using
free open source software) create study and testing sessions
as part of the weekly program. This is differentiated
learning. I am also going to create presentation application
study and testing sessions for other core subjects. There
goes my summer, LOL, but it will be worth it to help the
students learn better.

Some schools are fortunate enough to have mobile computer
labs with enough computers for each student to use. (Some
schools even have a 1:1 student/computer ratio.) In this
case, the study integration can occur in the classroom to
provide differentiated learning and then the computer class
time could be once or twice a week to teach application
usage.

However if the homeroom teacher is not computer literate, it
won't work and the burden would fall back on the Technology
teacher. ("If I were King," Computer literacy should be a
requirement of the state credential programs and as a
condition of hiring. But I am not King, LOL.)

Anyway, we need to learn to think outside the box and find
ways to make the scheduling work to the benefit of the
students. And I am sorry if this sounds harsh, but all
homeroom teachers need to become computer literate, even if
it means taking summer school classes to achieve it. If a
primary student is able to accomplish it, so can they. If
we expect our students to become life-long learners, we
should model that quality.

On 6/13/08, Sheila wrote:
> I am researching how other elementary schools use their
> computer lab. The district I am in does not have computers
> as a special with Music, PE, and Art. Teachers use it as
> needed. I feel students even at this early age should be
> taught more on how to use the computer and become more
> familiar with it since kids are all into technology. Thus,
> I'd like to present information to administration on using
> the lab as a special. Thank you for helping me with this.

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Posts on this thread, including this one


• Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/13/08, by Sheila.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/14/08, by JLee.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/15/08, by Jan.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/20/08, by ComputerGal.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/21/08, by Jean Bullock.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 6/24/08, by Heath Carter.
• Re: Computer Labs in Elementary Schools, 7/02/08, by EMD.