Keyboarding Skills are Valued in the Workplace
The ability to touch type with speed and accuracy is a critical skill in today's computer-based society. As the US Department of Labor noted, “in the 21st century the use of computers and the Internet in workplaces will become more pervasive and the functions performed using computers will dramatically increase.” How true this statement is! This means that if you don’t have good keyboard skills, you’ll be left behind in the job hunt.
The touch typing method was invented by a court stenographer from Salt Lake City, Utah -- Frank Edward McGurrin in 1888. Touch typing means finding the right keys by habit, or so-called muscle memory. The typist doesn’t pay attention to the movement of their fingers; they simply focus on the text they are typing or composing.
Modern Day Composition
Today, efficient keyboard and computer operation is a necessary and critical skill for the majority of occupations and educational programs students will become a part of. Handwriting is slowly becoming obsolete, so we all need to type with the speed of light. Since the first manufactured typing devices came to be in the 1870s, the technology, techniques, and teaching of typing have come a long way as seen with the KeyMaster Learning Lights Keyboard.
So much of what we ask students to do on the way to authentic learning requires typing. Consider the academic need to:
- Write reports
- Comment on discussion boards and blog posts
- Compose journal entries
- Complete online research
- Take digital notes (using Evernote, OneNote, Google Docs, and others)
- Collaborate on Google Apps (like docs, sheets, and slides)
- Take online quizzes
- Use a variety of online tools for core classes
Classroom Keyboarding Instruction
With the widespread use of computers in schools and homes, keyboarding instruction has moved to the elementary grades. Younger children are becoming fluent computer users and it is important for them to learn proper keyboarding techniques early so they do not develop bad habits that are very hard to break. The KeyMaster Learning Lights Keyboard makes learning this valuable skill fun and easy for students of all ages.