Keyboarding Shortcuts & Productivity
What are keyboard shortcuts? Your computer has many applications, and you probably have your own ways of completing most tasks. However, your computer has many of its own tricks up its sleeve. Keyboard shortcuts are simple keyboard combinations that your computer has hard wired into its system to perform certain tasks in a faster way. Learning these keyboard shortcuts will make you significantly more effective and fast in the work that you are completing.
How to Find New Shortcuts
There are a large number of these keyboard shortcuts, so it can seem a bit daunting to try and learn them all at once. The good thing is that finding these keyboard shortcuts is as simple as searching them up in Google. You can find them all there. One of the best ways to learn keyboard shortcuts is to simply learn as you go. As you perform different tasks on your computer, you can search on Google to see if there is a shortcut for that particular action. You may be surprised to find a keyboard shortcut that will make your life much easier. As you consistently do this, keyboard shortcuts will naturally become part of your muscle memory.
Default Shortcuts
Your computer has many shortcuts already built into its system. However, that doesn't mean there is a shortcut for everything. There may be many tasks that you perform that don't have shortcuts, or there may be shortcuts that you may find difficult to perform. For these reasons, your computer has a really cool option. That is the ability to create your own keyboard shortcuts. Yes, you can actually make your own! Every computer has a different way for you to do this. If you simply search your type of computer you will be able to figure out how you can make your own custom shortcuts.
Computer Literacy
Being efficient in computer literacy is soon going to be a requirement. A skill in which if you master it you can bring a lot to the table. It directly affects work flow and brings into light how efficient and effective you are on a computer. In an age when life revolves around computers, being completely computer literate is a life choice worth making. Having the choice of being able to use multiple tools to make your time more productive is definitely a plus.
Class Activity for Finding Keyboarding Shortcuts
Objective: To develop proficiency in using keyboard shortcuts for commonly used tasks in order to increase productivity and efficiency while working on a computer.
Procedure and Materials Needed: For a class starter or quick activity that is a little different from typing practice and drills, print the worksheets found below and have students fill in each table. Each student will also need access to a computer or device and a search engine such as Google.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows OS
Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac OS
Answer Key
Time Required: 15 + minutes. This could be divided into two separate class periods and used as a class starter each day. It could also be used as an enrichment activity for those who may finish with required assignments early.