Whip Up Your Typing

Learning Problem

• Most students do not learn how to type efficiently

• Typing skills are acquired ah-hoc

• Existing courses do not adequately address the problem

Learning Environment

• Local elementary school

• Third-graders (15 male, 15 female)

• Five are left-handed, significant diversity

• 30 min computer session/week; typing instruction & assignment

Learning Aim/Goal

• Students have the ability to type with speed and accuracy

Pre-requisites

• Knowledge of letters

• Fine Motor Skills

• Keyboard-Screen Concept

Design Principles

• The learning environment should encourage “Routines of activity for effective transmission of knowledge.”

• The environment should give users “Clear goals, feedback, and reinforcement.”

• The environment should provide users with “Individualization with technologies.”

Design Principles

• The curriculum follows “Sequences of component-to-component skills.”

• There is “Assessment of knowledge components.”

Study Design

Initial Data Collection

• Interview instructor– How does the teacher assess prerequisite skills of the class?– What does the teacher consider the core building blocks to learning how

to type?– What techniques does the teacher use to educate the children (Signal,

Response, Chaining, Rules…etc.)?– What works with the kids, and where does the teacher observe

challenges?– How does the teacher assess the children’s progress throughout?

• Analyze materials for structure and sequencing• Pre-Test children

– Are the prerequisites correct?

Classroom Observation

• Stimulus Response Learning– Are the children gradually learning to type using stimulus

from either words on the computer screen or dictated (i.e. does the sight or name of the letters trigger them to push the correct button on the keyboard?)

– Are they rewarded for success and given negative reinforcement for incorrectness?

• Chaining– Do the children learn common letter chains such as “tion”,

“ing”, “ish”…etc.?

• Concept Learning– Do the students learn basic concepts of typing such as

using the Shift key and a letter for capitals, using symbols above the numbers, and using punctuation marks on the right side of the keyboard?

• Rule Learning– How do the children learn basic rules of typing sentences?

Post-Test and Analysis

• Assess typing skills after the course– Typing with blank keys– Speed and Accuracy– Ability to type from print as well as dictation

• Determine gaps and recommend solutions

Expected Findings

• Lack of proper classroom management• Goals and objectives are not stated clearly• Technology not individualized• Learning not properly broken into components• Assessment of final product only

Proposed Design Solution

• Individualized computers and technology• Broken into simpler components namely:

– Locating letters on the QWERTY keyboard– Fingering Positioning– Strategies and Practices for Improving Typing– Typing without looking at the keyboard– Typing letters, words, and sentences followed by

paragraphing– Mastery through practice

Proposed Design Solution

• Each component will be taught in the following order:– Gain attention– Identify objective– Recall prior learning – Present stimulus – Guide learning– Elicit performance – Provide feedback – Assess performance – Enhance retention/transfer