Technology TEKSing From Pre-K to Graduation (Applying the Technology TEKS)

By introducing our young three and four year old students to a classroom of buttons and gadgets, we are providing a fun and meaningful jump start on their learning process. These technical apparatuses may seem like toys, but they are foundational tools for helping these little learners to acquire basic skills not only for math, reading and writing, but for social and emotional development as well as language and communication.

One method of moving our learners up the techno ladder is by scaffolding or spiraling, which is a way of supporting learning with patterns of grade appropriate skills. For example, the kindergarten student goes into the computer lab and learns a foundation of basic hardware and software terms, how to start and turn off the machine correctly, and how to use the mouse, keyboard and touch screen applications. They are told the user rules and are expected to obey them. These foundational skills are reiterated and developed more throughout the first and second grades, thereby providing opportunities for students to type basic documents and working with specific subject software applications. They can easily access the printer and other peripherals.

By the third grade, they are into learning keyboarding techniques and and are expected to be proficient at letter locations by the fourth or fifth grade. Speed is practiced. Type to Learn is a favorite practice program for many young learners. More detailed and longer documents are produced by this time and editing features are in place. Copyright issues are understood and respect for others' electronic work is taught.

Of course, the foundational skills and applications increase as the student enters and moves on from each grade level, and when they reach high school would then be prepared to take such courses as computer science, desktop publishing, digital graphing, mulitmedia and web mastering where operating systems and networking are explored and learned.