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  • 1.  Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 02-28-2024 05:09 PM

    What keyboarding tool(s) does your school use for elementary students?  Do you use a free or paid version?  What grades use it and how do you incorporate the tool into curriculum?

    Thanks in advance!

    Susan


    #TeachingandLearning

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    Susan Fuhs, Director of IT Services
    Norfolk Academy
    Norfolk VA
    swfuhs@norfolkacademy.org
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  • 2.  RE: Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 02-29-2024 07:36 AM

    Hi @Susan Fuhs, we use Type To Learn, which we pay for.  I'm not too familiar with it, and I'm interested to hear what others are using and how they embed it in the curriculum.  Thanks for asking!



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    Brent Halsey
    Columbus Academy
    Gahanna OH
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 02-29-2024 05:40 PM

    hi Susan,

    We've been using Typing Club in 3rd-6th grades (on iPads w.keyboards) for several years and really like it. It's also quite affordable.

    We have it very minimally built into our curriculum, introducing it in an initial lesson to 3rd graders but from that point on it's self-directed. Students can use it during choice time or from home. It'd be nice to create a little more structured time for it. But, some get very passionate about it on their own. - Daven Gee, Children's Day School, SF CA



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    Daven Gee
    Children's Day School
    San Francisco CA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 03-01-2024 10:48 AM

    Hi Susan,

    We use a free program called BBC Dance Mat.  It was introduced to us through a curriculum subscription we now use as a baseline curriculum for the technology classes we teach from Kindergarten to Fifth grade.  The link to the curriculum is https://www.k5technologycurriculum.com and it is pretty inexpensive to use yearly.  We do add to it depending on what we want our students to be proficient with during a particular grade level.  I introduce BBC Dance Mat at the beginning of the year for Second grade.  The kids giggle with the rock-n-roll, British-speaking goat that narrates the lessons.  The first year I used this program, I was dealing more with the kids cracking up laughing at Mr. Goat, than we did trying to convince them to learn how to type.  Big Hit!

    Introducing this in Second grade relieves a great deal of frustration for our Third graders when we move them to learn Google Docs, Gmail, and other parts of the Google Suite for Education (which we use daily from 3-12 graders).  Knowing how to type with some proficiency opens up their abilities to learn the different tools without having to learn to type as well.  

    We like the curriculum for many reasons, one of which many of the activities are available in both Microsoft and Google formats.  We have found they are easy to add as an assignment within Google Classroom.

    Hope this helps.



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    Bobbi Jo Kelly
    Epiphany School of Global Studies
    New Bern NC
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 03-01-2024 10:54 AM

    Susan,

    We started Learning.com in Grades 3-8 this year. Our students are using iPads w/ keyboards and Macbooks depending on grade level. We like it so far but wish the analytics were a little better.

    We used Typing.com and TypingAgent in the past. We didn't care of TypingAgent because it didn't show fingers on the keys so they weren't understanding the connection between using their hands. 



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    Heather Ramsey, Ed.D.
    Director of Educational Technology
    The Fletcher School
    Charlotte NC
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Keyboarding Tool

    Posted 03-07-2024 12:44 PM

    Hi, Susan.

    We have used Typing Club for many years and have been quite happy with it. Since our initial subscription, the program has evolved and expanded its lesson offerings to include keyboarding awareness lessons for younger students.The program also has typing games embedded within the curriculum, although the kids wish they had more on-demand access.

    Cheers,

    Nissa



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    Nissa Hales
    Laguna Blanca School
    Santa Barbara CA
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    Original Message


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