Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Teaching "Computers" to Middle School Students
- Thread starter mintlivedotcom
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I teach "computers" to 14-15 year olds.
Some really aren't comfortable using a computer.
We started the year with 'the computer': understanding peripherals, what's RAM and stuff like that.
Using windows (sadly) was the next step. You'd be amazed how many people open a document in word to copy it to a different location (opposed to drag 'n drop).
Now we're doing Office Word and Excel.
Next year the students will finish Word and Excel, start Access and get a hang on the basics of programming with a program called 'isolab'. This teaches them the basics of loops and conditions (environment independent).
I'd say, for your classes you should check out what is planned for them in the coming years, and do something completely different. Make them familiar with a computer, teach them clicking something usually doesn't make the computer explode. Let them find their way on a computer while doing something cool.
Last year i did some HTML with 9-10-11 year olds. They loved it.
Good luck.
Jealous at you for being able to use a mac in school
Some really aren't comfortable using a computer.
We started the year with 'the computer': understanding peripherals, what's RAM and stuff like that.
Using windows (sadly) was the next step. You'd be amazed how many people open a document in word to copy it to a different location (opposed to drag 'n drop).
Now we're doing Office Word and Excel.
Next year the students will finish Word and Excel, start Access and get a hang on the basics of programming with a program called 'isolab'. This teaches them the basics of loops and conditions (environment independent).
I'd say, for your classes you should check out what is planned for them in the coming years, and do something completely different. Make them familiar with a computer, teach them clicking something usually doesn't make the computer explode. Let them find their way on a computer while doing something cool.
Last year i did some HTML with 9-10-11 year olds. They loved it.
Good luck.
Jealous at you for being able to use a mac in school
Believe me, the Dells are coming! Our district is not buying anymore computers from Apple. I still want to get a small grant for a couple eMacs or new iMacs for iLife "stuff".
Teaching "Computers" Vs applications
Personally, I'd go in a different direction than teaching MS Office through the use of keyboard shortcuts, and . Bear in mind that one justification that many school districts use when purchasing PC's over Mac's is that they want the children to learn how to use the computers that they will see in the workplace. The counter-argument that is often used is that the software/OS's that the children see in the workplace will not be the current edition of Office/Windows anyway, so what is the point? (Yes this is simplistic, but I am simply arguing that teaching applications alone is not an efficient strategy.)
But I digress. I suggest that you apply MS Office, and the internet, to something of interest to the students. Allow them to pick a topic of interest, and research it- here, you teach web searching. Many students, and adults, do not know that there is more to searching on the internet than typing in to Google or an AOL keyword. Teach them how to use AND, OR, NOT, in searches. (An alternative is to find out what they are researching in another class and use those topics- thus teaching how computers can be used to find solutions in everything from History to Music to Trig class.)
Once they research a topic, have them use Word to write a report. Include the use of pictures, tables, and hyperlinks. If you think they can handle it, include graphs.
Then, have them make either a) a presentation, or b) a children's picture book on the topic using Powerpoint. Again, teach the use of pictures and hyperlinks. (Teaching the insertion of objects here helps foster creativity and minimizes the chance that they grow up learning boring powerpoint.)
You can even have them get a class website going where they post their final reports. I would try to find a way to teach them that web development can be fun- remember, you are not teaching to the 10% early adopters that will already know the material and will have the assignments done in half the time. You are teaching to the other 90%, including ones that are intimidated by computers and dont want to be there. This is why picking a topic of interest, and ensuring that they see a creative result from their work is important.
Suggestion for Excel and Access: I personally would try to link the curriculum in these courses to the existing math or science curriculum. Doing so will only help the students see practical uses for the programs, which some day they may trade in for SPSS. This also keeps your program alive in these days of school accountability, where districts are closing programs that aren't linked to standardized test scores.
I apologize for the long posting.
Joe
M.A. Educational Technology Leadership '05
www.gwu.edu/~etl
Personally, I'd go in a different direction than teaching MS Office through the use of keyboard shortcuts, and . Bear in mind that one justification that many school districts use when purchasing PC's over Mac's is that they want the children to learn how to use the computers that they will see in the workplace. The counter-argument that is often used is that the software/OS's that the children see in the workplace will not be the current edition of Office/Windows anyway, so what is the point? (Yes this is simplistic, but I am simply arguing that teaching applications alone is not an efficient strategy.)
But I digress. I suggest that you apply MS Office, and the internet, to something of interest to the students. Allow them to pick a topic of interest, and research it- here, you teach web searching. Many students, and adults, do not know that there is more to searching on the internet than typing in to Google or an AOL keyword. Teach them how to use AND, OR, NOT, in searches. (An alternative is to find out what they are researching in another class and use those topics- thus teaching how computers can be used to find solutions in everything from History to Music to Trig class.)
Once they research a topic, have them use Word to write a report. Include the use of pictures, tables, and hyperlinks. If you think they can handle it, include graphs.
Then, have them make either a) a presentation, or b) a children's picture book on the topic using Powerpoint. Again, teach the use of pictures and hyperlinks. (Teaching the insertion of objects here helps foster creativity and minimizes the chance that they grow up learning boring powerpoint.)
You can even have them get a class website going where they post their final reports. I would try to find a way to teach them that web development can be fun- remember, you are not teaching to the 10% early adopters that will already know the material and will have the assignments done in half the time. You are teaching to the other 90%, including ones that are intimidated by computers and dont want to be there. This is why picking a topic of interest, and ensuring that they see a creative result from their work is important.
Suggestion for Excel and Access: I personally would try to link the curriculum in these courses to the existing math or science curriculum. Doing so will only help the students see practical uses for the programs, which some day they may trade in for SPSS. This also keeps your program alive in these days of school accountability, where districts are closing programs that aren't linked to standardized test scores.
I apologize for the long posting.
Joe
M.A. Educational Technology Leadership '05
www.gwu.edu/~etl
Joe - awesome reply! I will check out more info on teaching "how to use search engines". Linking Excel to their math is also a great idea.
macbaseball said:
middle school.
the high school that I am going to however knows that I am very good with computers and has asked me to design them a new website.
Erendiox said:HAHA! Thats funny
Im 18. Computers were plenty advanced when I was in 7th grade
lol!!
sorry
iZach said:
in other areas people have to worry about much greater social issies tahn to learn to type or learn html
iZach said:
my school doesn't really teach you how to type until 9th grade. We took basic computer stuff in earlier grades, but we were taught how to type in 9th grade (which was last year for me) I didn't think i needed it, but it has really made a difference in my computing experience.