I have two vivid memories of using technology as a young student. The first takes place in the small computer lab that was under the stairs in my elementary school. We had 30 of the old-school little grey Macs, the ones that had black and white screens. The class was called LA-Computers and pretty much solely focused on typing skills. We would be given sheets to type out, and our teacher would walk around behind us with a meter stick, slapping our knuckles when we were off home-row. While the act of slapping a student’s hand with a piece of wood may seem rather abusive, but it certainly did impress on me the importance of hand placement…ultimately making me a stronger typer.
My second memory has to do with my first introduction to the internet. I clearly remember walking past the grade 6 classroom as a lower elementary student, and seeing the teachers getting connected to the internet for the first time. Popping my head in, they seemed blown away. Comments like “it’s literally like a newspaper, just on the screen” and “there is SO MUCH stuff on here” were flowing from their mouths. Seeing me in the doorway, one of the teachers invited me to come back one day after school so we could “surf the web.” From there it was about 3 years until we had a computer at home, and I had to beg my mom to get off the phone so I could dial-in and play some sort of basic game like Oregon Trail. It was at least another 4 years though until I was using the internet at school for any sort of helpful research.
Thanks for sharing Caleb! I remember getting dial up Internet at our house. It would tie up our phone line for hours as it literally took at least 20 minutes just to load a webpage.
As I read this, the sound comes to mind so clearly… and then the frustration if the phone rang and someone picked it up
Another trip down memory lane! The dial-up modem that used to tie up the phone line while I was waiting around the house for a phone call!
Hello Caleb,
Thank you for sharing about your typing experience. It is interesting how our early memories influence our future selves.
I also clearly remember working on my typing skills at school. Unlike your experience, my teacher sat comfortably in a squeaky chair while all of the students were engaged in a typing program. Later, our family decided that learning typing was important so we bought a typing software to practice more at home. Reflecting back, these typing programs served as the beginning of my self-directed learning practice. Users were guided through learning tasks with clear visual and verbal instructions. If I wanted to rework on a specific set of letters, I was able to redo that part of the program. Hence, with the typing program, differentiated and self-directed learning practices were made possible.
It is interesting how typing skills were taught like reading and writing. In addition to typing
skills, the 21st digital literacy learners are required to attain other multi-literacy skills such as viewing and video production. As an early primary teacher, I am well aware of the implications of such development. At times, it is difficult to juggle time to ensure students learn all of these new literacies. Digital literacy frameworks (http://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/digital-literacy-framework/mapping-digital-literacy-policy-practice-canadian-education-landscape) provides a fair guide to support students to gain competency in digital literacy. What are your thoughts about juggling the literacies and other digital literacy framework?
Sincerely,
Alice
Caleb and Alice,
I used to LOVE typing class, but I never really saw the importance of it. Meanwhile, I HATED penmanship, even though it was clearly useful and important. My how things switch these days, though. My students have terrible penmanship and haven’t had a handwriting class in years, while they are terrible typers and never have had a typing class. They are faster at texting than they are at typing. Is this the future? Or is it just a way that we have failed them?
For me, typing isn’t a literacy, per se, but it is something that ensures equal access and success. Imagine trying to get through an MET class or being in the workplace if you are a slow typer. Sure, it can be done, but it will slow you down just as much as not being a fluent reader could. To try and help my students, we do journaling by hand on some days and typing on typing.com other days. They are starting to see that both are important, but you can tell that many of them are just wishing to get out their phones to type instead.
But who knows, maybe the future won’t even involve typing. Maybe it will be Swyping. Or just thinking.
-Jonathan-
Hi:)
Thanks for sharing.
I, too, remember the annoyance of wanting to go on the web but the phone was being used.. kids these days will never know.
Hi Caleb,
We must be of similar vintage as I can relate to your experiences all too well. My teacher didn’t have a meter stick but he had this way of guilting his students whenever he caught us cheating by looking under the tablecloth. Typing was probably the most important skill I learned in grade 6 and 7 to be honest and I am amazed typing hasn’t secured a more important position within school curricula.
While All-the-right-type taught me technique, MSN messenger taught me speed. I loved typing to all my friends in the evening so much that I often found myself managing 5+ conversations at once. I learned by necessity to type fast- a skill I am forever grateful for.
I wish I took typing classes. Most of the time — I am a two finger typer. Are there still typing classes in school?
Christopher