Basic Computer Skills Curriculum

Susan Wetenkamp-Brandt Minnesota Literacy Council Educational Technology Trainer

Agenda
Warm-up Objectives Planning your class Curriculum materials Teaching strategies Questions Evaluations

Warm-up
Share with a partner

Your name

Your program & role What brought you here today

What you hope to get out of this session

Objective 1
Identify computer competencies appropriate for your learners

Objective 2
Prioritize and select the competencies you will teach

Objective 3
Choose from curriculum resources and online learning modules to teach those competencies

Objective 4
Identify effective strategies for teaching computer skills to adults

Planning Your Class

What will you teach? Computer Skills is a HUGE topic Break it down

Partner Activity 1:
Goal: Identify appropriate competencies Task: Review existing competency lists Focus! Think small steps Level-appropriate? Useful for planning?

Partner Activity 2
Goal: Plan for Learner Needs Assessment Task: With a partner: Review the assessment form Discuss questions on activity sheet
What do my learners already know? What are their skill gaps?

Planning Your Class

Constrain your list of competencies Allow plenty of time for each competency Practice, practice, practice! Dont neglect basic typing skills

Partner Activity 3
Goal: Identify resources you can use Task: Explore & discuss curricula and online resources

Partner Activity 4
Goal: Identify Effective Teaching Strategies Task: Discuss with a partner
Favorite teaching strategy you use now How to adapt for computer class?

Teaching Strategy A
Clearly state learning objectives At beginning of class, as a learning plan At end of class, to check for mastery

Teaching Strategy B
Activate prior knowledge Make comparisons/analogies to noncomputer skills or concepts An Internet address is like a street address. A database works like an address book. Refer to previous lessons

Teaching Strategy C
Pre-teach & consistently use key vocabulary

words matter

Teaching Strategy D
Direct or Explicit Instruction Make few assumptions Demonstrate/model Explain the purpose

Teaching Strategy E
Teach repair strategies Stop and ask: Does this look right? State the problem What I dont understand... Ask questions to self, then peer, then teacher Think aloud

Teaching Strategy F
Teach scanning skills

Teaching Strategy G
Probe students understanding before providing answers to questions they should be able to answer independently

What If Youre not a Techie?

Admit when you dont know Be a co-learner Model good learning behavior Stay positive Ask questions, think aloud Use help screens Experiment!

Questions?
Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level

Reflect on Learning Objectives

Can You Identify level-appropriate computer competencies? Prioritize & select competencies to teach? Have You Found curriculum resources? Identified effective teaching strategies?

Evaluations
Please complete the evaluation form at: www.themlc.org/techtrainingeval.html

About the Trainer

Susan Wetenkamp-Brandt Educational Technology Trainer Minnesota Literacy Council www.theMLC.org/techservices Online training at: http://online.theMLC.org swbrandt@theMLC.org 651-645-2277 ext. 224