Effectiveness of Two Keyboarding Instructional Approaches on the Keyboarding Speed, Accuracy, and Technique of Elementary Students
Background: Keyboarding skill development is important for elementary students. Limited research exists to inform practice on effective keyboarding instruction methods. Method: Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined the effectiveness of Keyboarding Without Tears® (n = 786) in the experimen...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Western Michigan University
2019-10-01
|
| Series: | Open Journal of Occupational Therapy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1599&context=ojot |
| Summary: | Background: Keyboarding skill development is important for elementary students. Limited research exists to inform
practice on effective keyboarding instruction methods.
Method: Using a quasi-experimental design, we examined the effectiveness of Keyboarding Without Tears® (n = 786) in the experimental schools compared to the control schools who used the district standard instructional approach of free web-based activities (n = 953) on improving keyboarding skills (speed, accuracy, and technique) in elementary students.
Results: The results showed significant improvements in keyboarding speed and accuracy in all schools for all grades favoring the experimental schools compared to the control schools. Significant differences in improvements in
keyboarding technique were found with large effect sizes favoring the experimental schools for kindergarten to the
second grade and small effect sizes favoring the control schools for the third to fifth grade.
Conclusion: Professionals involved in assisting with keyboarding skill development in children are recommended to begin training in these skills in early elementary grades, especially to assist in proper keyboarding technique development. While using free web-based activities are beneficial to improving keyboarding speed and accuracy, as well as keyboarding
technique, using a developmentally-based curriculum, such as Keyboarding Without Tears®, may further enhance
improvements in the keyboarding skills of elementary students. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2168-6408 2168-6408 |