Computer Literacy for Children

In this day it is extremely important that everyone be familiar with basic knowledge of computers and how to use them Digital Literacy is fast becoming an important part in all schools. It has become increasingly important for children to have computer fundamentals. There are even International Boards that are developing standards for these computer fundamentals. Digital Literacy just like reading and writing has to start from an early age. Children need to understand how to navigate a computer and the internet as more and more information is being funneled to the internet.

Companies like Certiport , ISTE and GDLC have all recognized the need to test a child's knowledge of computers and have introduced Certifications and Curriculum standards world wide. Colleges and Highschools have adopted these standards to test their students. These standards include how to use emails, internet security, and basic word processing and spreadsheet functionality. This is important as a benchmark for courses taught in highschool and college to provide a benchmark where teachers can evaulate a students understanding of computers before introducing more advanced topics

So the question is how do you teach children today how to learn computers?
In a recent survey taken at schools it was found that most classrooms have computers and most children have access to computers at least once a week. It was also found that the district and the state usually had predefined technology standards for what children should be learning throughout the year. The issue is that most teachers don't know enough about computers to actually teach it and furthermore don't even know where to start if they did know about computers.
What we recommend is providing children with curriculum and a blended approach to learning that only can come from a variety of sources.
These blended approaches include online learning courses usually provided by a Learning Management System. A learning Management System allows for tracking students progress through the courses and storing their performance in a centralized database accessible to teachers. View links below for more information on Learning Management Systems.
Also, we recommend having some classroom time in front of a teacher who can respond to questions and provide followup and encouragement.
We have provided several links to books and recommend highly the Digital Whizkids Book Series.