A plan of action for ways to
develop computer literacy skills with ABE students.
1. List of skills: I have developed a checklist for Phase 1, New User
demonstrating basic computer literacy skills.
2. List of activities: Explanation of each activity appears under the checklist item.
3. Evaluation: Success is determined by the student's ability to perform each listed task.
4. Lesson Plan that integrates one of the skills...: Lesson plan for writing, printing and saving a personal letter follows checklist.
5. Timeline for implementation: The New Users Computer Confidence Checklist requires four two-hour sessions, for a total of eight hours of instruction.
6. Product: Learner receives the original signed checklist. Two other copies are made--one for the bulletin board and one for the learner's portfolio.
Similar checklists are being developed for Phase 2, CyberSurfer (Internet competencies) and Phase 3, TechKnowPro (word processing and spreadsheet competencies)
New Users Computer
Confidence Checklist
for ___________________________ (Name of Learner)
(Session 1)
1. _____ Learner
can successfully navigate using the mouse.
Learners spend approximately 20 minutes either playing solitaire or working jigsaw puzzles as a means of gaining mouse skills. Instructor observes and assists, checking this item off if student is successful.
2. _____ Learner
understands the icons and menus on the Macintosh desktop.
Instructor explains the parts of the desktop, likening each icon to a item found on a traditional office desk. Learner demonstrates knowledge in session four by pointing to each--hard drive, launcher icon, documents folder, apple menu, pull down menus, trash--and explaining what each is used for.
3. _____ Learner
can navigate the Macintosh windows.
Instructor explains the title bar, zoom box, resize box, and close box, and group practices manipulating each in turn. Group then practices opening folders and dragging items to the desktop and the trash. Learner demonstrates skill in these functions when individually assessed in session four.
4. _____ Learner
can access programs from the Launcher.
Instructor takes the group on a "tour" of the eight category windows--Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Applications, CD-ROM Starters, Games, Internet, and Writing/Artistic--briefly describing the programs in each window. Learners are instructed to click once on the Cardshop Icon. Successfully following the "tour" and entering Cardshop earns a checkmark for this skill.
5. _____ Learner
can create and print a greeting card.
Instructor explains the Cardshop interface and instructs the group step by step in creating a greeting card. Learners are required to utilize mouse skills and the keyboard to create a simple card. When the cards are created, instructor takes the group step by step through the process of printing. Checkmark is earned when student's card is printed.
(Session 2)
A quick review is given for items 1-4 of Session 1.
6. _____ Learner
knows the proper terminology for the parts of a computer.
Learners are divided in to teams of two. A set of post-it notes are distributed to each team--one color for each team. One component of hardware is written on each note: keyboard, monitor, mouse, floppy disk drive, CD-ROM drive, CPU, printer. Teams must correctly identify each component. Team done the fastest and correctly gets to explain (don't tell them this ahead of time). Checkmarks are given when all post-its are affixed to the proper components.
7. _____ Learner
has a basic understanding of how computers work.
Instructor provides an explanation of how computers translate info to digital format; the types of storage disks--5 1/4, 3 1/2, hard drives, CD-ROMS-- and their respective storage capacities; what happens when a disk is formatted, what types of data is available on a computer--text, graphics, sound, video, animation. Computer terms such as RAM, ROM, bits, bytes, megabytes, gigabytes, folder, etc. are covered. Success is evaluated by a review quiz in Session 3.
8. _____ Learner
can utilize CD-ROMs to access information.
Each learner selects a CD-ROM of interest. Using navigational clues and the user manual, learners explore the topic(s) provided. Instructor assists as needed. Checkmark is given to those who participate in CD exploration.
(Session 3)
The instructor provides a quick review of the terminology discussed in Session 2. A simple quiz is given to measure learners' understanding of the Session 2 topics. Quizzes are corrected in group. Item 7 is checked off for all who "pass".
9. _____ Learner
can use the word processor to write, print and save a short personal letter.
See detailed lesson plan.
Checkmark is given when letter is successfully written in personal letter format, printed and saved.
(Session 4)
10. _____ Learner
can use the word processor to write, print and save a short TO DO list.
Instructor reviews the procedure for accessing the word processing program. Learners work more independently this time to create, print and save their TO DO lists. Assistance is provided as needed. Checkmark is given when to do list is printed and file is saved in documents folder.
11. _____ Learner can use a floppy disk to save files.
Floppies are handed out and learners are instructed on the correct way to insert them and name them. Learners drag TO DO Lists and personal letters from the documents folder onto the floppy disk icon to copy them. Learners double-click floppy to verify that both files are present. Learners then drag both original files from documents folder to trash.
Checkmark is given for successful completion of sequence.
12. _____ Learner
can access learning programs from the Launcher
and use them independently.
For the remainder of Session 4, learners access and explore computer learning programs such as Word, Math or Trivia Munchers; Spellit; Grammar Games; Turbo Math as instructor meets with each learner individually to review knowledge of topics covered in sessions 1-3. Checklists are copied and posted on the bulletin board, as a means of celebrating completion of Phase 1, New User.
It is important to build reinforcement of the above skills into multiple subsequent lesson plans. Printing and saving, especially, must be reviewed frequently. I understand that this is very basic, but it gives the learners enough of a sense of "groundedness" to relax and use the equipment as they learn more.
Lesson Plan for Item 9, Personal Letters:
Level: ABE
Objectives: Learners will gain understanding of the proper format for a personal letter.
Learners will be introduced to a word processor.
Learners will use the word processor and knowledge of personal letters to write a letter to themselves, stating what they'd like to be able to do on computers six months from now.
Materials: Handout showing samples of personal letters.
Word Processing Program. (I use ClarisWorks for this because its clean, simple interface is less intimidating.
Procedures:
1. Instructor details the proper layout for a personal letter.
2. Instructor shares handout of sample letters.
3. As a group, learners mark the heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature areas of each letter.
4. Learners open ClarisWorks from the Launcher and select word processing.
5. Instructor provides a BRIEF (at this point) explanation of the program's interface.
6. Instructor demonstrates the keyboard, showing learners where to find space bar, tab key, shift key for caps and symbols, return key, backspace and delete keys.
7. Learners get familiar with the keyboard by typing letters, words, and commands as the instructor calls them out.
8. Learners obtain a new document and type a personal letter to themselves, stating what they hope to be able to do on computers six months from now.
9. When all are finished writing, instructor takes group through the process of printing two copies of their letters--one for instructor and one to keep.
10. Learners save their letters to the Documents folder.
11. Instructor copies the letters onto a floppy for safekeeping, as they will be used in Session 4 when learners practice saving to floppies.