Does anyone have a pathway to computer competency?

[duckens]

As homeschoolers, we can be isolated from what others are doing technologically. We're so busy teaching reading, writing, arithmetic, while mummifying chickens, we may be unaware what our children's peers are doing technologically.

 

If the school system fails our children to be technologically ready for college and life, that is one thing. If we as parents who choose to homeschool fail our children (due to lack of guidance), that is another.

 

Does anyone have a "Pathway to Computer Competency" that they have used or plan to use?

 

 

I'm really out of my depth for some of this. When I was in high school, they were teaching us Fortran and Basic. Please quit snickering at my age and my (lack of recent) experience. :laugh:

 

My goal is that my daughters will not need to learn technology required for a class WHILE being in class. I have BTDT before. NOT fun.

 

 

Some things I would like my daughters to learn (in no specific order):

--surfing the web,

--typing

--Word

--Powerpoint

--Cutting and Pasting

--Facebook

--Web site design (on Blogger or comparable site)

--Basic programming

--Powerpoint

--Excel

--adding components to a CPU (extra memory, new video card)

--exposure to any other programs that are used in college classes (of a specific major: for example, scientists use "EndNote.").

--Blender?

--alternative operating systems

 

Thank you sincerely for any replies!

[Arcadia]

If the school system fails our children to be technologically ready for college and life, that is one thing.

 

My school district has computer competency in their students' report cards from kindergarten. They go to the IT lab at least once a week.

 

Example of states standards

Maryland (PreK-3)

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/techlit/docs/MTLSS%20Complete.pdf

Virginia

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/computer_technology/index.shtml

New York

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/technology/initiatives/ISTEs.html

[LucyStoner]

Computers are well enough integrated into our lives that I don't worry about this. I've never taught my son to cut and paste but alas, he can cut and paste. He has learned basic Javascript. He programs his Arduino and Lego minestorms. He plays about with my design suite stuff all the time. He is 9. As he gets older, he'll keep learning things on an as needed or interest driven basis but frankly it is not something I worry about at all. I am part of the first wave of folks who pretty much grew up with computers in the schools from day one. With the exception of some handy InDesign and Illustrator tutoring and some Excel intensive stats labs in college, I think most everything I've done with computers I have intuited- from adding on hardware to mastering relational databases of many kinds to learning networking support and troubleshooting. I've never done programming beyond enough html to be useful when using web design software, but more than that is not a need or interest for me. My son will learn what he needs as it comes up. What I can't do, my husband can do so we're good.

[Lilaclady]

I think in some ways, you are already half way through making your own curriculum. Just pick each of the things you wrote and go over it for a few minutes each week and then give them ample time to play about on the computer especially if their is no Internet access on it. They will pick up more things on their own,