Suggestions needed for computer literacy curriculum please : )

[ListmakerMel]

I sort of want two different things. One for learning Word, Excel, and Power Point, and another for learning the basics of how computers work. I don't necessarily want to teach programming, but something that will give my DS an idea of what it is to see if he's interested in that sort of thing. I saw Professor Teaches Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on Amazon for $9.99 which received good reviews, and was wondering if anyone here had used it or something similar. Thanks.

[IsabelC]

Many children don't need to be taught how to use word processing, spreadsheets, etc, in the way that those of use who weren't cradle computer users. So it might be worth just seeing whether he figures it out by himself before you actually buy anything. To learn how computers work, are you talking programming or hardware? Kids who are into that sort of thing will enjoy pulling apart an old computer and examining the guts of it (to get maximum value from this exercise, if you don't know much about it, ask somebody who does to help him).

[ListmakerMel]

Many children don't need to be taught how to use word processing, spreadsheets, etc, in the way that those of use who weren't cradle computer users. So it might be worth just seeing whether he figures it out by himself before you actually buy anything. To learn how computers work, are you talking programming or hardware? Kids who are into that sort of thing will enjoy pulling apart an old computer and examining the guts of it (to get maximum value from this exercise, if you don't know much about it, ask somebody who does to help him).

 

They know the basics, but there is so much those programs can do that even I don't know about. I'd like them to at least be aware of the capabilities word processing and spreadsheets have, even if they don't use them on a regular basis. I've never used PowerPoint, so that would be new to all of us.

 

I really don't know what I'm looking for as far as how computers work. I guess I just want them (and me) to get an overall understanding of the basics of the hardware and the programming to see what, if anything, interests them about it. At the very least, I'd like us all to be literate of the basic computer terminolgy.

[Miss Marple]

My two oldest dss took Microcomputer Applications as concurrent students at our local university. The text was excellent (workbook style/format) - a Microsoft Office 2007 workbook. It goes through Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I found it very helpful and think it would work great for a basic computer course.