TheAttachedMama Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 My kids are in 4th and 5th grades. They have had a pretty "computer free" education up to this point. We have focused more on learning to write by hand, reading skills, math skills, etc. This year I would like to spend a few weeks on computer basics. Before they learn to code, I feel like they need to understand file organization, how to use finder (we are a mac family), creating an alias, etc. etc. (Very basic things!) Can anyone recommend an online class or book they could use to learn these things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted March 4, 2018 Author Share Posted March 4, 2018 What about CompuScholar? I am looking at their digital savy course. It says it is for kids in grades 6+. Can anyone review this class? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4KookieKids Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Could you just spent some time walking them through the basics? As in, let them watch a favorite TV show online, but they have to turn the computer on, login, open Safari, search for it, and get it turned on themselves, with you sitting next to them just directing them? You could show them how to navigate finder by downloading a game or video from the web, and then having to use finder to locate and open it, and move it to a more appropriate location on your drive? I found that just walking through it to her three times, with me next to them, was enough for them to remember most of those basics. Even my six-year-old is capable of opening the computer, opening a web browser, and finding her own account on extra math or code.org or prodigy, logoing herself on and starting to play… Though she occasionally does it when she’s not supposed to, so I may have to password protect the computer beyond our usual parental controls at this point… :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I'd just sit them in front of the computer and turn them loose. They'll probably have it figured out in three seconds. Seriously though, being able to figure out tech stuff with no instruction is a life skill. Might as well start now. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porridge Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Can they type? Typing is a good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I don't think this requires anything other than sitting them down for a few minutes and showing them how to use it. Did you ever see that Sugra Mitra TED talk where the kids hacked the computer in just a few days? Seriously, they don't need anything much from you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) TheAttachedMama, Have you seen the free tutorials here? You can pick and choose what you want to do. I linked their all topics page so you can see everything they offer.In particular, they have a series of tutorials about internet safety for kids as well. https://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics/ Edited March 5, 2018 by calbear 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 You can also take the approach of learning as you go. If your ds is producing word docs, then you can introduce creating files and keeping them organized. Don't forget to teach them that you can google just about any computer (or life!) question they have. Like I recently googled "What is a router and modem and how does it work?" I learned a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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