Technology Action Research Plan

Sandy Moore
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TECHNOLOGY ACTION RESEARCH PLAN

SECTION I
INTRODUCTION

I teach keyboarding to 7th and 8th grade students in a small, rural district in Southeast

Missouri. Students in the 8th grade spend the first semester of the school year in keyboarding

while the 7th grade students spend the second semester of the school year in keyboarding.

Keyboarding is not offered at the high school level. Students are only receiving one year of

formal keyboarding instruction. Since computers are so prevalent in every facet of the world

and children are exposed to them as early as pre-kindergarten, it is necessary to teach

keyboarding prior to the 7th grade before students develop poor keyboarding habits. The most

frequent bad habit I observed with 7th grade students is their inability to refrain from

constantly looking at the keyboard while typing which reduces keyboarding speed

tremendously. With this in mind, I talked with other keyboarding instructors to see if they had

experienced the same problem. I learned that some of the other keyboarding instructors used

keyboard covers during keyboarding instruction. Keyboard covers cover the keys so that

students cannot see the keys even if they look at their keyboards. After learning about

keyboard covers, I decided to use keyboard covers to determine if their use would help

students avoid looking at their keyboard while learning to type and, thus, improve

keyboarding speed. This research plan has been designed to determine if teaching

keyboarding at a lower grade level reduces poor keyboarding habits when students are older

and if implementing the use of keyboard covers improves students keyboarding speed.
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AREA OF FOCUS

Students at Fisk Middle School are not taught keyboarding until the 7th grade. I believe

teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level with using keyboarding covers will result in fewer

bad keyboarding habits in 7th graders, increased use of technology such as word processing

and power points, and increased keyboarding speed.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders result in fewer bad keyboarding habits in 7th
graders?

2. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders increase the use of technology such as word
processing and power points?

3. Will using keyboard covers while typing improve students’ keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?

RELATED LITERATURE

The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) have set the framework for

the 21st century student. According to the NETS, students must be technology literate by the

end of the eighth grade. In order to meet these standards, educators must begin in the

elementary grades. Furthermore, with computers being an integral part of the world we live

in and the primary means for interacting with a computer is the keyboard, keyboarding is the

most important single “computer” skill a child can learn (Himowitz, 2003). Keyboarding

skills are as basic to learning as penmanship in this technology-driven world. Today, it is not

a question of whether to teach keyboarding, but when to teach it! (Education World, 2003)

Erickson (1993) addressed the controversy of when keyboarding should be taught and

states that all students, age 8 and up, can learn keyboarding skills, but the ideal age for

effective keyboarding instruction and learning is the upper elementary school levels (age 10-
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12). Erthal (1998) states that the general consensus is about age 8 or 9 or grades 3 or 4

because children at this age possess the necessary fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination,

and reading ability to succeed in keyboarding. However, in an article in Education World, the

author quotes “There is no longer an ideal time for formal keyboarding instruction because

younger and younger children are imitating siblings and parents by wanting to work with

computers” (2003). Numerous studies indicate that keyboarding should be taught prior to

using the computer, especially since students need formal instruction to acquire keyboarding

skills using the touch system (PCBEE, 1997; Nieman, 1996; Prigge and Braathen, 1993).

Students should be able to demonstrate the correct touch method of keyboarding after

successfully completing 25 to 45 hours of instruction according to the Policies Commission

for Business and Economic Education (1997). The suggested time frame for a basic

keyboarding program according to Erickson (1991) is 40 to 45 class periods of approximately

30 to 40 minutes in length. Depending on the grade level and the number of 30-minute class

periods, 15 to 35 hours of instruction in Grade 3 or Grade 4 is recommended by Hoggatt

(2004). Yet, according to Erthal (2003), keyboarding should be at about the 5th grade level

and instruction should be a partnership of the elementary education and business education

teachers. In addition, sufficient time should be devoted to initial keyboarding instruction (30

hours minimum), and the new skills should be reinforced throughout the school years.

One of the biggest concerns of those teaching “touch” keyboarding in elementary and

middle schools is how to prevent students from looking at their fingers while keyboarding.

Students are told to keep their eyes on the monitor or text, but many new learners are quick to

let their eyes wander to their fingers. Proper keyboarding techniques require that the learner’s

eyes be fixed on the screen, which shows the results of his/her keying (Nieman, 1996; Schade,
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1999). It is generally believed that keyboarders who look at their fingers while keyboarding

will eventually be slower than and not as accurate as their counterparts who do not look at

their fingers.

To prevent students from looking at their fingers while keyboarding, educators have

developed various methods to encourage students to keep their eyes where they should be.

One approach is to continually walk around the room reminding students to keep their eyes on

the screen or text. Another approach is to cover the keys in some way so that students are

unable to read the letters on the keys. One company states that makes keyboard “skins”,

which slip easily over the keyboard, preventing students from seeing the letters on the keys,

but providing “touch-sensitive” home row indicators, their product as being “invaluable for

any class or individual that is serious about improving typing speed and accuracy” (Pro-tec T

Computer Products, 2002). Another company states that “students can now learn to touch

faster and easier with the “typing-mask” (Viziflex Seels, Inc., 1998). Finally, Sunburst

Communications, a major producer of keyboarding software, proclaims that their Speed-Skin

will improve speed, accuracy, and touch-typing…(Sunburst Communications, 2002).”

According to a study conducted by Reagan (2000), the study showed that there was a

significant gain in typing speed when the students used a hand cover. The study concluded

that the best way to refrain middle school students to touch keyboarding correctly is to use a

hand cover and drill and practice keyboarding software package that incorporates typing

games for motivation (Reagan, 2000). While the results of a study conducted by Lois Nichols

of the University of Maryland (2004), showed that keyboard covers do work in increasing the

speed in words-per-minute of students, no significant results were shown in accuracy.

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However, the fact that the cover-key students were keyboarding faster means that they will

accomplish their assignments sooner than the students without the covers.

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVENTION OR INNOVATION

I will be gathering information to support my claim that it is important to begin teaching

keyboarding in the 5th grade and using keyboarding covers will improve students’ speed

and/or accuracy.

SECTION II

OVERVIEW OF DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES

I will be observing students keyboarding skills and techniques in the 5th, 6th, and 7th

grades. I will be giving a pre and post-assessment to determine students’ speed/accuracy

before and after keyboarding instruction and comparing them with students in other grades. I

will be conducting student surveys to compare their answers to determine the positive and

negative effects on teaching keyboarding in the 5th grade and using or not using keyboard

covers. I will also survey teachers after conducting this research plan to determine if they

observed positive results in their classrooms from teaching keyboarding at an earlier grade

level. Based on my findings, I will determine whether or not to implement the use of

keyboard covers in keyboarding instruction and determine if I need to approach

administration about teaching keyboarding earlier than the 7th grade.

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DATA SOURCES

• Observations – I plan to observe students’ keyboarding techniques. I have created a

technique observation form to complete periodically throughout the year to determine if

students’ keyboarding techniques (i.e., wrist low, eyes on monitor/text, etc.) improve.

• Pre/Post Assessment – I plan to pre-assess and post-assess students’ keyboarding speed

and accuracy to determine if their speed and/or accuracy improve.

• Student Survey – I plan to have students fill out a survey at the end of the year to compare

answers about how learning keyboarding at the 5th grade level has positively or negatively

affected their life and/or educational needs.

• Teacher Survey – I plan to survey 5th grade teachers at my school and compare responses

to determine if the teachers believe that teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level has

been a success and, if so, in what ways has the keyboarding class been successful.

DATA ANALYSIS PLANS

I will conduct student observations periodically to determine if students keyboarding

techniques such as keeping wrists low, eyes on monitor/text, sitting up straight, etc. improve

throughout the year. I will give each student a timed pre-assessment and a timed post-

assessment to determine if students’ keyboarding speed and/or accuracy improved from the

implementation of the 5th grade keyboarding class until the end. I will also give the pre and

post assessment to students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades to use as comparison of the 5th grade

students. In addition, I will sort the data by students who used keyboard covers and students

who did not use keyboard covers to determine if keyboard covers have an effect on students’

keyboarding skills, speed, and/or accuracy. Finally, I will provide 5th grade students and
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teachers with a survey to complete in order to compare responses to determine if students

and/or teachers experienced or witnessed positive outcomes as a result of the implementation

of 5th grade keyboarding. Furthermore, teachers will compare students who used keyboard

covers with those who did not use keyboard covers to determine if the use of keyboard covers

has a positive affect on students’ word processing skills.

SECTION III
RELATED DETAILS

1) The fifth grade core teachers will be involved in this project as observers of students’ word

processing skills and complete a survey to relay their observations to me. In order for me to

initially implement this action research plan, I must also involve district administrators. The

other math teachers at my school and the students will be involved in this project indirectly,

but they will not have any additional responsibilities.

2) I will have to ask the principal, the superintendent, and the middle school counselor to

request approval to teach 5th grade keyboarding. This implementation will involve

restructuring the scheduling of “special” classes at my school. There is no need for parent

permission.

3) The data collection will take place as soon as the district approves my request to teach

keyboarding to students in the 5th grade. After approval, I will give students a pre-assessment

to determine keyboarding speed and accuracy rates. Periodically, I will formally observe

students keyboarding techniques and record the information on the keyboarding technique

observation form that I previously created. Toward the end of the 5th grade keyboarding class,

I will give students and teachers a survey to complete. Since 5th grade keyboarding would be

implemented in quarters for the four (4) fifth grade classes, I am unable to specify months of

actual collection of data.

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4) The projected timeline for developing my recommended actions will take place toward the

end of the school year after each of the four 5th grade classes has completed the keyboarding

class. I will also be developing my recommendations after each class has completed their

keyboarding class, but final recommendations cannot be completed until all classes have

completed their keyboarding class because of the scheduling at my school.

5) I feel the response to implementing this action plan will be positive because of teachers’

and students’ former comments about teaching keyboarding before the 7th grade. I also feel

that administrators will be supportive of implementing this action plan because of the

National Educational Technology Standards that my district has chosen to adopt for

curriculum guidelines.

6) I am quite confident that our school will continue to use the National Educational

Technology Standards (NETS) as the curriculum guideline for technology. If this action

research plan results in permanently teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level, I believe that

our elementary computer lab may to restructure or rewrite its curriculum to be more in line

with the NETS. Success of this technology action research plan could result in the success of

the 21st century digital-student in ways that I am unable to predict at this time because of the

ever-advancing technology-driven society in which we live.

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REFERENCES

Cantore, J.A. (2003). Computing for Life. [Electronic Version]. Career World, 6, 29.

Education World: Technology in the Classroom (2003). Teaching Keyboarding—When?

Why? How? Retrieved March 1, 2009. http://www.educational-
world.com/atech/archives/keyboard.shtml.

Erickson, L. 1993). Basic Keyboarding Guide for Teachers. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western
Publishing Co.

Erthal, M.J. (2003, February). Who Should Teach Keyboarding and When Should It Be
Taught? Retrieved March 1, 2009 from Utah State University, Business Information
Systems and Education Department Website:
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ate/keyboarding/Articles/Whowhen.htm

Himowitz, M.J. (2003). Single, Most Important Computer Skill Children Can Learn Is Basic
Typing. [Electronic Version]. The Baltimore Sun.

Hoggatt, J.; Shank, J.; and Trabel, D. (2004). Bernie’s Typing Travels. Cincinnati, OH: South-
Western.

Nichols, L.M. (1995). A Comparison of Two Methods of Teaching Keyboarding in the

Elementary School. Computers in the Schools, 11, 15-25.

Nieman, P. (1996). Introducing Early Keyboarding Skills. Business Education Forum. 51 (1),
27-30.

Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education (1997). Policy Statement 35: This
We Believe About Keyboarding. Policies statements: Policies commission for
business and economic educational. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western/Thomson.

Pro-tecT Computer Products. (2002). Typing mask. [Online]. Available:

http://www.protectcovers.com/typingmaskf.htm.

Schade, J. (1999). Ten Steps to Successful Keyboarding Instruction. Business Education

Forum, 53, 36-38.

Sunburst Communications. (2002). Speedskins: A Peek-Proof Solution to Keyboarding

Instruction. [Online]. Available: http://www.sunburststore.com

Viziflex Seels, Inc. (1998). Typing Mask. [Online]. Available: http://www.viziflex.com

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Sandy Moore
Appendix A
Literature Matrix

Area of Focus:

Students at Fisk Middle School are not taught keyboarding until the 7th grade. I believe
teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level with using keyboarding covers will result in fewer
bad keyboarding habits in 7th graders, increased use of technology such as word processing
and power points, and increased keyboarding speed.

Research Questions:

1. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders result in fewer bad keyboarding habits in 7th
graders?

2. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders increase the use of technology such as word
processing and power points?

3. Will using keyboard covers while typing improve students’ keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?

Table 1-Literature Matrix

Variables Considered in the

Authors Year Study
Keyboardi
Keyboardi ng Keyboardi
ng Skills Technique ng Covers
s

Rogers, Harriet 2005  

Erthal, Margaret J. 2002  

Kercher, Lydia; McClurg, Patricia 1985  

Nichols, Lois 2004   

Bullock, T. A. 2004 

Becker, H. J. 2000 

Stanley, L.D. 2003 

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Appendix B
Data Collection Matrix

Area of Focus:

Students at Fisk Middle School are not taught keyboarding until the 7th grade. I believe
teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level with using keyboarding covers will result in fewer
bad keyboarding habits in 7th graders, increased use of technology such as word processing
and power points, and increased keyboarding speed.

Research Questions:

1. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders result in fewer bad keyboarding habits in 7th
graders?

2. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders increase the use of technology such as word
processing and power points?

3. Will using keyboard covers while typing improve students’ keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?

Data Collection Matrix

Research Data Source

Questions 1 2 3
1. Will teaching
keyboarding to 5th graders
result in fewer bad Teacher
keyboarding habits in 7th Observation
graders?
2. Will teaching
keyboarding to 5th graders
increase the use of
Student Survey Teacher Survey
technology such as word
processing and power
points?
3. Will using keyboard
covers while typing
improve students’ Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment
keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?
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Appendix C
Data Analysis Matrix

Area of Focus:

Students at Fisk Middle School are not taught keyboarding until the 7th grade. I believe
teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level with using keyboarding covers will result in fewer
bad keyboarding habits in 7th graders, increased use of technology such as word processing
and power points, and increased keyboarding speed.

Research Questions:

1. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders result in fewer bad keyboarding habits in 7th
graders?

2. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders increase the use of technology such as word
processing and power points?

3. Will using keyboard covers while typing improve students’ keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?
Data Analysis Matrix

Data Source
Data Collection
Technique
1 2 3

Rate and record

students’ keyboarding
Observations skills and techniques
periodically
throughout the 5th, 6th,
and 7th grades.
Compare the results of
Calculate the mean
pre/post assessment of
average of the raw
Pre/Post-Assessment students using
scores on the pre/post
keyboarding covers vs.
timed typing
students not using
assessment.
keyboarding covers.
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Compare the use of
technology such as
word processing and
Student Survey
power points.

Compare the use of

technology such as
Teacher Survey word processing and
power points.
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Sandy Moore
Appendix D

Area of Focus:

Students at Fisk Middle School are not taught keyboarding until the 7th grade. I believe
teaching keyboarding at the 5th grade level with using keyboarding covers will result in fewer
bad keyboarding habits in 7th graders, increased use of technology such as word processing
and power points, and increased keyboarding speed.

Research Questions:

4. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders result in fewer bad keyboarding habits in 7th
graders?

5. Will teaching keyboarding to 5th graders increase the use of technology such as word
processing and power points?

6. Will using keyboard covers while typing improve students’ keyboarding speed and/or
accuracy?

Appendix D

Key the following sentences in Open Screen in MicroType. Set the timer for one minute. Key
each sentence as many times as you can in one minute. Each sentence contains all the letters
of the alphabet.

1. The five boxing wizards jump quickly.

2. The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.

3. A quart jar of oil mixed with zinc oxide makes a very bright paint.

4. The July sun caused a fragment of black pine wax to ooze on the velvet quilt.

Key the following paragraph in Open Screen in MicroType. Set the time for one minute. Key
the paragraph as many times as you can in one minute. You may not finish the entire
paragraph in one minute. Do NOT hit enter at the end of each line. When the margin area
has been reached, the next word will automatically advance to the next line.

This is a typing test that tests your typing speed. Typing speed is defined in wpm, which is words
typed per minute. A word is taken to be five characters long including blank spaces. Typing
speed is also defined as strokes typed per minute. This typing speed test will tell you your typing
speed in wpm, words per minute, as soon as you finish typing this short paragraph.

Source: The above paragraph was taken from www.powertyping.com.