Abstract:
The purpose of my study was to determine if first-grade students had the developmental skills and the
interest necessary to learn how to touch type on the computer keyboard without looking at their
hands. Six students each from three different first-grade classes participated in the study. None of the
students had received instruction in keyboarding prior to the study. All students received instruction
for thirty-five minutes daily, over a course of nine days and were monitored for correct keyboarding
technique while working. Accuracy was stressed over speed. Daily practice work was printed so the
instructor could check for accuracy. At the end of the intervention the students answered questions
about their keyboarding experience. The increase in typing speed from the pretest to the posttest was
negligible, however at the end of two weeks all eighteen learners could easily type words and short
sentences without looking at the keyboard and were eager for continued instruction.
An explanation of the results of the study were presented to the faculty and parents at the research
site. The parents expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for continuing the lessons that their children
had begun. The teachers, though enthusiastic, expressed concerns that although touch typing
instruction was of value that implementation at this time was not feasible due to time, budget, and
curriculum restraints.