Previous Keyboarding instruction does not appear to significantly benefit students' keyboarding speed after a lapsed time of one year. The grade six experienced computer group had received previous keyboarding instruction from their classroom teacher three months prior to this study's keyboarding instruction. Their gain was not significantly different from the gain of a computer group who had no previous exposure to keyboarding instruction. Any ceiling effect encountered by students who had been recently exposed to keyboarding was not apparent in this study. Several sources list advantages and disadvantages of computers or typewriters.
Computers provide for greater consistency when measuring for either speed or accuracy.
Any claims made by computer or software developers regarding increased rates of skill development should be substantiated by further impartial research. This study found that computers had no advantage aver typewriters in the development of keyboarding Skills when measured in the gain scores of gwpm. Electric typewriters appear to be a viable alternative in the present development of keyboarding skill in elementary school students. Educators may want to consider the ease with which computers allow students to keyboard at individual paces, the versatility of the machines to be used for purposes other than keyboarding, and the introduction of economically-priced computers before Purchasing electric typewriters. Without continued use, developed skills will regress to initial keyboarding rates calling to question this expenditure of time, money, and energy in the first place.