Keyboard, Instruction, Testing, Practice Overview and Research Keyboarding is the penmanship of the computer age, as essential as closing the o's and dotting the i's. Just as skill with a pen fosters the ability to communicate in writing, keyboarding extends that ability into the realm of word processing, electronic communication, and desktop publishing. Additionally, keyboarding requires practice and repetition, two activities little favored by most students. What is needed is a keyboarding program that interests students and requires few resources as it teaches typing.
Research shows that speed increases more readily if simple words are used and are repeated often.
Easy practice material develops speed and typing fluency more effectively, giving the student a feeling of confidence and a sense of success. Keyboarding research also shows that students should learn the patterns of keystrokes uninterrupted by immediate corrections, and that speed and accuracy skills should be developed separately. Both teachers and students should set speed and accuracy goals. Additionally studies show that speed increases when a student concentrates on typing words and phrases rather than single letters. Explain to students that there are several basics to successful keyboarding.