We are able to ensure that the needs of staff and students, rather than software applications, drive integration of technology into the curriculum. But we're flexible about what skills are taught and when they are introduced. Students begin to learn keyboarding, basic computer operations, and appropriate terminology. We use verbal quizzes to help guide them through this introductory material. We also give the students plenty of time to work with KidPix, a multimedia program that includes a mini-word processor and a graphics program.
Students focus on computer operations.
We then put each student's work into a slide show for the entire class to view. Students focus on problem-solving skills and begin to learn the process of navigating a program or site. We use HyperStudio, a multimedia program that helps students understand links, superlinks, and how to present information in a logical sequence. We have students develop an electronic portfolio of their school experiences. These multimedia portfolios typically include photographs, a voice recording, perhaps even a passage from a student's favorite book.