KEYBOARDING STANDARDS

July 2008

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course is designed to provide an opportunity for students to master the skill of entering alphabetic, numeric, and symbolic information on a keyboard and a ten-key pad using the touch method of keystroking.  Emphasis is placed on development of accuracy and speed, proper techniques, and correct fingering. Formatting of basic documents will be introduced.

   A.        SAFETY AND ETHICS

1. Identify major causes of work-related accidents in offices.

2.  Describe the threat of viruses to a computer network, methods of avoiding attacks, and options in dealing with virus attacks.

3.  Identify potential abuse and unethical uses of computers and networks.

4.  Explain the consequences of illegal and unethical uses of information technologies, e.g., piracy; illegal downloading; copyright violations; licensing infringement; and inappropriate uses of software, hardware, and mobile devices.

5.  Discuss negative social issues related to use of the Internet.

6.  Differentiate between freeware, shareware, and public domain software copyrights.

7.   Identify Internet etiquette.

8.   Discuss computer crimes, terms of use, and legal issues such as copyright laws, fair use laws, and ethics pertaining to scanned and downloaded clip art images, photographs, documents, video, recorded sounds and music, trademarks, and other elements for use in Web publications.

9.   Describe ethical practices in business professions.

10.        Discuss the necessity of safeguarding the confidentiality of business-related information.

   B.        EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

                               1.    Identify positive work attitudes, e.g., punctuality, time management, and organization.

                               2.    Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills, e.g., communication, respect, and teamwork.

   C.        STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

                               1.    Explain how related student organizations are integral parts of career and technology education courses.

                               2.    Explain the goals and objectives of related student organizations.

                               3.    List opportunities available to students through participation in related student organization conferences and other activities.

                               4.    Explain how participation in career and technology education student organizations can promote lifelong responsibility for community service and professional development.

4. KEYBOARDING MASTERY:

1.   Use correct fingering and proper touch techniques to key alphanumeric information.

2.   Use correct fingering and proper touch techniques to key numeric information on a ten-key pad.

3.   Demonstrate speed at a minimum rate of 30 wpm with a maximum of three errors on a three-minute timed writing.

4.   Use equipment and/or software capabilities to correct errors.

5.   Use correct procedures for saving and retrieving information.

6.   Demonstrate proper use of hardware and software.

5. LANGUAGE SKILLS

1.   Follow oral and written instructions.

2.   Identify and use basic keyboarding and computer terminology.

3.   Apply formal language rules for punctuation, grammar, spelling, number expression, word division, and capitalization.

4.   Compose at the keyboard.

5.   Edit copy using proofreaders’ marks.

6. DOCUMENT FORMATTING:

1.   Use special features, such as bold, underline, italics, bullets, and numbering to enhance a document.

2.   Format, key, and edit personal business letters using block style.

3.   Format, key, and edit basic reports.

4.   Format, key, and edit simple tables.

Revised July 2008