Opinions: What computer skills should a 7th grader have?

well i can tell you what skills are required for my 7th grader -- though she is way past the requirements ...

1. design and publish a web site using frames - they use frontpage in class

2. be able to use a graphics program to pull photos off a digital camera and do things to the pics

3. create a graphic etc using corel or photoshop from scratch

4. be able to mix a song which they record themselves from no less than 8 tracks (on a mac)

5. write a script, plan out and shoot a video on a original subject (in groups of 3 or 4) , edit it , and create a dvd (dad can help -cough cough) ..
and present it to the school .. use the music track they prev created in it somehow also ..

6. be able to use both a mac and pc , create a new user , folders , back up to a server and general mac and pc things ..

7. be able to type at 20-30 wpm


that is the first semester


in the second they get into coding and writing software more and i think be able to build and or name all the parts in a computer... and setting up a network ..

11- 13

8th grade (proposal)

- assemble a computer from parts
- set up and administer a network
- master virus recovery tools
- create a simple 3D animation with Maya (model, animate, render, composite)
- and for extra credit, figure out which ATI MMC version works least bad and why?

using maya in 8th grade is pretty good ....i'm impressed

its not an easy program to just jump into .... not as easy as say 3d studio max which they use in my kids school

Originally Posted by BJ_M

using maya in 8th grade is pretty good ....i'm impressed

its not an easy program to just jump into .... not as easy as say 3d studio max which they use in my kids school

Maya is free in learning edition.
I would have them go through a canned tutorial project to get the idea of the steps. The concepts transfer to any 3D modeling/animation program.

http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/products-services/product_details.jsp?productId=1900003

R. Kelly?! We know what you want to teach 7th graders :P

Originally Posted by BJ_M

well i can tell you what skills are required for my 7th grader -- though she is way past the requirements ...

1. design and publish a web site using frames - they use frontpage in class
Nope. That's a specialty class.

2. be able to use a graphics program to pull photos off a digital camera and do things to the pics
Again, probably a Photography or Design class.

3. create a graphic etc using corel or Photoshop from scratch
See #2. Not general computer knowledge. And not generally on most computers.

4. be able to mix a song which they record themselves from no less than 8 tracks (on a mac)
Yet another item too specific that 99.9+% of PC users won't need.

5. write a script, plan out and shoot a video on a original subject (in groups of 3 or 4) , edit it , and create a dvd (dad can help -cough cough) ..
and present it to the school .. use the music track they prev created in it somehow also ..
See 2, 3 and 4.

6. be able to use both a mac and pc , create a new user , folders , back up to a server and general mac and pc things ..
Now you're getting somewhere 8)

7. be able to type at 20-30 wpm
Another good one


in the second they get into coding and writing software more and i think be able to build and or name all the parts in a computer... and setting up a network ..
Again, more specialty classes

Originally Posted by phelix

I rather loathe the idea of a "computer class". The computer is a tool, nothing more. You shouldn't be teaching to the tool; instead, integrate the tool into other things. Show how to use a word processor in English class, a spreadsheet in basic algebra, google/internet in history class, etc., where the computer reinforces or expands the ideas you're already teaching there.

The only thing that should be taught in a "computer class" is programming, as it is the only (computer related) topic sufficiently advanced to require a entire semester or year dedicated to it.

EXACTLY!

A "general" computer class is akin to having a "using your television remote" class. My daughter learned to use a PC by 4 years, so now that she has "computers" (class) at school, she can do more interesting stuff than "Here is the 'on' switch, class."

Originally Posted by phelix

I rather loathe the idea of a "computer class". The computer is a tool, nothing more. You shouldn't be teaching to the tool; instead, integrate the tool into other things. Show how to use a word processor in English class, a spreadsheet in basic algebra, google/internet in history class, etc., where the computer reinforces or expands the ideas you're already teaching there. The only thing that should be taught in a "computer class" is programming, as it is the only (computer related) topic sufficiently advanced to require a entire semester or year dedicated to it.

I agree 100%

Originally Posted by phelix

For example, instead of teaching how to use MSWord, teach instead how composing with a word processor is different than pen&paper. Show how easily one can compose and edit in a non-linear fashion. How you can easily go from an outline to finished product. Use version control and annotations to show how text evolves from one draft to the next. Don't waste time with formatting until the end, and use styles instead of applying formatting directly. An most importantly, teach them to turn off the damn grammar checker.

And before all that, someone should be teaching children the proper usage of the English language. It seems that most kids these days leave high school without the ability of composing a half decent letter or writing a proper essay.

Regards.

When designing any class, (computer or otherwise), it is irrelevant what skills a "typical 7th grader" should have. You must know the level that YOUR students are at and build upon those to improve current skills and/or introduce new concepts.
I am in agreement with others about the concept of a "computer" class. The computer is a tool that should be utilyzed in other classes.

Having said that, a "computer" class should be akin to an automechanics class. Learn how to care for and maintain the hardware. Understand installation environment, clearances, cooling, etc. Learn the various software maintenance tools (skandisk, defrag, regedit, etc.), what they do and when to use them. Learn basic troubleshooting techniques and how to apply them. Disassemble to component parts, clean, and reassemble to finished cabinet. Research and define their own "dream machine" explaining what the intended purpose for their computer is and why they chose the parts and software they did in relation to that stated purpose. Repeat the "dream machine" exercise but impose a budget. Help them understand when and where to make compromises and plan for possible future upgrades.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Jester700

True in an ideal world. But this supposes that every classroom have enough PCs for every student (or that every student has their own laptop). That's a pretty exepnsive proposition for school districts.

No, only a computer in every classroom. The students need to understand what they are using the tool for and this can be taught without a computer. Once they understand what they are trying to accomplish, it's a very simple matter to show them how to use an application to accomplish it.

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

Originally Posted by phelix

I rather loathe the idea of a "computer class". The computer is a tool, nothing more. You shouldn't be teaching to the tool; instead, integrate the tool into other things. Show how to use a word processor in English class, a spreadsheet in basic algebra, google/internet in history class, etc., where the computer reinforces or expands the ideas you're already teaching there. The only thing that should be taught in a "computer class" is programming, as it is the only (computer related) topic sufficiently advanced to require a entire semester or year dedicated to it.

I agree 100%

I'll give you guys half credit on that. And I will conceed that it is a tuff call to make. The machine and tech are so broad that they can be seperated and diversified into many phases and applications. I am concerned that a single program or system could go obsolete in a flash. I think the key is teaching "How to learn" not so much as "What to learn". Kind of like do they still teach "Slide ruler" anymore? On the other hand, XP is the current mainstream OS for example. It is what most of the people that you are dealing and competing with are using and I would think that current tech has a place in the classroom.

As much as my kids would hate the idea, I tkink that the school day and or year needs to be streched, there is just soooo much to learn. Maybe even add a year or two to the high school term. But then again, would that be taking away from people actually living their lives? Tuff call.

Give it time, things will evolve. Todays school kids no longer have the task of filling the oil lamps or carrying a pen knife to cut their pen quills. Hell chalk boards have gone to dry erase and overhead projectors to computer projectors to individual monitors and beyond in the time it takes me to post a reply. The learning capibilities are endless at schools today, but how many kids can stay still long enough to let a butterfly land on them?

Would that be an eMachines box?

It all depends on the target audience and their overall curiousity. I disagree with the typical museum approach where the goal is to dumb the tech down to the level of the curator (yes down) and then entertain the kids.

You only need to watch the way they can master video games, cellphones and tivo if they have interest or access to peer group knowledge.

The kids need to be challenged to at least understand the concepts and those destined for an accelerated track need to understand the concepts to the level they know they can learn further on their own with links and google.

The idea is to get these kids ready for a managerial or technical grasp. Alternative is they will be working for someone who has these skills.

Everything said here is excellent.

But there's one aspect of all this that I hadn't read anyone here hit upon.

The ability of the teachers(! plural, not just one) to be able to use the computer as a tool in practically all/most of the courses they are to teach.

I think that is at least half of this overall issue.

While this exercise will help one person here asking the question, I see not enough of this taking place throughout the county that I live in. More teachers need to be educated to a point they can integrate this remarkable device into the mainstream of teaching.

Well, at least that's off my chest.

Ooooh, I had not thought about the possibility of varring skill levels. An aptitude or skill level test may be in order and then a curriculum(SP) that is in stages or steps may be in order. Kind of a if/then thing. If you can do this, then go here and try this, until they get to a point that they are learning new skills. Keeping it simple to learn and making it fun enough to keep advancing is truley a mark of a good teacher. I had not anticipated that you could end up with a group of kids that could range from never touching a keyboard to cutting edge code writers! Good luck and thanks for volunteering!

When I was in 7th grade, it was fun and games with MS DOS, maximising memory under 640 kB, QBasic and Civilization (the original).

Regards.