Chris said:
Do you know of a free syllabus or checklist for teaching computing?
I keep meeting people, usually quite old, who want to get a computer and
get on Internet. They know absolutely nothing - and have sometimes
never even seen a keyboard or mouse before.
[snip]
I'm snipping, since this would be a long subject. I'll talk only about
the first phase, as it's essential. And tends to get overlooked.
Focus on the mouse.
They tend to grip it tight, and move it hard. Like someone first learning
to drive a stick shift. Or like a child with a pencil. Get them to fully
relax their hand. As well, assess that their hand drapes over the mouse
in a suitable position. This part is probably very similar to when giving
first lessons in golf.
It is not just because they're beginners that they will have problems
adjusting to using the mouse. And not just because some will feel nervous.
In that age group, they often have some physical disadvantages, arthritis
and similar.
Make sure they get a good mouse. For the men with big hands, don't have
them use one of those tiny ones, which make for a bad fit. And watch out
for left-handers. In that generation, I found out that many left-handers
are not assertive about going with their natural hand; result from having
been in schools where they were not allowed to use their left hand as
primary in schools. Microsoft has an unpleasant policy of making
right-handed mice alone. So for your left-handers, see if you can locate
a mouse for them with left orientation, or at least one that is neutral.
Teach them how to move the mouse on the screen. Then how to select an
object. Next how to click an object.
Then, the double-click. Before starting that, change the double-click
setting in their computer, so that it does not require too rapid a sequence.
The action of dragging an object and releasing, that is initially a
difficult part. Lots of premature releasers. So guide them through
that activity. Until they find it more natural to not let go too soon.
(Btw, when I taught them to select text in an editor window, I had a
policy to keep it a secret for a while, about the shift key. So they
would therefore have to learn the skill itself, without cheating.)
Once you have them started with the mouse, teach them how to launch
Freecell, and how to launch Solitaire.
Then assign that as their homework. They must play Freecell and Solitaire
every day, for at least an hour a day, for the next couple of weeks.
It is at this point, too, where freeware would serve a good role. If you
can track down games that they will like, and which have the side-effect
of making use of the mouse more natural.
That's phase one. It's the major phase. After that, sailing gets smooth,
and the activities become more interesting. For instance, next steps
involve pulling out Wordpad, and MSPaint. Activities I've found they
really like, since it addresses their need to produce something, create.
