Computer skills

[Tainbri]

Bit of a random question but out of interest, how well can your dc operate a computer? I was a bit surprised when a note came home today saying that over the summer dc really needs to get to grips with the package and I need to sit down and teach him (everything from saving documents to changing the font) he is 11 and whilst he not "into" computers, we have bought him a laptop, which he takes to school every day, I kind of assumed school would be teaching him this AIBU or have you as a parent taught your dc and I have failed miserably?

Sorry by package, I mean Word.

I taught dd the basics (because thats all i know) years. Cant remember why. Probably because she was bored. Not because i thought it was a life skill or anything.

I am surprised your ds has never done this at school or at home. Are you sure he doesnt know how to do it? Or is that his excuae to his teacher.

Thanks saiman, no, he's not being evasive, it's genuine. For years people have said aren't you lucky ds would rather be climbing a tree or kicking a ball about, screen time is so not an issue in our house! I kind of assumed he'd be having to use tech at school and would know the basics so now I'm a bit shocked but as I say, we read and do homework and stuff but I've never taught him anything myself on the computer

I think the issue could be (not 100% sure) but they dont cover the basics at school.

Dd never has. They have done more complex stuff. But not alot word/excel/powerpoint etc basics.

Perhaps you have assumed school teach him and school have assumed that yiu have taught him since he has access to a computer

Yes, you're right, that's exactly what's happened!! It's an eye-opener to say the least! I confess to assuming it would be so ingrained in the curriculum that along with reading and writing it would be covered

I can see how that happens tbh. I certainly didnt teach dd the basics because i thought it was important. Just one of these things that we did for no real reason.

Easiest way to get him upto speed is let him play with it. Then ask him to do stuff on it. I always use google when i need help on excel, just tell him to typs inyo goigle what he wants and something will be there.

They don't cover the basics at all. My dd1's school went straight into coding basics, Microsoft Office etc when she was 5. She already knew much of this stuff as DH and I are technophiles thankfully, and by 8 was programming basic apps. She is more advanced than her peers but it's more because she's obsessed by computers, and 'building' things.

I think this is the trouble, my ds is a "technophobe" you'd think it would be impossible in this modern era of games that all kids are automatically glued to the screen! Everyone kept saying oh that's great, far better to be kicking a ball etc. It's all just come as a bit of a surprise as I justness thought he would pick it up at school tbh. Extrodianry that they do coding etc without checking the child even knows the basics. I almost feel like it's the modern day equivalent of being illiterate.

My kids were not taught any computing at school, but are really switched on to IT.

In the home they have been surrounded by gadgets since toddlerhood, from games consoles, Nintendo DS, PCs, laptops, tablets etc.

They really just figured it all out themselves.

My 12 year old doesnt know how to use word - I keep meaning to do something about it but haven't got round to it. They don't use computers at school but he can use a tablet.

They started coding using puzzles - apparently kids who are good at puzzles have the skills to become good at programming. DD1 went to another level because she loves soldering and making stuff (circuits etc) and so started to build and then program really basic 'computers'. She hates climbing though lol and has to be dragged when I take the kids rock climbing.

I would expect them to do basics at school but I've also done some basics with them at home when they've had projects to do and they've added to that by playing around themselves.

DGS is 9 and they use computers to do bits of their group project work.
All the children are introduced to Excel and PowerPoint as well as Word in Yr2. DGS never uses it at home but introducing it this early stops them thinking it's hard.
I still don't feel comfortable using spreadsheets!

I taught mine when they were 6. Not Word, since we don't have that, but Google Docs and then I showed them how it's similar in other similar programs so they'd understand how to transfer that knowledge.

I think schools should cover these basics in primary school, not everyone is going to have access to a computer at home. And then use them through outschool. I guess I would be really surprised if a kid had their own laptop and didn't know how to, but that's not really the point!

This is the exact reverse of what happened in computing when I was at school.

Rather than learn to code, I hated spending hours being shown how to create Word documents and the like by a teacher who knew the bare minimum.

It was the main reason why I didn't bother to study ICT at GCSE level.

I am so glad that kids are now getting a chance to learn proper computer skills like coding.

I do think that they still need to learn the basics of Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Shame about ICT being considered too basic.

So far, only 1/4 DC learnt ICT at home. We tried, honest, but it was artificial to create those opportunities. I never learnt Excel & Powerpoint until I had to learn them for work. (didn't even know how to right click to eject a USB drive when I started current job ... and yet I had/have Geek credentials!! ).

DC1: seemed to learn at school & via osmosis at home.
DC2: never any interest so 'behind' by age 11/12. Needed lots help at home & at school, but got there (hoping for A* in computing GCSE this August)
DC3: signed up for ICT GCSE, thank goodness we had the chance. He will need that support & I think he'll do computing GCSE afterwards. We struggle to teach him anything at home.
DC4: I bet will be like DC2 but with steeper learning curve.

This is exactly the problem that teachers and numerous organisations like in this report said would happen.

Gove seemed to believe that as they could use fb then they could use IT; we have students who can not even use 2 keys at the same time as they have only used a tablet's keyboard

When you say 'the basics' what bits is he missing? If he were interested, how long would it actually take, to 'learn' how to open, and to save a file in Word? 2mins? At what point did you (or the school) discover that this knowledge was missing?

All very relevant questions, essential if you want to address the real problem, which could easily be motivation, rather than lack of opportunity to learn.

I have only just discovred the knowledge is missing with the note that came home and very surprised that it's literally everything, and yes you're right, it seems to be a lack of motivation and a bit like struggling learning to read and write, I think he must be using avoidance strategies as he's clearly slipped through the net at school until now. It's true it is generally assumed that kids just "learn" computerers and every youngster today is glued to them. Not so in our house and now I have a problem

Just jumping in here to say that IMO being able to touch type properly (without looking at the keyboard) is an extremely useful life skill. I would start with that. There are some fun packages to teach it.

I hate seeing people jabbing at the keyboard with the "wrong" fingers. My school discouraged typing classes for the more academic girls (1970s), but it's one of the most useful things I learned and I use it every day and in every job I've ever held.