5-8 Curriculum Intermediate and Middle School

Grades 5-8 Computer Education Program Overview

 
To be competitive in a global economy and information age, our students will be required to access, select, process, and communicate information. Higher levels of thinking skills and knowledge will be required to use the computer effectively to solve complex problems. The computer allows the gathering and processing of information more effectively, makes abstract concepts concrete and visual, and provides a wide array of opportunities to present information o an informed audience.

The computer education curriculum prepares students to use computer technology for learning, working, accessing and applying information for content related problem solving, for producing products, and for communicating ideas and data. The curriculum also includes objectives to enable students to understand the societal uses and impact of technology on today's workplace and living habits. A major premise of the computer education curriculum is that the use of the computer is that of a tool. The computer is not viewed as an end in and of itself, rather, the use of the computer is a means by which students more efficiently and effectively achieve the Hillsborough Township Public Schools' core content curriculum goals as well as the state of New Jersey's core content curriculum standards.

It is understood that the computer curriculum will be ever changing to meet the technological advances of more sophisticated hardware and software as well as the growing use of computers within the core curriculum. The content aspect of the curriculum will be on-going and continually revised as the district educational process continues to use information, technology, and other tools to support the curriculum.

It is the computer education program objective to support the regular curriculum in the development of students who are problem solvers, information seekers and users, and effective communicators. Such students will have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to be collaborative workers, community participants, and ethical technology users.

Students who successfully complete the computer education curriculum's goals and objectives will be:

Complex thinkers who can use technology to:

Define problems

Gather information

Analyze data

Interpret and generalize results

Quality workers who:

Use technology and software effectively

Recognize appropriate use and benefits of computers to communicate and learn

Understand the ethical and societal impact of computer technology

Self-directed learners who can independently use computers to:

Acquire data

Analyze and interpret information

Communicate effectively

Transfer computer skills learned from one activity to another

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students will continue their computer education program through an integrated approach to the core curriculum areas. Classroom teachers sign up to use the computer lab, then collaborate with computer resource teachers to create technology projects that directly relate to the curriculum being studied in the classroom. Students reinforce basic computer skills as they apply them to authentic core curriculum related activities. Skills reinforced include word processing, spreadsheets and charts, graphic organizers, and the use of multimedia and the Internet. Keyboarding skills are reinforced as students continue to practice their keyboarding technique and to improve their rate.