What do kids really need to know?

I've been working in Educational Technology for about 18 years.  I recently was asked to give a list of what kids really need to know in technology.  This caused me to think and to be very particular about my list.  It is hard to narrow down all the things I would like them to know into the list of what they really need to know.  Here's what I came up with ....

1. How to use the internet.  The internet is not going away any time soon.  In fact, the amount of info on the web is growing exponentially.  Therefore, our children need to know good search skills and they need to have the ability to discern what is true factual reliable information.  Under the topic of internet I am also going to include safety and appropriate use.

2. Office Skills - word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software.  While I still am a firm believer in Microsoft Office, there are great free alternatives also available.  The question isn't what do you use but can you use it effectively.

3. Typing - I know a lot of people won't agree with me but I put this on the list because I don't see research papers going away any time soon.  A student who types well will be able to finish those projects much quicker.  And it is cheaper than paying someone to type your paper.

4. Citing Sources - It is important to teach about intellectual property and the need to cite your resources.  Plagiarism is rampant in the school systems today. Most kids don't even understand that they have done something wrong.  Others don't care ...

5. Help.  Students need to learn how to get help when they are stuck.  I teach my students to "google" just about everything.  After all, that's where I find help with problems.  I also teach them to use the "Help" button that is within a piece of software.

6. Back Up - Always have a couple of copies of everything.  My students use DropBox.com as a back up for their school files.  They get a free account and it is accessible over the internet.  Never depend on just one location for you files.  (unless that is on a network server that gets backed up every night.)

7. Communication Skills - You could argue that these aren't technology skills but there is a definite overlap.  Students need to be able to write polite appropriate emails to others.  They need to be able to write full sentences with correct spelling.  They also need to be able to present information orally.  Using PowerPoint is fine but don't read the slides to people.  Written and oral communication skills will take you a long way in finding a good job and in being successful.


There are lots of other things that could make the list but that's what I rank as absolute must haves for students.