Our society has become one that is geared toward technology. More than fifty percent of the workforce uses a computer in its daily job. 

Traditionally, touch typing was taught at the high school level to students who had never before used a keyboard.  

Educators have long recognized that instruction in touch keyboarding should be provided before students become involved in computer applications requiring extensive keyboarding. 

It is estimated that students will spend more that four hundred hours on microcomputers before they reach the ninth grade. 

Business educators have known since the early 1930’s that elementary school students can learn to type. Not only can elementary students learn to type, but also those who do type improve their language arts skills. 

The objective of keyboarding education is to allow children to become more proficient in computer use and to avoid reteaching of keyboarding skills. 

It is reported that fifty thousand children in grades kindergarten through sixth, when given the choice to write by hand or type, ninety-one percent chose to type. Research shows that handwriting requires five distinct motor skills in order to compose one letter. It is noted that keyboarding requires less physical and cognitive demands than handwriting. 

Kindergartners were found to compose more meaningful text earlier with the keyboard than with pen and pencil.  

At a time when the use of technology at home and work is constantly growing, proficiency in keyboarding is becoming a necessary skill. Quality instruction at an early age enables students to become competent and confident in their ability to use the computer keyboard before they begin extensive use of the computer as a learning tool.