Digital literacy instructors_manual

Digital Literacy
Instructor’s Manual

Digital Literacy

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Contents
About This Instructor’s Manual 2
About This Instructor’s Manual 2
How To Use This Manual 2
How To Use This Manual 2
Chapter 1: The Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Instructor 4
Chapter 1: The Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum and the Role of the Instructor 4
The Digital Literacy Curriculum..............................................................................................................5
The Instructor’s Role..............................................................................................................................9
Chapter 2: Creating and Using a Syllabus 11
Chapter 2: Creating and Using a Syllabus 11
Creating a Syllabus..............................................................................................................................11
Using, Modifying and Updating the Syllabus As You Teach................................................................16
Chapter 3: Effective Teaching Methods 17
Chapter 3: Effective Teaching Methods 17
Preparing to Teach..............................................................................................................................17
Understanding Teaching Methods ......................................................................................................19
Conducting Effective Group Activities..................................................................................................20
Summary.............................................................................................................................................21
Chapter 4: Practical Lesson Planning 22
Chapter 4: Practical Lesson Planning 22
Designing Your Lesson Plan ...............................................................................................................22
Components of a Lesson Plan ............................................................................................................22
Creating Your Lesson Plan..................................................................................................................23
Creating a Sample Lesson Plan for the First Class.............................................................................24
Chapter 5: Scenarios 29
Chapter 5: Scenarios 29
Scenario One: Conducting the First Class...........................................................................................29
Scenario Two: Directing an E-Learning Session..................................................................................30
Scenario Three: Managing Group Sessions and Activities..................................................................32
Scenario Four: Presenting Reviews and Administering Tests ............................................................33
A Final Note.........................................................................................................................................34
Appendix A: Templates and Samples 35
Appendix A: Templates and Samples 35
Syllabus Template...............................................................................................................................35
Sample Term Syllabus – Instructor Version.........................................................................................39
Sample Term Syllabus – Student Version...........................................................................................48
Sample Quarter Syllabus – Instructor Version.....................................................................................57
Sample Quarter Syllabus – Student Version........................................................................................64
Sample Seminar Syllabus – Instructor Version....................................................................................71
Sample Seminar Syllabus – Student Version......................................................................................77
Lesson Plan Template.........................................................................................................................82
Sample Lesson Plan............................................................................................................................84
Activity Template.................................................................................................................................86
Appendix B: Activities/Exercises 88
Appendix B: Activities/Exercises 88
Appendix C: Glossary 144
Appendix C: Glossary 144
Appendix D: Answers to the Self Test 155

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Appendix D: Answers to the Self Test 155
Course 1: Computer Basics...............................................................................................................155
Course 2: The Internet and World Wide Web ...................................................................................159
Course 3: Productivity Programmes..................................................................................................161
Course 4: Computer Security and Privacy.........................................................................................165
Course 5: Digital Lifestyles................................................................................................................170
Appendix E: Resources 177
Appendix E: Resources 177
Appendix F: Classroom Setup Guide 178
Appendix F: Classroom Setup Guide 178
Introduction........................................................................................................................................178
Getting Started...................................................................................................................................178
Classroom Deployment Options........................................................................................................178
The Microsoft Digital Literacy Online Assessments...........................................................................181
The Certificate Test...........................................................................................................................186

About This Instructor’s Manual
Welcome to the Microsoft® Digital Literacy Instructor’s Manual. As an instructor, you play an important
role in customising the curriculum to meet local requirements and effectively help your students
develop the skills they need to use computer technology at work and at home. Both first-time and
experienced instructors will find valuable information and materials for planning, customising and
conducting classes in the following pages.

How To Use This Manual
New instructors should read completely through each chapter, making full use of the planning and
teaching materials as they are presented. Experienced instructors should focus their attention on
Chapters One and Five. They explain how the Digital Literacy curriculum is organised, its objectives
and how to meet the needs of your students most effectively. If you have classroom teaching and
course design experience, you may only need to skim the material on how to prepare for, and instruct,
classes.
Here is a brief description of each chapter and the appendices:
H Chapter 1 provides an overview of the Digital Literacy curriculum: its design, goals, benefits and
the Certification Test. It also explains how to adapt the programme to match computer availability,
Internet access and information about using the e-learning software.
Chapter 2 guides you through preparing a syllabus that ensures that the curriculum objectives
are covered in the allotted time. The Digital Literacy curriculum can be adapted to fit different
styles of programmes from short seminars to full-length term programmes.
s Chapter 3 presents effective teaching techniques that you can use in class to enhance students’
abilities to learn, and to create a comfortable and effective classroom environment.
a Chapter 4 focuses on developing effective lesson plans and customising individual classes to
meet your students’ needs.
m Chapter 5 presents a series of scenarios demonstrating how to use the tools and techniques in
the preceding chapters, combined with the activities and exercises contained in Appendix B to
work with your students and lead classes.
w Appendix A provides blank forms for developing your own syllabus and lesson plans, along with
sample versions.

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Appendix B contains a variety of supplemental exercises and activities you can use in
conjunction with the e-learning courses. You may also adapt the activities to best suit the needs
of a particular locale.
o Appendix C contains a glossary of terms from the Digital Literacy e-learning courses.
Appendix D provides the answers to the Self Test questions used in the e-learning courses.
Appendix E is a Resource Guide listing useful Web sites for more information about topics in the
Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum and instructional methods.
M Appendix F contains the system requirements and installation procedures for setting up the
curriculum in a classroom or lab.

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Chapter 1: The Microsoft Digital Literacy
Curriculum and the Role of the Instructor
Digital technology, from e-mail and the Internet to mobile phones, ATMs and MP3 players, is a
constant part of daily life. Employers increasingly expect people entering the workforce to have basic
computer and software skills. Individuals lacking such skills, and a way to obtain them, are at an
increasing disadvantage in both the local and global economy.
The free courses and assessments in the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum provide the opportunity
to learn those skills, and to obtain a certificate recognising the accomplishment. The only prerequisite
for taking the programme is the ability to read a newspaper.
It is possible to complete the curriculum without an instructor by using the online courses available on
the Microsoft Web site. Although the online curriculum reaches a lot of people, it limits the programme
in two ways. Firstly, it is difficult for someone with little or no computer experience to use a computer
to complete an online course without at least a minimal amount of assistance. Second, there is no
way to offer customised instruction adapted to local conditions to meet the specific needs of students
in a particular area.
Both of these limitations are removed with one important addition—you, the instructor. Instructors
must possess the same basic reading ability, and be willing to dedicate their time and efforts to help
others learn. Before teaching your first class, you should be familiar with the course materials, the e-
learning software and the information and resources provided in this manual.
As an instructor, you will play a key role in helping students meet their computer learning goals and
lead more fulfilling lives. Teaching the courses in a classroom setting grants access to computers and
the courseware. Your presence as a tutor and facilitator ensures the students’ success. Over one
million people have taken the Digital Literacy curriculum. It is currently available in English, Thai, Latin
American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Polish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian and
Japanese. Additional language versions are currently under development. You are part of a global
community of Digital Literacy instructors making a difference in people’s lives.

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The Digital Literacy Curriculum
The Digital Literacy curriculum includes the e-learning courses and the assessments. The courses
include demonstrations, animations, simulations, hands-on labs and games in a rich learning
environment that allows the learner to explore each topic thoroughly.

Figure 1.1 The e-learning course
Figure 1.1 shows how the e-learning course appears. You can select content in any order by using
the icons on the navigation wheel shown in Figure 1.2 or by selecting a topic from the list in Text view,
as shown in Figure 1.3.

Figure 1.2 The navigation wheel – Icon view

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Figure 1.3 The navigation wheel – Text view
The following table lists the individual icons and the type of content they represent in the navigation
wheel.

Reading materials

Animation, demonstration or video

Interaction

Game

Simulation and practice

Self Test

The Courses
The curriculum is divided into five courses, and each of the five courses is divided into lessons. Each
lesson has its own set of topics that serve as the foundation for your classes, to which you may add
customised content to help your students master the material and the goals of the sponsor. The
following paragraphs briefly describe the courses.

Computer Basics
This course is the starting point of the curriculum. It presents the key skills that must be
mastered before the learner attempts the other courses. The content introduces students to
the fundamentals of computing, explains the components of a computer, explores operating
system basics and demonstrates how to use a mouse and a keyboard. Completing the
Computer Basics course, or already having a similar level of skill, is a prerequisite for taking
the other courses in the curriculum. The other courses may be presented in any order, after
the students complete the Computer Basics course.
After completing the Computer Basics course, successful students are able to describe the
importance of computers in today's world; identify the main parts of a computer; describe
basic computer performance factors and define the operating systems, networks and the uses
for typical programmes at work and at home.

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The Internet and World Wide Web
This course shows students how to connect to the Internet; browse Web sites; use search
engines; exchange e-mail and instant messages with others and explore the features of
online communities, and it explains how Web authoring software is used to create and publish
Web pages.

Productivity Programmes
This course explores the most common productivity software applications used in business, in
education and at home. Students are taught to select the right software for a project, and how
to perform basic tasks by using word processing, spreadsheets, presentation and database
software.

Computer Security and Privacy
This course introduces key concepts in computer security and in the ethical use of the
technology. It explains the risks and threats to computer security and privacy, and outlines the
steps every user should know to prevent information theft.

Digital Lifestyles
This course introduces the students to new digital technologies, including digital audio, digital
video and digital photography. It explores how these and other computing technologies are
creating new career opportunities and shaping the world in which we live.

Self Tests, Assessments, Study Guides and the Certification Test
All learning programmes need some form of evaluation to track how well students have mastered the
concepts and skills. Students and instructors need feedback to assess how well the learner is
progressing and what lessons need to be reviewed and reinforced.
The same evaluations can be used before students attempt computer study to see if they already
know the material. If a student takes any test or evaluation, and obtains a passing mark, they have
completed the requirements for that portion of the curriculum. The Digital Literacy curriculum provides
three distinct levels of evaluation. The following paragraphs describe their scope and purpose.

Self Tests
Every lesson includes a computer-based Self Test that a student may take at any time. It
presents a variety of questions or games limited to the objectives and skills presented in the
topics for that lesson.

Assessments
There are two types of assessments, Hosted assessments (only available online at the
Microsoft Digital Literacy Web page) and instructor-designed quizzes.

Hosted Assessments
There is one hosted assessment for each course. Students take a hosted assessment online
at the Microsoft Web site. Each assessment contains 30 multiple choice questions and should
take approximately 30–40 minutes to complete. Students can take assessments at any time.
After the student has finished an assessment, they receive a personalised Learning Plan that
outlines the topics from that course that they might want to study further.

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Instructor-Designed Quizzes
You can create your own quizzes by using all the assessment questions (which are available
in a Microsoft Office Word file that includes the correct answers) and adding your own
questions. You can use these questions to review lessons and to help students feel more
confident about their knowledge and test-taking abilities.

Certificate Test
This is the final evaluation for the Digital Literacy curriculum and covers key points from all
five Digital Literacy courses. Students may take the 30 question Certificate Test at any time
online at Microsoft.com, and it should take approximately 30–40 minutes to complete. After a
student finishes the Certificate Test, he or she receives a personalised Learning Plan that
outlines the topics from all five courses that they might want to study further. Students who
receive a passing mark can print a personalised Digital Literacy certificate.

The Classroom Setting
The Digital Literacy curriculum can be used on a single computer or installed in a classroom or lab.
The curriculum is optimally designed for a setting with one computer for each student, each computer
equipped with high-speed Internet access. There are several access possibilities, each of which will
require a different approach.

Broadband
A broadband connection is a fast connection to the Internet by using a cable modem, a
corporate network or a DSL service. With reliable high-speed access for all computers,
students can use the e-learning content available at the Microsoft Web site.

Dial-up or modem (56K or faster)
If a high-speed Internet connection is not available, you can use a modem (called a dial-up
connection) to download the e-learning courses to the computers in the class or the lab. A
modem connects a telephone to a computer, and dials a phone number to link the computer
to the Internet. Because the e-learning courses will operate too slowly over a dial-up
connection, students will view the courses locally. Students will still need to connect to the
Internet to take the hosted assessments and the Certificate Test.

No Internet connection
If you don’t have an Internet connection in the classroom, but can access the Internet from
someplace else, you can also download each course as a Word document. These files can
be printed for reading the learning materials in locations without access to the Internet or
computers.
When each student has a computer, the typical time to complete just the e-learning content of
a course should be between two and three hours. Keep in mind that this is not the amount of
classroom time that you should allocate for a course, though. In the classroom, you will
include discussions and other activities to enhance the student experience. When you do not
have enough computers for all of the students at once, then the lessons will take longer for
the entire class to complete. Possible approaches to deal with this situation include setting up
separate lab sessions for each group, getting students to share the computers or arranging
other activities for those students when they are not working on a computer.
This chapter does not go into the technical requirements for setting up the computer
environment, or preparing the computers to use the e-learning course. This information is
available in Appendix F.

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The Instructor’s Role
Now that you know more about the Digital Literacy curriculum, the courses and the basic
requirements, it is time to focus on your role as an instructor. Although the Digital Literacy curriculum
can be completed through online self-study, instructors offer an extra dimension of guidance and
support that improves the ability of students to succeed and take full advantage of what they have
learned. This section provides the information you need to customise the curriculum most effectively
to local conditions and lead classes effectively.

Basic Requirements
You do not need to be a computer expert to teach the Digital Literacy curriculum. The fundamental
requirements for success with your students are reading ability, basic computer skills and a
willingness to help them learn.
Of course, the more you develop your knowledge of the curriculum and instructional skills, the more
the students will benefit. Start with the Digital Literacy curriculum itself. You should familiarise yourself
with the computer-based lessons and topics covered in the curriculum. The best way to prepare is by
using the courses on your own.
Take your time to become familiar with navigating through the courses. The Navigation Overview
topic included in the Course Overview provides a good starting point. View the content in each topic
and take the assessments. Even if you know all the material, intentionally miss some questions to see
how the self-tests and assessments operate.
The familiarity that you gain by practicing with the e-learning courses, becoming familiar with course
content and doing the assessments will bolster your confidence when helping students. It will also
make it much easier to develop your syllabus and lesson plans.

Knowing Your Students
Although you will usually not know your students before the first class session, it is easy to predict the
types of people likely to enrol. For the Digital Literacy curriculum, your students will be those who lack
basic computer skills and seek to improve on basic abilities.
Think for a moment how broad a category of people that encompasses. Most of your students will be
adult learners. While some classes, such as those at a seniors’ centre or a job training programme
centre, may consist of a group of similar students, most will not. Expect diversity—in age, ability,
education, life experiences and cultural background.
It may seem that such a diverse group of students will be difficult to please, but all these people are
coming to the class for one reason: to learn more about using digital technology. Consider this
narrower range of likely entry skills and learning objectives your students will bring to the classroom.
When instructing, there are two useful ways to categorise your students when considering how to help
them learn, no matter what general differences there may be in the group. One way is by using criteria
such as their ages, social factors and cultural backgrounds. Another way is to categorise them based
on what they hope to achieve by taking the class.
Effective instructors use both types of information to interest and motivate the class, and to make the
material relevant to the students’ lifestyles and their reasons for learning more about digital
technology. Typically, your students’ reasons for taking the class will fall into one of several
categories. For example:
• Students who have never used a computer and want to learn basic computer skills. These
students may seek this knowledge to get a better job, or for personal reasons. This type of
student will benefit from taking the entire curriculum.
• Students with some level of basic computing skills who want to enhance their knowledge and
obtain a certificate to validate the achievement. This type of student may be able to skip certain
courses, or even take and pass the Certificate Test immediately.

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• Students with good basic computing skills who want to gain more ability in a specific area. For
example, some students may want to learn how to use the Internet for communication or
research. You can help these students study one or more specific topics and suggest methods of
going beyond the curriculum based on their long-term objectives.
• Students who want to take the course out of general interest. Here, the task of the instructor is to
engage their interests and help them explore the areas they find more rewarding.
• The organisation that is sponsoring Microsoft Digital Literacy in your area may be reaching out to
help a specific group of potential students. For example, a senior citizen centre may offer a
programme focused on skills of interest to that particular group. An employment centre might
target their class at young mothers entering the workforce for the first time. This situation allows
you and the sponsor to focus on the areas that best meet the needs of the group, and prepare a
matching syllabus.
Keep in mind that regardless of the personal objectives for enrolling, all your students are there to
learn. Each one is interested in successfully completing the curriculum. You can keep them engaged
in learning by using comments and activities in class that relate to their lives and aspirations.

The Instructor as Manager: Customising Your Classes
One of the primary advantages of an instructor-led programme over self-study is that you can
customise the classes to match local needs and classroom conditions as they arise. The Digital
Literacy curriculum is designed to be flexible.
You have already seen how it can be taught in virtually any setting, from a fully-equipped computer
lab in a school to a living room with a few interested friends and a laptop. It is just as flexible in the
way that you can focus on certain content or adapt it to different time constraints.
Some students might find a topic more interesting than others in the class will. The group as a whole
may find certain topics more challenging than expected and require additional instruction to master
the objective. You are the person who can ensure that both types of students reach their full potential
by customising their experience. The students who want more information or more of a challenge can
be given supplemental exercises while the rest of the class is working on the course. You can help
those having difficulty in understanding the subject with a combination of encouragement, tutoring and
suggesting the appropriate tasks to practise.
The basic time required to cover the entire curriculum, using just the computer-based e-learning
content is between 10–15 hours. The programme can be conveniently offered in a two-day seminar
format.
The same weekend format could be used to offer specific courses. For example, jobs may be
available for those with basic word processing skills. You might combine the Computer Basics and
Productivity Programmes courses to prepare students for a Word 2003 course.
When you have more time to cover the courses, you can enhance the learning experience by adding
additional exercises and activities. Some locations offer classes that meet several times a week for
two or three months. The hosting organisation will probably set the meeting times for classes, based
on the available facilities. You will need to plan a schedule that allows for covering the required
content in the allotted time. The next chapter explains how to design a schedule that matches the
available time to the curriculum.

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Chapter 2: Creating and Using a Syllabus
As an instructor, creating a syllabus is one of your most important tasks when preparing to lead a
Digital Literacy curriculum. A syllabus is a primary instructor aid. It is a week by week itinerary of the
programme—term, quarter or seminar that outlines what will be covered in your programme, and a
schedule of classes. It is like your road map for the curriculum. The instructor uses the syllabus as the
framework for working through the objectives in the allotted time, and as a starting point to plan the
exact activities for each class.

Creating a Syllabus
An effective syllabus adapts the Digital Literacy curriculum to the students’ needs and available
resources—such as amount of time, computer availability and Internet access. Consider these factors
when deciding on what to include and how to organise the schedule. You can find out about the
available resources by visiting the class location. However, you might have to wait until the first class
to find out more details about the students’ skills and knowledge, and their expectations from the
programme.

Factors to Consider When Creating a Syllabus
Before beginning to draft your syllabus, consider the factors in the following list and gather the
required information:
• The length of the course, the number of classes in a week and the length of the classes. You will
need this information to know how much time is available to present the material. The three
options available are:
o The typical quarter is 8-10 weeks long and usually has three classes every week, giving a
total of between 24 to 30 hours. A quarter-length programme allows a reasonable amount of
time to cover all five courses in the Digital Literacy curriculum, and for students to complete all
five assessments and the Digital Literacy Certificate Test during class.
o The typical term is 14-16 weeks long, 42-48 hours (3 classes every week). A Term
programme gives approximately twice the amount of time as a Quarter schedule for the five
courses, leaving considerable time for more practice, going into greater depth and
specialising in parts of the course for your particular students (for example, extra emphasis on
Word Processing and Presentation Programmes for students seeking to work in business and
office occupations).
o The seminar is more variable, typically one or two days long with around 6-10 hours. The
Seminar is the most challenging syllabus to design, due to time constraints; 6-10 hours is a
limited amount of time to cover the material and take the Certificate Test. On the other hand,
a limited time-span is well suited to focusing tightly on the required content.
• The expected student population. Are the students who have enrolled for the programme similar
or different in age and background?
• Students’ levels of education and language competence.
• Students’ initial familiarity with computers.
• The primary goals of the students attending this programme—workplace, academic
advancement, professional, specific job/industry or personal enrichment.
• Availability of computers. How many computers are available? Are there specific times when the
computer classroom or computer labs will be available? Does each classroom have computers?
Are the computers on a network? Do you have the password to the network and computers or
does someone else have to log on for each class session?

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• Availability of Internet connection. Is there an Internet connection available in the classroom? Do
all student computers have Internet access, or only the Instructor? Is the Internet connection Dial-
up or Broadband? Is the Internet connectivity reliable?
• Class facilities. Is there a computer lab? Is it a standard classroom? Is it a commercial office?
• Seating arrangements. How many desks and chairs are available?
• Available teaching aids, such as whiteboard, projector and photocopier.
• Your teaching and computer experience, and knowledge of the curriculum.
• Staff other than the instructor.
• Support in and from the local community. For example, do local organisations offer to promote the
class and refer possible students? Does the local business or educational community offer the
use of classrooms, computers, photocopiers, etc?
• Is any special emphasis required or suggested by the sponsoring organisation?
• Supplementary materials/classroom supplies.
• Whom you should notify in case the classroom or equipment needs repair or technical support.
Remember that preparing a syllabus is not just filling in the blanks on a form. It is a planning process.
Not all the information gathered will be included in the syllabus, but they are factors that will help
decide on the schedule and the manner of instruction.
The Digital Literacy courses are typically taught in the order as shown on the Web site. To adjust for
local conditions you may find it preferable, or even necessary, to change the sequence of the five
courses. For example, computers may not be set up when classes start. There may be power outage
problems. Perhaps your Internet service provider is late in setting up your broadband connection, or
the service is not reliable. Perhaps you have a large class and not enough computers in the lab for
everyone to use, or you need to share the facility with another class and must miss a class and try to
double-up to get on track.

Instructor and Student Versions
You should consider preparing two similar but slightly different versions of the syllabus. One is for you
to use as a reference and the other is designed as a handout for the students. The differences are
primarily in the information contained at the beginning and end of the syllabus. The list of classes,
learning objectives and major activities will be the same in both versions.
The instructor’s version can include reminders such as the technical support contact or building
caretaker information. It may also include contacts in the community or sponsoring organisation. It
might have a list of local professionals who would answer questions or even talk to the class.
The students’ version of the syllabus often includes information about how to contact the instructor
and policy reminders such as not allowing food or drink in the computer lab, parking regulations and
so forth.

The Parts of a Syllabus
A Digital Literacy syllabus is divided into three sections:
• Basic Information: This section contains basic information such as class location, instructor
details, scheduled class times and the overall goals of the programme.
• Schedule and Objectives: This section contains information about the objectives that will be
covered in each class and major activities, such as an assessment or the Certificate Test that will
be covered in that class.
• Remarks and Resources: This section contains any other useful information, such as the
attendance policy and code of conduct.

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Adding Details to the Basic Information Section
The Basic Information section is not difficult to complete, but you should give some thought to
how much information to include. The document should contain all the details the student will
need to find the classroom and any secondary locations (such as a computer lab if one is
used), as well as when the classes are scheduled (the starting and ending times).
You may choose to limit or refine other items; for example, your contact information. Decide
how you want students to contact you, and during what hours. You might feel comfortable
providing your home telephone number, but limit the hours during which calls will be
accepted. Alternatively, it may be more effective, and less demanding of your personal time,
to list times before or after classes when you will be in the classroom or available in the office
or student area. Letting students know when they can meet informally with you before or after
the class encourages interaction and shows that you are interested in their development and
success. The actual details are options that only you can decide.
You should add the following information in this section:
Y Curriculum: The name of the curriculum. For example, Digital Literacy Curriculum.
Curriculum Type: The type of programme and the start and end dates of the
programme. For example, Quarter: Sep 3, 2007 to Nov 9, 2007.
p Days and Timings: The days and the times when the classes will be held. For
example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 A.M. to 11 A.M.
e Location: Location where the classes will be held. For example, Training Room,
Building C, County Campus, University of Shropshire.
B Instructor Details: Your name, e-mail address and contact number. Information
about when and where the students can contact you before or after the classes.
a Curriculum Description: Explain the basic Digital Literacy courses and how you
have enhanced the courses for the audience. Provide an overview of the subject
matter and explain the importance of the curriculum. This section should explain the
goal of the curriculum.
g Prerequisites: Define the prerequisite knowledge or requirements for enrolling in this
curriculum.
c Curriculum Objectives: List the objectives that you plan to cover in the curriculum.
Instructional Methods: List the types of instruction, activities and exercises that you
will use to meet the course goals and objectives.

Creating the Detailed Class Schedule
The Schedule and Objectives section contains the schedule of classes in chronological order,
aligned with the objectives and key events (including assessments, review and the final
Certificate Test) that will be managed during that curriculum. The syllabus does not need to
include the details of every activity, because those may change based on the learning pace of
the students during the curriculum. The tool that you will use to define each class is the
lesson plan, which is covered in Chapter 4.
The categories for the Schedule and Objectives section of the syllabus are: Course Title,
Week Number, Lesson Number and Title and Objective Number and Title. The following is an
example of the Schedule and Objective section for three classes in a week.

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Course 1: Computer Basics Course Topics
Week One
Class One Introduction to Curriculum/Instructor
Meeting Place/Times/Contact Info/Equipment
Icebreaking—Students/Syllabus Distribution
Lesson 1: Introduction to Computers
Objectives:
1.1. Describe the importance of computers in today's world.
1.2. Identify the main parts of a computer.
1.3. Identify the steps for starting a computer.
1.4. Identify the different groups of keys on a keyboard.
1.5. Perform different tasks by using a mouse.
Class Two Lesson 2: Common Computer Terminology
Objectives:
2.1. Identify the primary hardware components of a computer.
2.2. Define what an operating system is and its role.
2.3 Define the term programme.
2.4. Explain what is meant by data.
2.5. Define the term network and identify the benefits of networking.
2.6. Define the term Internet.
Class Three Lesson 3: Computer Performance and Features
Objectives:
3.1. Identify and compare the features of different types of computers.
3.2. Explain the role of memory.
3.3. Explain the basics of computer performance and how it relates to
productivity.
3.4. Describe the different types of productivity programmes and their uses.
3.5. Describe the different types of communications programmes and their uses.
3.6. Describe the uses of educational and entertainment programmes.

Appendix A provides sample syllabi for quarter, term and seminar programmes. You can use a
sample syllabus that best suits your requirements and modify it, if required. You can also create your
own syllabus.

Allocating Class Time and Scheduling the Objectives
You should adjust the Schedule and Objectives section of the syllabus to fix the number of available
class hours into the number of classes. Then assign the learning objectives to classes in the order
they will be covered.
In the previous example, the curriculum is a quarter-length programme with 30 class hours, lasting ten
weeks; three hours per week. (There may be adjustments if classes do not meet due to various
reasons, such as holidays). That works out to three one-hour classes per week. It could also be set to
two classes a week lasting 90 minutes each.
Use the same method—divide the number of hours by the available number of weeks. Then, calculate
how much time will be allocated for each class based on the number of classes.
Add the appropriate number of rows to your syllabus for the number of classes in the plan. Adjust for
any holidays or other times during which classes will not be held. If there are any computer labs or
special meetings, add spaces in the schedule for them as well. Then, place the dates. Do not specify
the times for regular meetings, because that information is already added in the Basic Information
section. Include any times that vary from the regular schedule.

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Adding Objectives and Events
The next step is matching the learning objectives and major events to the schedule.
In the example mentioned earlier, there are 30 classes in the quarter (10 weeks multiplied by 3
classes per week) and there are five Digital Literacy courses. This works out to six classes for each
Course (30/5 =6).
Allocating equal time to each part of the curriculum, each of the five Digital Literacy courses gets two
weeks. So every two weeks you can plan to begin a new course. If this is the first time you are
teaching the course, and you do not have any idea of how long the students are likely to need to
master one course compared to another, allowing equal time is a reasonable starting point. You can
expect, though, that the courses that include objectives about using software will take longer than the
other courses because you might supplement them with computer-based activities for additional
practice.
However, you may already know that, for the students in your area, one topic or objective can be
covered in less time and that another may require more time. If that is your experience, adjust the
amount of time that you allocate in the syllabus for the appropriate objectives.
Placing the five courses in numerical order is a good idea, but it is acceptable to change the
sequence. The Computer Basics course should remain as the first one presented; the other courses
build on this course.
Ensure that you allocate extra time for the first class. Getting the students seated, performing
introductions and explaining the course and how to use the e-learning course reduces the effective
teaching time. The last class is usually reserved for a review session and the Certificate Test.

Adding the Courses, Lessons and Objectives
You can assign objectives under each lesson in the Digital Literacy courses, based on your
requirements. For example, you may only have Internet access for part of the schedule; therefore, it
makes sense to handle the objectives for which you will require an Internet connection in the
appropriate time slot. If a guest speaker is available on a specified date, that block of time should be
noted as reserved.
The precise details of a lesson, and how to teach a specific class, are contained in a lesson plan. You
will learn how to build lesson plans in Chapter Four. Lesson plans are crafted as the programme
progresses. Therefore, a lesson plan allows the flexibility to adapt to the pace of your students, add
extra activities to enhance the programme and make adjustments for unforeseen circumstances.

Special Considerations for Seminars
The computerised topics and assessments in the Digital Literacy curriculum are designed to take
between 10 and 15 hours for the average student to complete. An 8-10-hour seminar is a limited
amount of time to cover the material completely, even before allowing for time lost to classroom
management or providing time for taking the Certificate Test. If you are adding additional content
(exercises, group activities, reviews, etc), you will have to consider how best to use the allotted time to
help the students benefit from the material and prepare for the test.
Possible options for a seminar include:
• Moving quickly over the Digital Literacy courses with a goal of basic familiarity, and helping
students to decide what they might want to learn on their own—or in another version of a course.
• Selecting an appropriate number of courses and focusing on that content.
• Focusing on one or more course objectives and using only those parts of the e-learning courses
and assessments that apply.
• It may also be possible to offer the curriculum in a series of seminars. This approach allows
covering the material, and the Test, with a more flexible schedule adapted to learners who work
or who cannot commit to a long programme of weekly classes. For example, two weekends could
be used to cover the curriculum to almost the same depth as in a quarter.

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Remember that the Digital Literacy curriculum is designed to be adapted to your situation and needs,
and those of your students. Their success is the real focus of the programme. Plan the schedule
accordingly.

Completing the Remarks and Resources Section
The Remarks and Resources section contains any policy notes, directions to resources and their
locations and other such information. The information in this section can include:
• Holidays or other schedule changes.
• Materials that will be provided for the classes.
• Locations and times that computer labs and libraries are open.
• Any particularly helpful books, articles or Web sites to be used in connection with the course.
• Any material besides the Digital Literacy courses available or required.
• Location of a printed copy of the Digital Literacy courses (useful for study when no computer is
available).
• Names and contact information for resource people, such as volunteer teacher aides, librarians,
civic leaders and technical staff.
• Policies on matters such as attendance, making up missed work and early testing.
This is not a rigid list, and will vary between the student and instructor versions.

Using, Modifying and Updating the Syllabus As You
Teach
The syllabus prepared for use on the first day of class is a live document and the details are subject to
change. As soon as you start to teach, you may have to alter the syllabus to fit something in or
remove something, or reduce the time allotted to a part of a lesson to make room for an exercise or
activity.
You must inform the students about the changes made to the syllabus so that they can make
corrections to their copy of the schedule.
Make it a habit to consult the syllabus after every class, not only to remind yourself of what to prepare
for next, but to check your actual progress against the timetable built into the syllabus. This process
helps identify when students start to lag behind and the corresponding changes that you need to
make.
You might find it useful to keep your adjusted syllabus and refer to it when you are preparing to teach
the curriculum the next time. Based on your experience in the classroom, you might decide to make
some of the changes a part of the syllabus for future sessions.
Regular review shows where your class needs more time for an objective than the time allotted in the
syllabus, and you can decide how to compensate by adjusting the syllabus. Small, subtle adjustments
can make a huge difference in how smoothly a class operates at your students’ (and your) comfort
levels.

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Chapter 3: Effective Teaching Methods
Good teaching methods are the keys to successful learning. As the instructor, you are in control of the
classroom. You set the instructional pace of the lessons, while managing the classroom dynamics and
guiding the students through their studies. This chapter shows how to incorporate simple, yet proven,
teaching methods that will help you to plan lessons and conduct classes in a way that is beneficial
and pleasant for you and your students.

Preparing to Teach
You do not need to have prior teaching experience or be an advanced computer user to teach the
Digital Literacy curriculum. You will be more comfortable (and effective) when conducting classes if
you are familiar with the Digital Literacy course content and can demonstrate skills as they are
covered in each lesson.
Firstly, therefore, you should become familiar with the e-learning course content for each topic before
presenting it to your students. If the information is new to you, your learning experience will be
valuable in preparing classes. Also take the time to become familiar with the terms defined in the
Glossary, because students will probably be asking you what the words mean during class.
If you have already acquired the knowledge and mastered the skills needed to pass the Certificate
Test, you should have no problem discussing a lesson objective and helping students when they have
a question about a concept or difficulty in performing a task.

Creating a Comfortable Learning Environment
Classrooms are a formal learning environment, but it needs to be informal enough so that students
feel comfortable in seeking assistance and to allow friendly (yet appropriate) interaction between
students. How you accomplish this depends on local traditions, your background and the cultural
backgrounds of your students. The following list offers some general guidelines to set the right
environment in the class:
• Smile when appropriate, and do not remain behind a computer or a podium. Stand in a location
where you are clearly visible to every student in the class, and move around the room during
practice sessions.
• Use real-life examples when you teach concepts, and whenever possible, relate them to your
students’ interests and hobbies. This makes it easier to get them actively involved in activities and
discussions.
• Be sure to avoid favouritism and encourage all your students to ask questions and offer opinions.
When students know that their opinions are valued, they will be more engaged in the learning
process.
• Avoid criticism during class. If you need to speak to a student regarding his or her disruptive
behaviour or learning problems, schedule a meeting before or after class.
• Use simple questions to evaluate how well students understand the material during class. This
will keep your students alert, and give you valuable feedback on their progress.
• Positive reinforcement supports learning and knowledge retention. When students have problems
learning a skill, provide assistance and offer encouragement.
• Provide constructive feedback by directing them to the correct answers.

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Allocating Computer Resources
You may be fortunate to have enough computers to allow each student full-time access. If not, adjust
your teaching strategy. One possibility is to split the class into two groups and let groups take turns
using computers. When one group is using the computers, you can engage the other group in a
discussion or classroom activity that does not require a computer. Another approach is to divide the
students into small groups so each group can take turns using the computers, while the others can
help, watch or take part in a learning activity that does not require a computer.

Class Scheduling
Ensure that all details about classes and additional computer access, if any, are prominently indicated
in your syllabus. Make sure that your students are aware of class schedules, and remind them with a
gentle “See you here again at …” type of reminder. Also include a suggestion that they take
advantage of any additional computer access that is available and any special arrangements they
need to make to use the computer lab.

Attendance Policy
All members of the class are part of the learning environment, and you should clearly state the
attendance requirements. Let the students know what steps they should take if they miss a class to
make up the work for that period.

Teaching Pace and Managing Breaks
Regardless of whether you schedule regular formal breaks, you always need to be aware of your
students’ attention spans and general comfort. It is a good idea to make a change in classroom
activities at least every 45 minutes. Most adults will only focus on one activity effectively for about that
length of time. After that point, the ability to learn diminishes.
The Digital Literacy course materials make it possible to let students review topics and work at their
own pace. During practice periods, consider letting students take breaks when they are ready.

Teaching the Content
Your students come to class with varying levels of knowledge, experience and learning abilities.
Consider the following tips for working with your students.
• If most of the students in your class have no computer experience, teach the scheduled topics
and then ask questions to test their understanding and review the material as appropriate.
• If a good percentage of your students have some computer experience, suggest that they try
taking the assessments and focus their efforts on the topics listed in their customised learning
plan.
• If your class contains a mix of students with no computer experience and others with basic
knowledge, consider asking the more advanced students to help the others.
• In groups with different age groups, consider blending the population rather than letting them
group themselves by age. This tends to keep all members of the class more actively involved.
• At the end of each class, encourage students to ask questions about the material and review the
areas that need more attention. If they do not ask you questions, ask some of them. This will
provide the same feedback and encourage the students’ thinking.
• In term and quarter programmes, consider making hand-outs from the print version and ask the
students to read them at home. When assigning self-study or homework, ensure that you select
easy topics so that students understand what they read and can easily relate to the concept. The

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print version contains pictures and illustrations to help clarify learning points, and acts as a
learning aid during activities.
• Use a voice level that all the students can hear, but not one that is too loud. Vary your volume
when you want to emphasise, maintain or retain the attention of the students.
• Ensure that you include pauses to give the students time to think about the content and ask
questions.

Understanding Teaching Methods
Different types of students learn differently. To select the teaching methods that best suit your
students, you first need to understand the learning styles and the various teaching methods suited to
these styles.

How People Learn
There are three main learning styles: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. Visual learners learn best by
seeing something being done and by reading instructions. Auditory learners prefer to hear
instructions. Kinaesthetic learners learn by physically doing a task. Students can learn by hearing a
lecture, seeing a task performed or trying to do it themselves. In many cases the best way to really
learn something is a blend of all three. Your task as an instructor is to teach everyone effectively
regardless of their learning styles. The term that means incorporating learning methods into your
teaching style is called instructional strategies.

Basic Instructional Strategies
You must present information in a way that is effective for all three styles of learning. Write down
important instructions on a board or flip chart, point to them in a book or present them in a slide. The
Digital Literacy courses integrate all three styles in each lesson, and so should you. For example,
combine verbal instructions with a demonstration, and then direct the students to perform an activity
and take notes. Undoubtedly, you may prefer one learning style to another, but to reach the entire
class effectively, you need to incorporate teaching methods suitable for all three learning styles. Each
lesson should have components that require reading, listening and performing hands-on activities.

Matching Teaching Styles to the Student
You want students to be engaged in learning and mastering the assigned tasks. No instructor always
accomplishes this goal with every student, but there are ways to improve your teaching effectiveness.
Begin by observing their behaviour and asking them to identify their goals for the class. You need to
address those goals. As the class progresses, take note of the students who are moving along the
intended learning path and speed for the class and the students who may need additional instruction.
Be aware of your students’ learning needs, and be flexible with your teaching methods. Closely
observe your students, and be sensitive to what they are doing. During practice sessions, you should
be moving around the classroom, observing each student as he or she accomplishes the assigned
tasks. Make a note of the students who seem to lead or lag behind in mastering the material. When a
learner seems to be far ahead of most of the other students, suggest additional exercises to enhance
their abilities or that they move on to the next portion of the curriculum. Students who need more help
may require more practice time on the computer and personal attention.

Adjusting Methods to Group Dynamics
You also need to observe the behaviour of the students as a group. Are they arriving for class
prepared and with questions that indicate interest in the course? Are they drifting in and just doing the
minimum tasks assigned? Your primary objectives are to keep their interest levels and desire to learn
the topics high.

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During the class, observe your students to determine when to change activities. Do your students
seem to be bored or tired or distracted? If so, it may be time for a fresh activity, or maybe they just
need a short break before continuing the current activity.
Are they able to respond more to certain types of instruction than other types? Observe and adjust
your teaching methods accordingly. Is there some factor in the learning environment that needs
change? Perhaps the room temperature or lighting is uncomfortable. In rare cases, an individual
student may have a behaviour problem. You may not always be able to provide an ideal solution, but
just letting students know you are working on fixing problems can improve morale.

Conducting Effective Group Activities
You will be spending some of your time leading group discussions and activities with the class as a
whole—and some time working with small groups. There are opportunities to refine instruction in each
setting. Discussions, large and small, offer students the ability to share, question and explore a topic
in ways that self-study and activities do not provide. When working with the entire class, you have a
larger pool of participants, and do not have to divide your attention between several groups. This
setting allows for broader coverage of a topic and the ability to address issues that apply to all the
students.
Small groups are suitable for working on specific issues that do not apply to the entire group. You can
divide the groups to allow students with similar skill levels to work together on activities. This
approach is also a good way to arrange the participants so that shy students are placed in a team that
gives them more of a chance to take an active role.

Large Group Discussions
A large group discussion is different from a lecture, where the communication is one-way—from
teacher to students. In this type of discussion, you need to control the group, but you must also guide
or facilitate the discussion and encourage participation from many students. Part of encouraging
participation is to make students comfortable with you and the class, so that they are willing to speak
out in front of others. Another challenge is to keep the smartest or most verbal students from taking
over group discussions, while still keeping them interested and involved. You can achieve this by
recognising speakers (calling on each by name), and by indicating that you want to hear from those
students who have not yet contributed to the discussion.
Large group discussions are a way of moving through class material quickly, but may limit comments
and questions from some of the students due to the time factor involved. Large group discussions
may also favour the more verbal students. For these reasons, if you have the time, you should include
opportunities for small group discussions as well.

Small Group Discussions
For small group discussions, assign students to small groups and allow them to interact with one
another within that small group. This gives every student an opportunity to speak and to listen to the
other group members. Usually, a group member is appointed as the representative for the group, and
he or she then reports the substance of the group’s discussion to the entire class.
After the small group discussion, summarise the points discussed by all the groups and provide some
time for questions and comments from the students.

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Some Tips
When conducting discussion sessions:
• Ensure that the students understand that the discussions are open-ended and that they clearly
understand the topic and objectives of the session.
• Start the discussion with a question. If none of the students initiate the discussions, ask a student
to answer one question and then ask the class to build upon the answer that the student gives.
• Ensure that discussions do not stray away from the topic. If the discussion is proceeding along a
different line other than that of the topic, interrupt and ask questions to help the students get back
to the topic. If you find that the students are discussing something off topic for that discussion
activity, but is related to the content and is important to them, consider noting that for a future
discussion. If the students know that they will get an opportunity to continue that discussion later,
they might be more willing to continue the current discussion.
• Do not abruptly end any discussion. Instead, ask questions that will lead to a logical end of the
discussion. You will need to monitor the time, and make sure that you give the participants time to
conclude the conversation and prepare for the summaries.
• If certain students are shy, encourage them into the discussion by asking them questions and get
them involved in the discussion. At all times, remember not to criticise the students.
• If the discussions are stretching to more than the time allotted for the discussion, and they are
reducing the time that you have put aside for teaching the content, provide a print version of some
topics and ask the students to read the topics at home.

Handling Questions and Concerns
Even the most expert instructors find that their students can raise questions and concerns that you
may not be able to answer. Experienced teachers will tell you that it is always better to admit that you
do not know or do not remember something than to bluff the students with some kind of incorrect or
unintelligible response.
The best approach is to admit when you give an incomplete response and tell the student that you will
obtain more information for them. Students respect that you will make the effort. If they think an
instructor is not telling the truth, they lose confidence in the value of the class.
Consider involving the student (or even the whole class) in finding the answer. You might lead them in
an impromptu fact-finding session on the Internet. Ask each student to suggest a search term and see
what produces the best results. This encourages and helps them learn how to find answers on their
own.
Students do not necessarily constrain themselves to asking about class-related topics. It is good
practice to limit questions only to those concerning the learning materials and the host institution.
Avoid, and do not answer or encourage, questions about your personal life, politics, religion and other
off-topic matters.

Summary
The role of instructor carries rewards in personal satisfaction as you watch students succeed both in
the classroom and in their lives with what they have learned in the lessons. Teaching is a skill that can
be studied, and the material in this manual offers a solid foundation for leading the Digital Literacy
curriculum. It is also an art that is developed with experience and learning from your students. The
challenges and questions they offer will help you enhance your ability to help their successors.

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Chapter 4: Practical Lesson Planning
New instructors quickly learn that although the course materials for a curriculum stay the same, each
class period and each student is unique. It is impossible to know how quickly students will master
objectives, or which teaching methods will work best with a group, until you start teaching. Your
success (and your students') depends on how well you tailor the activities of each class to meet the
needs of your students and to adjust the pace of instruction.
The content in the Digital Literacy courses is divided into lessons consisting of related topics. But that
is different from how lesson is used in the term lesson plan. A lesson plan is the agenda for each
class session. Lesson plans help you organise and present the important components of a specific
class. Lesson plans help you incorporate alternative ways to present material to meet the learning
needs of different students and keep the class on schedule.

Designing Your Lesson Plan
Start your lesson planning by noting any review or administrative tasks that must be handled before
working on new material with your students. Next, determine your primary teaching objective. (This is
usually drawn from the lesson objectives of the Digital Literacy courses.) What do you need to explain
or demonstrate to your students to help them master the required skills? Make a list of the points you
want to cover in the class and list the primary activities that you want the students to perform.
Then, consider adding secondary activities that will aid the students. These can include activities both
for those students who might need additional help to master the objective and students who master
the core material more quickly than others. This ensures that all your students are actively engaged in
learning during the entire class.
Appendix B offers a variety of activities that can be incorporated directly or modified to suit your
needs. For example, the exercise titled “Exploring the User Interface of a Productivity Programme”
can be used to expand the students’ knowledge of the various components of a user interface, as well
as to improve their understanding of the uses of productivity programmes.
Make a list of any short tests or quizzes that might aid your students as a quick review during the
class. Use these short tests or quizzes to evaluate whether students are meeting the class objectives.
Create these short tests before the class, make a copy for each student and have them ready as
handouts for the students. For variety and to support other learning styles, you might consider
occasionally giving some quizzes by reading the questions to the class and getting them to write the
answers. For extra practice, or if resources are in short supply, you can read the questions and get
the students to type the answers on the computer in Word, or send them to you e-mail.
After you have created lesson plans for each class, these lesson plans will be your guides for
conducting the classes. After learning more about the individual goals, learning styles and speeds and
abilities of the students in your class, you can adapt lesson plans to meet any special needs.

Components of a Lesson Plan
Some instructors develop very detailed lesson plans; others make do with a basic outline. The
following list will serve as a good starting point for things to include in your plans as you develop a
personal style:
• Today’s Topic: Introduce the topic of learning for the class.
• Opening Remarks: Greet students at the beginning of each class to make them feel welcomed.
Resolve any old business from previous classes, including queries raised by students. Make
whatever announcements you need to make.
• Connection to previous and future classes: Indicate to students how this class connects with
the last and the next classes, thereby providing a sense of continuity.

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• Optional activities: Plan tasks that students will perform before all the students are present and
the class “officially” begins. This should be something fun that encourages students to arrive early
for the next classes.
• Practice Sessions: Plan activities in which the students get to work individually on the computer.
Here, each student can learn at his or her own pace. The e-learning courses include content that
favours each learning style.
• Challenge: Plan activities that provide students with the ability to develop a new skill or
understanding by the end of the class.
• Critical thinking skills: Plan activities that give students opportunities to analyse and reflect on
what they have learned when considering a problem. The activities in which the students need to
expand their critical thinking skills will help them continue working successfully with computers
after the completion of the curriculum.
• Collaborative activities: Although a group activity does not need to be included in every class,
planning activities in which the students work together to achieve an objective help enhance
learning. Many students learn more through working in groups, teaching and learning from one
another.
• Informal evaluation: Evaluate the students’ progress at the end of the class. Consider how well
the group has mastered skills and gained understanding of key concepts, and note any areas that
need a review or expanded attention. This evaluation will help you revise your lesson plan, if
needed, to adapt to the needs of your students.
Many instructors teaching many types of courses have found that this is a workable formula for
designing a successful class.

Creating Your Lesson Plan
Using the template provided in Appendix A will make sure you do not leave anything out of your
lesson plan. It is divided into three sections. The first includes the items for you, the instructor: Title of
the Lesson, Time Required, Required Materials and Objectives. The tasks in the second section—
Introduction, the Lesson, Independent Practice and the Summary—are performed with the students
during your class. The final part contains two items, Evaluation and Analysis, and these are to be
done after the class has ended.

Title of the Lesson
Consider taking the lesson title directly from your syllabus. If you plan to use more than one
class to handle an objective, indicate that this is “Part One of Two”, or choose another title
that describes that the lesson will be in parts. If you are conducting a seminar, there may be
more than one lesson from the Digital Literacy courses that you want to include in the plan.

Time Required
Make sure that you allocate time for introducing the activities to the class, and for handling
questions and reminders at the end of the class. Then, make your best estimate as to how
long it will take the students to do the indicated activities, but be aware that it may take more
or less time to accomplish the learning objective. As you teach more classes, you will be
better able to estimate the time that the students will require to move through the material.
Be ready to move ahead or conduct a review if the topic is completed before the estimated
time. If a majority of your learners have difficulty with the lesson, be ready with a secondary
activity or exercise on the current objective, as required.

Required materials
Indicate any materials you need to bring to class, any items the students will bring and any
necessary materials already available in the classroom.

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Objectives
List your instructional objectives. These may include behaviour objectives (what the student is
expected to be able to do) and knowledge objectives (what students are expected to know)
upon completion of the lesson.

Introductory Remarks
Be sure to allocate time to cover any old business, make necessary announcements and
answer questions before starting the main part of the lesson. For example, you may want to
clarify a point from the last class or remind students about parking regulations.
Then, highlight the objectives for the day’s class. Your goal here is to inform students about
what they will learn in the class and inspire them to succeed.

The Lesson (Instructional Component)
This is the place to list the learning content briefly and your method(s) of instruction for the
class. For example, you might start with a group activity and then allocate time for the
students to work on specific skills on the computers. If there is more than one activity, note
the estimated time for each activity. Without an estimate, it is easy to let the class spend too
much time on one activity, leaving little time for the rest of the lesson.

Independent Study
Students benefit from some time for personal study during class. You might use one of the
exercises provided in Appendix B, or assign time to work through the Digital Literacy courses.
This independent study time gives the students a chance to focus on the skills that they need
to practise.
This is a good time to observe how well the students perform the tasks and which skills the
students choose to study. Offer individual support as required. Make a mental note of how
well the students are progressing on the topic, and use your observations in planning the next
lesson.

Closing the Session
When closing the class, make sure that you encourage your students to ask questions about
anything they do not yet understand. Remind them of upcoming class activities, any required
outside study and any specific items they should bring to the next class.

Evaluation and Analysis
After your students leave, take a few minutes to consider how successfully they mastered the
day’s learning objectives. Are there items that need review or reinforcement? Was there
enough time to handle all the activities? Do you need to change the pace of instruction?
Should more (or less) time be allocated to a topic? You may want to make notes to revise the
time allocated for this portion of the curriculum for the next time that you teach it.

Creating a Sample Lesson Plan for the First Class
The easiest way to become familiar with lesson planning is to plan a lesson. As you work through this
portion of the chapter, you will design a lesson plan for the first class in a quarter programme. Use the
template provided in Appendix A. If you already know the allotted time, you can actually design a
working plan for your first session.
Begin by adding the title of the lesson from the syllabus to the template. For example, Lesson Title:
Introduction to Computers

24

Listing the Objectives
Next, list the items that you plan to cover during the class. This list should contain both the
educational objectives and any administrative tasks that need to be managed (such as forms that
students must complete). List the items as an agenda. That makes it easier to see the flow of the
class and visualise how much time to allocate for each item.
The educational objectives can be taken directly from the Digital Literacy curriculum. List the set of
objectives to be mastered and set aside enough time for the portion of the class that is not dedicated
to actually working on the learning objectives. For example, allocate time for announcements, filling in
registration forms and breaks. Keep in mind that one lesson from a Digital Literacy course will not
always fit into one class.
The following list summarises the objectives for this sample ninety-minute first class, broken down in
sections in the order in which they will occur during the session.

Administrative Objectives
A Welcoming remarks.
W Complete introductions: instructor and students.
C Distribute syllabus and explain how the class will proceed, including the meeting
dates and how to contact the instructor.
d Identify those students with some pre-existing knowledge of the material and related
skills. Take the appropriate assessments to test if they can miss out one or more
courses.

Digital Literacy Learning Objectives
Course One, Lessons 1 and 2
Objectives
1.1. Describe the importance of computers in today’s world.
1.3. Identify the steps for starting up a computer.
Lesson 2: Common Computer Terminology
Objectives
Add the objectives to your copy of the lesson plan. Notice that this lesson plans includes more
objectives than the one listed in the sample quarter syllabus. It is good practice to prepare to
teach slightly more of the curriculum than you think the students can cover. This ensures that
you are prepared if the class works through the material faster than anticipated. If they stay
on the original schedule, your extra planning can be carried over to the following class.
As the series of classes proceed, you will need to adjust the pace to cover all the planned
material in the curriculum.

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Selecting the Instructional Methods and Estimating Time for the Activities
Now that you have determined the objectives, it is time to list the activities you will use to teach them
to your students. The core content will come directly from the Digital Literacy e-learning courses for
the curriculum. You can add activities and exercises from Appendix B, or design your own. Consider
what you want to accomplish to meet your students’ needs and enrich their experience.
If you have more students than computers, the students will have to take turns or work in pairs.
Include some activities that the students will perform while waiting for their turn, if required. It is a
good idea also to prepare material that students who learn faster, or need additional review, can use
as required. This helps ensure that all learners are actively involved during class.
Examine the objectives and consider the various means that you can use to achieve them. From the
list of exercises and activities provided in Appendix B, identify the ones that are suitable for the
lesson. You can also offer additional content by using locally available resources including guest
speakers and training aids. In this example, there is a collection of sample computer components
available, including an expansion card, a hard drive, a motherboard and a modem. A desktop
computer has been opened to show the same components. List the appropriate activities in the lesson
plan template.

Activities
1.1. Describe the importance of computers in today’s world.
Lecture and discussion
Pass around and identify computer components.
Demonstration by using the open desktop computer.
1.3. Identify the steps for starting up a computer.
Demonstration and discussion
Demonstration and e-learning content.
E-learning animation and simulation.
Lesson 2: Common Computer Terminology
E-learning animation and illustrations.
Pass around sample components for students to examine.
E-learning module and lecture.

Independent practice
I Allow the students to work independently with the e-learning materials for the lesson
objectives.
o Monitor the students as they work independently and provide assistance as required.

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Wrap-Up or Summary
W Summarise the material covered.
S Allow students to ask questions about the lesson.
Tell students to stop working and shut down their computers. Because this is the first
class, guide them through the local procedure.
Now, estimate the amount of time each event in the agenda will take to complete and add it to the
template. Remember to allocate time to ending the class and ensuring that all the computers have
been properly shut down. For this example, we will use a 90-minute class period.

Time required
Administrative: 15 minutes
Instruction: Lesson 1 - 25 minutes
Lesson 2 - 15 minutes
Independent Study: 30 minutes
Closing Activity: 5 minutes
Estimating how long an activity will take comes with experience. New instructors and those
not familiar with the Digital Literacy curriculum, or the e-learning courses, should practise with
the content for the planned objectives. Work through the material, and practise any lectures
and demonstrations. Then anticipate questions and formulate answers. This practice makes it
easier to allocate time and to ensure that the required resources are identified. Your
confidence in leading the class will improve dramatically with a small investment of time.

Identifying Resources
Now, list the resources needed for the class in the lesson plan. You must arrange to have these
resources before the class, or adjust the plan as required. If there are handouts—such as the syllabus
and registration forms—that you need to distribute to the students, ensure that you have enough
copies.
If the class includes a special event, such as a guest speaker, have an alternate activity planned in
case there is a problem and the event has to be rescheduled or cancelled.
Seasoned instructors always have a contingency plan to involve their students. Power outages,
network problems and other random occurrences can disrupt the ability to use prepared material or
the e-learning courses. It is easy to have a review of current topics or a short discussion ready, in
case a problem arises.

Required materials
R Student Computers
S Active broadband Internet access
A E-learning software installed and operational
E Student handouts including syllabus
S Printed copy of the Digital Learning curriculum for Lesson 1
P White board and markers
W Sample computer components and open desktop computer
S Class roster

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Registration forms for late arrivals

Final Points to Consider
Your plan is almost complete. You have mapped out the entire lesson and have practised conducting
the class. You have ensured that the required materials are ready to meet your objectives. There is
one more aspect to include: the ability to maximise your learning from the class. List a set of
questions that you can use after the class to gauge your success and to measure how you can
improve your course.
The following items detail the points to examine and gain insight into your students’ progress, to
adjust the pace for the next class and to measure the effectiveness of the instruction.

Evaluation
E Did all students finish the planned material?
D Did they successfully identify the:
D Computer components?
C Start-up steps?
S Keyboard groups?
K Did they learn to use the mouse?

Analysis
A What went well?
W What needs improving?
W How did students respond to the lesson?
H Make appropriate notes.
M Do you need to revise the syllabus?

Continuity
C How did this class work as an introduction to Digital Literacy?
H How did it introduce lesson two, Common Computer Terminology?
H Will you need to alter your introduction for the next class to make adjustments for
what happened during this class?
As you gain more experience, the amount of time it takes to draft a lesson plan will shorten
dramatically. The lessons you learn by properly planning and evaluating your classes will make
gaining that experience easy.

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Chapter 5: Scenarios
The Digital Literacy curriculum may be the first technology class your students have ever taken. This
may also be your first time in the role of an instructor. The following scenarios—drawn from
experience—explain how to employ the tools and techniques presented in this manual when working
with your students. These scenarios will help you create a comfortable classroom environment,
manage students, accommodate different learning paces among students and keep them interested
and involved in the learning process.

Scenario One: Conducting the First Class
This scenario opens a few minutes before the beginning of the first class. Students arrive, curious
about the instructor and what will be expected of them, and wondering if the courses are worth the
time and effort. They are quietly talking among themselves. The instructor is curious about the
students: their ability to learn, their expectations and their personal motivations for enrolling.

Introductions and First Impressions
Instructors understand that an effective first class plays a major role in the quality of the entire
learning experience. They arrive early and are prepared to answer questions before the class begins.
They also want to make sure that the classroom is open and at a comfortable temperature, and that
the computers and other resources are ready for use.
Students who are concerned about their ability to succeed are often waiting to talk to the instructor.
The instructor reassures them that the Digital Literacy curriculum is designed for learners like them.
The instructor also explains that the material is not highly technical, and that there is no pressure to
pass assessments or the Certificate Test on the first attempt.
The class begins with the instructor writing his or her name and the words “Digital Literacy curriculum”
on the whiteboard. The instructor then turns towards the students and introduces himself or herself,
welcomes them to the class and passes out copies of the syllabus and other handouts.
During this process, the instructor observes the class and makes mental notes about the students and
their behaviour. The first impressions may not be totally accurate, but are valuable in assessing the
students in the class. These impressions should be tested by actual interaction with the students as
the programme proceeds.
Students who sit near the front are often the ones who are the most likely to ask questions. Some sit
at the front because they are confident learners and are very interested in the material. Others may be
individuals who are concerned about their abilities as students and who wish to be near the instructor.
Students who sit at the back may be shy and not prone to talking or participating in discussions.
Others may have only a marginal interest in learning the materials. Some may not be sure whether
they actually want to take the class and are there to make a final decision.
Next, the instructor asks the students to introduce themselves and provide some basic information.
For example, the instructor asks the students to state their names and the reasons for which they
have enrolled in the programme. Once again, the instructor makes mental (and possibly written) notes
during the process.
It is a mark of interest and respect to learn students’ names and use them when asking students to do
things in class. The instructor is interested in why the students are taking the programme so that the
class activities and answers to questions are tailored to the students’ learning objectives and daily
lives.

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