Common Core Standards forcing keyboarding classes on elementary students

A Washington Post article from today explores a little-discussed facet of the move toward Common Core Standards.

With technology companies having so much to do with the formation of Common Core and of course, the testing that goes with it, all testing will be done on computers. Therefore, students have to learn how to type just to be able to take those all-so-important standardized tests:

But the standardized tests linked to the Common Core make those expectations crystal clear because the exams — which will be given in 2014-2015 — require students to be able to manipulate a mouse; click, drag and type answers on a keyboard; and, starting in third grade, write online. Fourteen states have agreed to field-test the exams in the spring to help those creating the tests iron out the wrinkles and make improvements.

Third-graders will be asked to write three short pieces, according to Laura Slover, who heads one of two consortia that are designing the tests. They will read a nonfiction selection and a literary passage and write about each, and they will be asked to write a story based on a real or imaginary experience, Slover said.

“Writing is a critical skill, and young students should have the opportunity to write frequently about meaningful topics,” Slover said. And when the writing tests are administered online, that means the students will be using a keyboard.