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It’s well established by now that keyboarding is a skill that’s essential in today’s technology-driven society.  Without touch typing skills you cannot effectively work, communicate, connect, or collaborate. It’s not that you’re incapable of doing all of these activities without a keyboard, but you’ll end up falling far behind your online competition in the workplace. However, with efficient touch typing skills, all these daily activities are a breeze.

Integrating touch typing practice in your classroom with the help of typing tutor software means you have a ready-made curriculum, designed just for you. All you need to do is set up your students’ account, give them a little e-tour of the software, and the rest is practice, practice, practice.

Choosing the right keyboarding program for your classroom can be tricky and time-consuming, though. There are a lot of promising product options out there, but how do you know which one to pick?

One easy way to sort through products that will help you make a decision quickly is to steer away from any typing software that’s stuck in the 1990s. You know which ones I’m referring to. They have a Windows 95 kind of feel to them, they look old-fashioned, and they’re not user-friendly at all.

User-friendliness Equals Effective Learning

One of the most important criteria for a software’s effectiveness is its user-friendliness. If a program has a counter-intuitive interface, and its appearance looks poorly structured, then the user will immediately be put off. They’ll be less interested in using the software.

What you want is something modern and up to date – think of next-generation typing tutors like Typesy™ EDU. These offer a sleek, user-friendly interface that’s inviting and friendly, something that attracts users of all ages. A practice session will be more effective if the user finds the program appealing, and they’ll be more likely to keep coming back for more practice sessions.

Effective Learning Requires Flexibility

A poor typing program will generally use late 80s technologies and implement only one or two learning strategies. On the other hand, a cutting-edge typing tutor in 2015 will be capable of integrating the latest, most effective learning strategies and methodologies, and will offer these through interesting exercises, games, and activities.

The gamification of learning and education at large has truly advanced in the last few years. Learning shouldn’t feel like learning at all, the theory goes, it should feel more like play. The process of studying shouldn’t be difficult; it should be a pleasant pastime that leads to greater knowledge and skill development. Games are especially important for children and teens, because it removes any sense that they’re working hard. Even adults like to have fun while they learn.

In addition, a typing tutor needs to be intuitive. It should adapt to every learner’s needs and mastery goals, and offer pertinent activities. Make sure the typing software you choose doesn’t rely on the “one size fits all” philosophy.

Opt for typing software that offers a library of ebooks for independent practice, to provide your students with the widest range of options. To minimize expenses related to setup and hardware, also make sure that it uses wi-fi connectivity and allows more than one user to create practice sessions.

Companies who create good typing software that’s been proven to be effective will offer a money-back guarantee or some other reassurance of quality to the buyer. The software will let the user track their progress and goals to keep them on track. Most importantly, good typing software teaches the whole spectrum that is keyboarding: not just typing accuracy but also ergonomics, typing techniques, and speed.

Social, Personal, and Cloud-based Connections

Older typing tutors relied on cumbersome files you had to download on your computer. Next-generation typing software is cloud-based, linked to social networking, and fully customizable. Students learn more quickly if the program is tailored to their learning needs, style, and goals. Even better, when they can share those goals and their successes with other on social media, students will challenge each other as well as themselves, and the whole group will advance more quickly.

These 21st-century features aren’t found in older typing software, but they are supported in advanced software like Typesy™ EDU, a cloud based typing program that’s been exclusively designed for the classroom. This typing software caters to all the requirements of a classroom context, from easy set-up and administration to a user-friendly interface. and practice material that’s relevant, fun, and results-driven.