PROFESSIONAL
Rigor, Relevance, & Relationships
How Quality Computer Education Keeps Students
Engaged—and Enrolled
More than a million students drop out of high school each year. Why? Reports show that there are a variety of reasons. Some drop out because they are bored or do not connect with the curriculum. Others may drop out because of personal problems, including family issues or economic necessity, or because they have missed too much school to catch up.
The stakes for keeping kids in high school are high. According to the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the average annual income for a high school dropout in 2004 was $16,485. The average annual income for a high school graduate was $26,156. Unfortunately, some students drop out because they do not see how what they are being taught connects with the real world. They may not know that there are courses at their high school that offer practical computer education instruction and career training.
What Are Computer Education Teachers Doing to Reverse the Trend?
Computer education teachers are on the front lines when it comes to improving high school graduation rates. They understand better than most that if students are connected to what they are learning, then they are more likely to stay engaged—and stay in school. By providing technology training in a hands-on learning environment and individualized instruction for all students, computer education teachers improve students' overall engagement, motivation, and marketability.
Learning 21st Century skills has never been more important to student success, and there is no classroom better prepared to lead the charge in applying 21st Century skills than the computer education classroom. When computer education teachers emphasize soft skills such as leadership, cooperation, teamwork, and reliability alongside crucial computer skills, students can see an immediate connection between those skills and their future business success. For example, as students learn about creating PowerPoint presentations, they can learn about leadership and presentation skills. As they learn word processing skills, they can apply those skills to writing resumes, drafting meeting minutes, and working collaboratively with others.
Glencoe programs strive to help teachers make the connection between computer applications and soft skills. In addition to introducing these important skills throughout the program, Glencoe texts demonstrate how 21st Century skills are used by real-world managers. For example, Glencoe's iCheck™ Office 2007 program offers a step-by-step, project-based approach to teaching computer concepts. In addition, the book offers full-page features that discuss soft skills in a real-world context. Students can read as actual managers explain the importance of 21st Century skills in the workplace. The book allows them to apply these essential skills and to visualize themselves using these skills in the working world.
In order to keep students engaged and motivated in the computer education classroom, it is important to make a connection between what is being learned and future careers. Glencoe programs provide career information to help students make a connection between what they learn in the classroom and their future career success. For example, Glencoe's Computer Concepts in Action incorporates insights about career opportunities side by side with academic concepts. The book's step-by-step, project-based approach allows students to learn and apply technology skills in a way that increases their confidence, keeps them connected to their teachers, and prepares them for the 21st Century workplace. This approach also allows students to imagine the possibilities of their future, set goals, and gain confidence. Seeing the connection between what they are learning in the classroom and their future careers keeps students motivated, engaged, and in the classroom!
