BSBITU307 Develop keyboarding speed and accuracy
Every lesson set up your workstation to meet Ergonomic Standards
This competency is an elective and as such is not assessed in the HSC examination. However, many of the principles within this competency are also present in Contribute to WHS of Self and Others and Work Effectively in a Business Environment which are both assessed in the HSC. Click on BSBITU307 above and download the criteria for this competency.
By the end of this competency you should be able to demonstrate the following performance criteria;
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
Use Safe Work Practices
Before commencing any keyboarding activities it is important to ensure that the workstation is set up to meet ergonomic standards and that all reasonably practical steps have been taken to ensure the health and safety of the keyboarder and any other employee in the area.
The most common injury sustained through keyboard work is Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS). Also known as repetitive strain injury (RSI), OOS is a collective term for a range of conditions, charactensed by discomfort or persistent pain in muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, with or without physical manifestations.
Occupational overuse syndrome is usually caused or aggravated by work, and is associated with repetitive movement, sustained or constrained postures and/or forceful movements. Other factors like stress and dissatisfaction in the working environment can also contribute to the development of occupational overuse syndrome.
Some conditions which fall within the scope of occupational overuse syndrome are well defined and understood medically, but many are not, and the basis for their cause and development is yet to be determined. To ensure that you are working safely in your workspace, you may need to make adjustments to your furniture and equipment.
Watch the videos about setting up your workstation correctly.
By the end of this competency you should be able to demonstrate the following performance criteria;
- develop keyboard speed and accuracy in accordance with workplace, ergonomic, and work health and safety requirements
- complete a minimum of two 5-minute keyboarding speed and accuracy timings with at least 98% accuracy
- accurately proofread and amend documents.
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
- outline key provisions of work health and safety (WHS) legislation that impact developing keyboard skills
- outline ergonomic requirements applicable to developing keyboard skills.
Use Safe Work Practices
Before commencing any keyboarding activities it is important to ensure that the workstation is set up to meet ergonomic standards and that all reasonably practical steps have been taken to ensure the health and safety of the keyboarder and any other employee in the area.
The most common injury sustained through keyboard work is Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS). Also known as repetitive strain injury (RSI), OOS is a collective term for a range of conditions, charactensed by discomfort or persistent pain in muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, with or without physical manifestations.
Occupational overuse syndrome is usually caused or aggravated by work, and is associated with repetitive movement, sustained or constrained postures and/or forceful movements. Other factors like stress and dissatisfaction in the working environment can also contribute to the development of occupational overuse syndrome.
Some conditions which fall within the scope of occupational overuse syndrome are well defined and understood medically, but many are not, and the basis for their cause and development is yet to be determined. To ensure that you are working safely in your workspace, you may need to make adjustments to your furniture and equipment.
Watch the videos about setting up your workstation correctly.
The University of Western Australia and the University of Western Sydney have some excellent information about how to set up your workstation and manage your health and safety while keyboarding. You are required to read this information.
Task 1:
After watching the above videos and reading the information on the websites set up your workstation to meet ergonomic standards. When you feel you have your workstation correctly set up ask you instructor to check it.
It is important that anyone who is using a keyboard and looking at a computer screen for an extended period of time has breaks and looks away from the screen. You should use the 20/20/20 rule. That is every 20 minutes look away from your computer to a distance of about 20 feet (approximately 6 metres) for 20 seconds. Also every hour you should get up and move around for about 5 minutes. You can also do the exercises suggested in the video below.
It is important that anyone who is using a keyboard and looking at a computer screen for an extended period of time has breaks and looks away from the screen. You should use the 20/20/20 rule. That is every 20 minutes look away from your computer to a distance of about 20 feet (approximately 6 metres) for 20 seconds. Also every hour you should get up and move around for about 5 minutes. You can also do the exercises suggested in the video below.
Before commencing work using a computer, it is also important to assess the workspace for any hazards and potential risks. The most common is trip hazards from cables being across walkways but you may also need to check power cords are safe, plugged in correctly and that too many double adapters have not been used.
Identify and Develop Keyboard skills
The best way to develop your keyboard skills, speed and accuracy is to practice. Over the course of term 1 and 2 you will undertake 100 lessons of Typing Club. These start with basic instructions about correct finger placement and develop into how to use the numeric keypad. By practicing for 5 minutes at the beginning of every lesson you will improve your speed, accuracy and correct touch-typing technique.
The best way to develop your keyboard skills, speed and accuracy is to practice. Over the course of term 1 and 2 you will undertake 100 lessons of Typing Club. These start with basic instructions about correct finger placement and develop into how to use the numeric keypad. By practicing for 5 minutes at the beginning of every lesson you will improve your speed, accuracy and correct touch-typing technique.
Task 2:
Go to kildare.typingclub.com and log in using your first name and second initial (e.g. JohnS), Password Kildare. Read the instructions about setting up your workstation and ensure you are sitting correctly before commencing. Every lesson you will complete 5 minutes of typing (timed by your instructor) with the aim to use the correct finger placement and develop your speed over time.
- If you find it hard to stop looking at the keyboard, try placing a tea towel over your hands and keyboard to force you to use the guide keys. This will speed up your skills in touch typing.
- Once you have completed the 100 lessons, start work on your Speed and Accuracy. Please note, you must achieve an accuracy rate of 98% or more in order to pass a speed and accuracy test which is part of your competency assessment.
Checking Accuracy
When creating workplace documents it is important to check them for accuracy before sending anything on to customers. To do this we proofread the document, checking for spelling and grammatical errors and amend the document correcting any errors before printing or emailing the document.
Proofreading refers to the process of reading written work for “surface errors.” These are errors involving spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice. When you proofread, you circle your errors on the printed document, then you go back and edit the original. You can also proofread on the screen and amend your errors as you go.
The following four steps should help you become a better proofreader.
When creating workplace documents it is important to check them for accuracy before sending anything on to customers. To do this we proofread the document, checking for spelling and grammatical errors and amend the document correcting any errors before printing or emailing the document.
Proofreading refers to the process of reading written work for “surface errors.” These are errors involving spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice. When you proofread, you circle your errors on the printed document, then you go back and edit the original. You can also proofread on the screen and amend your errors as you go.
The following four steps should help you become a better proofreader.
- Familiarise yourself with the errors you commonly make by looking over writing that has already been marked. Make a list of your errors, and check your writing for each of them.
- Carefully and slowly read your writing out loud. Often your ear will hear what your eye did not see.
- Read your writing, sentence by sentence, from the last sentence to the first sentence. This technique interrupts the logical flow of the prose and neutralises any impression of correctness arising from your knowledge of what you meant to say.
- Use your dictionary to check any words of which you are unsure
Below is an example of a document that has been proof read with the errors marked.
Task 3:
In your 11BSS folder you will find a document titled 'Job Design Proofreading', print this document, proofread it using a red pen and when you feel it is correct give it to your instructor. After your instructor has checked your proofreading you will then retype the document correcting errors as you go, recheck it and email it to your instructor.