Available on Windows , Mac , or Chromebooks

Recommended for Grades 6 - 8

The CompuScholar Tech Essentials course is a great starting point for middle-school students to learn basic computer skills.

Topics Covered

This single-semester course covers fundamental computing topics and skills such as:

  • File management
  • Using Word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation programs
  • Creating images, sounds, and videos
  • Doing online research
  • Introductory coding concepts
  • Digital citizenship
  • Online safety

Click on the Course Syllabus tab to see a complete list of topics.

Student Work

All lesson quizzes and chapter tests are auto-graded by our system. Students will complete hands-on coding projects in every chapter, and these projects are a mixture of teacher or parent-graded and auto-graded, depending on the chapter and topic.

Scroll through the images below to see a few examples of student work.

  • Spreadsheets, Charts, and Graphs

  • Formatting Word Processing Documents

  • Creating images, sounds, and videos

  • Using online search engines

  • Simple Coding in Blockly

  • Simple Coding in Python

 

Please review our course syllabus, which contains the following information:

  • Specific chapter and lesson topics
  • Pacing guide, overall course length and exepected hours per week

 

View the Tech Essentials Syllabus PDF File

Tech Essentials may meet standards for middle school computer skills courses in your state. Please click on your state link below to view all alignments for your state.

If you don't see your state listed, please contact us to discuss your requirements!


Alabama - Visit our Alabama standards page

Arizona - Visit our Arizona standards page

Arkansas - Visit our Arkansas standards page

California - Visit our California standards page

Connecticut - Visit our Connecticut standards page

Florida - Visit our Florida standards page

Georgia - Visit our Georgia standards page

Hawaii - Visit our Hawaii standards page

Idaho - Visit our Idaho standards page

Illinois - Visit our Illinois standards page

Indiana - Visit our Indiana standards page

Iowa - Visit our Iowa standards page

Kentucky - Visit our Kentucky standards page

Louisiana - Visit our Louisiana standards page

Massachusetts - Visit our Massachusetts standards page

Mississippi - Visit our Mississippi standards page

Missouri - Visit our Missouri standards page

Maryland - Visit our Maryland standards page

Michigan - Visit our Michigan standards page

Minnesota - Visit our Minnesota standards page

Nevada - Visit our Nevada standards page

New Mexico - Visit our New Mexico standards page

New York - Visit our New York standards page

North Carolina - Visit our North Carolina standards page

Ohio - Visit our Ohio standards page

Oklahoma - Visit our Oklahoma standards page

Pennsylvania - Visit our Pennsylvania standards page

South Carolina - Visit our South Carolina standards page

Tennessee - Visit our Tennessee standards page

Texas - Visit our Texas standards page

Utah - Visit our Utah standards page

Virginia - Visit our Virginia standards page

Washington - Visit our Washington standards page

West Virginia - Visit our West Virginia standards page

Wisconsin - Visit our Wisconsin standards page


This course can be completed on any Windows , Mac computer, or Chromebook with sufficient web browser and a Internet connection.

No local software installation is needed; online alternatives (e.g. Google Docs/Sheets/Slides) can be used in all places where we teach students to use 3rd party software. Students may optionally use locally installed apps like Microsoft Office if they own that software and have a compatible computer.

For detailed hardware and software requirements, please see:

Minimum System Requirements (PDF)