Learn Tux Typing

Introduction

Basic information

ICT Competency	Tux Typing is a free and open source application for supporting basic digital literacy by getting familiar with the keyboard as a method of input. Tux Typing can be used by children and adults alike for developing this skill.
Educational application and relevance	Tux Typing is a free and open source typing tutor created especially for new computer learners. Familiarity with keyboard input is important for creating with ICT.
Version	1.8.1
Configuration	No specific configuration requirements
Other similar applications	Rapid Typing, Klavaro
The application on mobiles and tablets	Typing Speed, Typing Master
Development and community help	Official Website

Overview of Features

The application includes two video game-style activities for younger players and finger lessons for experienced users. It is designed to be fun and to improve words per minute speed of typists. Tux Typing is a free and open source typing tutor created especially for children. It features several different types of game play, at a variety of difficulty levels.

Installation

For Ubuntu OS

The application is part of the Ubuntu custom distribution.
In case you do not find it on your computer, you can install by typing Tux Typing on top search bar in Software Centre.
If you would like to install through the terminal follow these steps below:
1. Open terminal by clicking "Applications --> System Tools --> Terminal" or through Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+T
2. In the terminal window, type below command and press enter to start the installation by providing your machine password:
3. sudo apt-get install tuxtype

For Windows OS

To download the Tux Typing for Windows OS you can click this link.
Go to the Downloaded folder and double click on that to install it to your system.
Follow the instructions and finish the installation

For MAC OS

To download the Tux Typing for MAC OS you can click this link.
Once your download these files, copy that to your hard drive's Applications folder.

Working with the application

To open Tux Typing go to "Application --> Education -->Tux Typing".

Starting typing practice on Tux Typing

TuxTyping Main Page
Lessons in TuxTyping

An interface of TuxTyping

When you open the Tux Typing it will show the window as shown in the first image that is "Tux Typing main page". Typing can be practiced by selecting games and lessons.
When you select the lesson option it will show the window as in the second image that is "Lessons in Tux Typing". There are 43 basic lessons. Go through the each lessons to practice typing.
When you select a lesson, Tux Typing will show a window and ask you to press Space bar and then the "p" key. If the Caps Lock key is on (to type CAPITAL Letters) then Tux Typing won't work. Hence make sure this key is not on.
After you practice these lessons, you will find that you can use all your fingers for typing. This speeds up your typing hugely. You need not look at the keyboard to type, so you can see the monitor as you type, which enables you to identify mistakes in typing.

Start practice typing

Tux typing interface

After pressing space bar and "p" key it will show the window as above. On the screen you can see items - Time, Chars (characters), CPM, WPM, Errors and Accuracy. These basically tell you how well you are typing. You will find a blinking button on each finger to guide you as to which finger to be used for typing a given character. There will also be a blinking light around the character to be typed.

Comet Zap - Typing words based on selected subject

Fish Cascade - Typing words based on selected subject

You can also find the practicing of words based on the subject such as Color, Fruit, Number etc. For this you can choose "Comet Zap" or "Fish Cascade" in the main menu.

Advanced features

None. The interactive lessons in Tux Typing will teach you the proper keyboarding. The 43 interactive lessons in Tux Typing give players a firm foundation on which to build both speed and accuracy, you should practice all lessons in sequence a few times to become comfortable with ten (or nine) finger typing.

Ideas for resource creation

None

References

Wikipedia