CompuScholar Tech Essentials Course
A self-paced tech course that builds real-world digital skills—ideal for future-ready students.
$120
Quantity:
Online Course
Consumable
In a Curriculum Kit
Nonreligious
Please note: this item is non-refundable.
2026 Sixth-Grade Curriculum Kit
CompuScholar Tech Essentials Course
Knowing how to use technology is no longer optional, yet surprisingly few students receive direct instruction in the digital skills modern life requires. Tech Essentials provides a practical, semester-long introduction to computer literacy, digital citizenship, online research, file management, productivity tools, and introductory programming.
Designed for middle school students, the course teaches both technical skills and digital responsibility. Your child will learn how to organize files, conduct effective online research, create digital projects, stay safe online, and understand the fundamentals of coding through Blockly and Python.
The curriculum combines reading, instructional videos, hands-on activities, quizzes, tests, and coding exercises to keep learning active and engaging. Projects throughout the course allow students to apply what they're learning in realistic situations rather than simply memorizing terminology.
Parents will appreciate the built-in support. Auto-graded quizzes and tests reduce grading time, while lesson guides, answer keys, and completed code solutions make the course approachable even for adults with limited experience with technology.
Tech Essentials works on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and tablet devices, making it easy to integrate into a variety of homeschool setups. Most students spend approximately 3–5 hours per week completing lessons, projects, quizzes, and assessments over an 18-week semester.
Whether your child plans to pursue technology-related studies or simply needs a solid foundation for modern life, Tech Essentials provides structured instruction in the computer skills, coding basics, and digital citizenship concepts that many students are expected to know but are rarely taught directly.
How to Use Tech Essentials
- Choose the schedule that works best for your family. Most students complete the course in one semester by following the built-in 18-week plan, but it can also be spread across a full school year by completing approximately half a chapter each week.
- Each lesson combines reading, instructional videos, quizzes, and hands-on activities. As your student progresses through the course, he'll learn file management, online research, digital citizenship, productivity tools, and introductory coding through Blockly and Python.
- Encourage your student to complete the hands-on projects rather than focusing only on the quizzes and tests. Creating spreadsheets, presentations, videos, and coding projects is where the concepts start to stick and where many students gain confidence using technology independently.
- Take advantage of the built-in grading support. Quizzes and tests are automatically graded, while lesson guides, answer keys, and completed code solutions make it easy to review projects and monitor progress.
- Because the course works on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and tablet devices, most families can use the technology they already have available.
By the end of the course, your student won't just know more about technology—he'll be more comfortable using it to solve problems, communicate ideas, and complete real-world tasks with confidence.
Publisher: CompuScholar, Inc
Age Recommendation: 11+
Grade Recommendation: 6th Grade+
Faith-Based: No
Consumable: Yes
Subscription Info: 1 year online course
System Requirements:
DEVICES - Windows OS, Mac OS, Chromebook, iOS or Android tablets
BROWSERS - Edge 42+, Firefox 58+, Safari 11+, Chrome 64+
INTERNET - Any standard Internet connection
View the publisher's system requirements here
Format: Online course
Language: English
“Tech Essentials from CompuScholar is the perfect introductory class, covering fundamental concepts, coding, and hands-on activities.” Read the Review
Making Everyday Magic:
Schulte Sweeties Homeschool:
Bina Walker:
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about this product below:
CompuScholar courses assume the student is already familiar with using a keyboard and mouse to select and run programs, navigate application menu systems, and generally interact with their operating system.
Programming students should understand how to store and retrieve files on the hard disk and how to use built-in operating system applications (Windows/File Explorer, Mac OS Finder) to navigate a file system and directory structures. It is helpful to also have some familiarity with text editors and using web browsers to find helpful information on the Internet.
We teach students how to program a computer from the ground up, but they should already know the basics about using one!
While our system will auto-grade quizzes and tests, grading of the student's hands-on projects is the responsibility of the parent or teacher. CompuScholar provides rubrics to assist parents with the grading process. For detailed instructions, please log in with your teacher's account, click into your course, and then clck on the "Teacher Tutorial" link within your Teacher's Menu. From there, click on "Common Administrative Features" and then review the "Grading Projects" walk-through video for homeschool / individual students.
When you purchase an online course, you will receive one or more emails with access instructions. These emails will contain self-registration coupon codes for both student and teacher. You will use these codes to create your own accounts. Those codes are one-time-use only, and afterwards you will use your chosen username and password to log into the system.
Your email instructions will contain your login URL; we recommend you bookmark that login URL in your web browser for easy access.
To create your teacher account, visit the self-registration page link that came with your instructions. Enter the teacher code and other profile details to create your account. To create the student account, repeat the process with the student code and student profile details. When creating a NEW account, please be sure that you have logged out of any previous account. If you would like to attach a new course to an EXISTING account (e.g. student signs up for a second course), then please log in with that account first, before visiting the self-registration page. For a complete registration walk-through, please see our enrollment tutorial videos:
https://learning.compuscholar.com/enrol/cs_self/viewTutorial.php
Students can simply begin the course with Chapter 1, Lesson 1 and follow the lesson instructions and activities. You will be guided through the installation of any required 3rd party software at the appropriate time. Students can click on the "Tutorial" link from the Student Menu for a series of videos demonstrating common system features.
Teacher accounts have access to all course material, plus lesson teacher's guides, solution guides, and fully coded activity solutions. Our online system will auto-grade all quizzes and tests, but parents or teachers are responsible for grading the hands-on activities. Please click on the "Professional Development" link from the Teacher's Menu for video tutorials on grading and other common administrative functions.
- September 17, 2026
Bea
I purchased this for my two youngest (ages 12 & 13) to help them better understand computers. We don't use technology unless required, but the world is changing and this is needed. So far, (through the first three chapters) it has covered very basic things. Things that people who have ever used a computer generally would understand. The kiddos find it rather boring but it's easy enough they can get a day's lesson done in less than twenty minutes and they still learn something.
- December 8, 2025
Teaching important skills made EASY!
TheMommaLibrarian
My 8th grader has really been enjoying this course. It covers an extensive range of tech topics/skills, and I love that we can adapt it to meet her learning needs. Great for independent learners, but also adaptable for other types of learners, too! We'll be using this again for my younger child when he hits middle school.
- April 15, 2025
Perfect for a parent who doesn’t know anything about tech
Bina
I was nervous at first to offer this for my sixth grader, but she really liked it. The information is very straightforward and she didn’t really need a lot of help from me. The video lessons are engaging and the questions quizzes are only ten so they’re not overwhelming for the student who is new to computer basics.
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