The effects of educational kinesiology and functional visual efficiency on typewriting speed and accuracy

The Employment Training Program has been mandated by the Federal Government to train and find unsubsidized employment for economically disadvantaged individuals and others facing serious barriers to employment. Keyboarding skills are of paramount importance in the clerical program.

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of educational kinesiology on typewriting speed and accuracy for students with and without functional visual efficiency. It involved 75 subjects from the Employment Training Center (JTPA Program) in Arlington, Virginia.

Typewriting pretests were administered to determine subjects speed and error averages. Eye screening was administered utilizing the Titmus Vision Tester and the King-Devick Saccade Test. Although the battery of tests for the Titmus were administered, only the lateral and vertical phoria near test that measures muscle balance, the relationship of the image of each eye to that of its fellow, provided meaningful data for this study. The K-D Test measures tracking ability of the eyes as they perceive copy for typewriting. Subjects were considered as functionally visually efficient by passing both vision tests.

The concepts of educational kinesiology (education through movement) were explained to the subjects as a way to increase typing speed, reduce errors, and control stress. Volunteers for the training numbered 31; 44 subjects remained in the control group.

The same straight-copy timed writing was used for the pretest and posttest. Analyses of variance were used to examine differences in pretest and posttest scores for both speed and accuracy.

Some of the major findings of the study were as follows:

1. Training in educational kinesiology had no effect on typewriting speed and accuracy.

2. Functional visual efficiency had no effect on typewriting speed and accuracy.

3. No interaction exists between the typewriting pretest-posttest speed and accuracy scores for students who did and did not receive educational kinesiology training and for students with and without functional visual efficiency.