Learn Computing – 1. Tutor Notes



learn computing

book 1 -tutor notes

learncomputing.

10 March 2011

Introduction

This course is intended for a small group of people, or individuals, who are beginning to learn about computing from a ‘tutor’. This tutor may be from an external organisation, or could be a friend or relative.

The notes for the course are in three documents:

• Tutor notes: provide an outline of the course content for each session. (This document)

• Handouts: detailed notes to provide students with written support for the skills learnt during the course. These handouts also contain other information which might be useful, for example on back-ups.

• Tasks: Exercises linked to the skills being learnt and designed to reinforce the teaching.

If you need a copy of the Handouts and Tasks, these can be downloaded from learncomputing@. It is hoped these notes provide a framework to teach the absolute beginner and can be used by a tutor and class, or by a knowledgeable individual teaching a relative. The notes are copyright, but you may copy and modify them; I hope you do (see below for full terms).

The course is intended to provide the following skills:

• Using the computer, such as opening and closing programs, copying and pasting, saving and opening documents.

• Accessing the internet to obtain information, buy items, and arrange travel.

• Sending and receiving e-mails.

• Loading images from a digital camera into an album.

• Understanding features of the hardware, software and communications, such as DVD writers, USB ports flash memory drives, free programs and connecting to the internet.

The notes assume that the computer is set up and connected to a printer (although this is not essential). The operating system is assumed to be Windows XP or Windows 7. The course is structured to get students using the internet as soon as possible, leaving the more complex aspects, such as file structure, until they need to know how to save files.

These tutor notes were originally written as part of a course comprising six sessions of two hours a week given at a local library. The students were over 50 years of age and ranged in knowledge from nothing, to knowledge of how to use a mouse and keyboard. The course was organised by Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire (.uk), as part of their ‘IT Champions’ project. Up to four students may be on the course and the notes are written as if all are absolute beginners. These notes have been revised into a modular format to provide flexibility in teaching, for example by shortening the time for a teaching session. I haven’t included screen shots in these notes. Not only haven’t I had the time (yet) but I think it’s important that the student finds their way around the actual screen. This may take them longer, but I think it’s better training.

Best wishes!

David Griffiths

E-mail: learncomputing@

(This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California 94105, USA.).

|Introduction and parts of the computer |

|The course and computer hardware | |

|Go through the Handout up to, and including ‘The screen’ | |

|Mouse: | |

|Demonstrate | |

|Look underneath | |

|How to hold | |

|Pick up and move | |

|Left button | |

|Right button | |

|Wheel (use lightly – don’t hold down) | |

|Clicking | |

|Double clicking | |

|Help from the internet | |

|Help the student to get on the internet and use the following websites: | |

| | |

| | |

|Also look at and | |

| | |

|Opening a program |The calculator is a useful program |

|Demonstrate using the Calculator |to get students used to the mouse. |

|(Open calculator – Start-All Programs-Accessories-Calculator) |Also try . |

|Carry out Task 1 – Using the mouse | |

|the keyboard |

|Keyboard basics demonstration | |

|Open Notepad, WordPad or any other word processor | |

|Demonstrate the use of each of the keys listed on the handout. | |

|Use the internet to provide practice |The main aim of this task is to get|

| |the student used to the keyboard. |

| |It may be better for the tutor to |

| |set up the website. |

| |If it is not easy to access the |

| |internet at this stage change the |

| |task to provide experience of using|

| |the keyboard |

|Word processing | |

|Demonstrate how to open the word processors provided by Windows | |

|Carry out task 2 – Introduction to the keyboard | |

|Programs and windows, Turning on and off, if everything stops |

|Programs and windows |Notepad is used here because it is |

|Demonstrate with Notepad (Start-AllPrograms-Accessories-Notepad) |simple. You could use ‘WordPad’ |

|Moving a window |which has more features. |

|Minimising a program window | |

|Getting it back | |

|Closing a program | |

|Changing the size of a window | |

|Scroll bars | |

|Carry out Task 3 – Using Windows | |

|Switching off | |

|Close all documents | |

|Close all programs | |

|Demonstrate how to turn the computer off -emphasise must do it this way – not by switching off at | |

|the back or mains! | |

|Look at the restart and standby options | |

|If everything stops | |

|Go through the handout | |

|Demonstrate closing a program using Ctrl-Alt-Del | |

|Carry out Task 4 – closing a program using Task Manager | |

|Using Help | |

|Open the calculator, Notepad and other programs to demonstrate the help available. | |

|Carry out Task 5 – Using Help | |

|accessing the internet |

|What is the internet? | |

|Give a brief introduction | |

|Programs that access the internet | |

|Talk about the browsers available – Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla Firefox – several versions | |

|Open the browser available | |

|The Browser screen |The aim of this module is to get |

|Point out the address bar and how to type into it |the student used to moving around a|

| |webpage |

|Hyperlinks | |

|What they are and how to use them | |

|Pointer turning to hand | |

|Use the BBC’s website bbc.co.uk (or any other which you like) to demonstrate exploring a | |

|website using hyperlinks. | |

|Using the web to learn | |

|Help the student access the following sites to get some on-line training: | |

| (chapter 2) to learn about | |

|using a browser. | |

|Next try this US site | |

|Carry out task 6 | |

|Browsers and searching the internet |

|The Browser screen | |

|Go through the different menu items and command on the browser screen, including: | |

|Address bar | |

|Opening new tabs | |

|Forward and back buttons | |

|‘Favorites’ (demonstrate how to save a favourite page) | |

|Use of the right mouse button | |

|Different menu bars (Tool bar, Status bar) | |

|Scroll bars – also using central wheel | |

|History | |

|Changing the ‘Home’ page | |

|Look at | |

|Carry out Task 7 | |

|Uploading and downloading | |

|Talk about what is uploaded and downloaded. | |

|Search engines | |

|How they work | |

|Where to key in the request | |

|Tips on using: don’t be too specific, try different ways of asking the same question | |

|Carry out Task 8 | |

|Wikipedia | |

|What is it – on-line encyclopaedia updated by anyone! | |

|Help the student access the site | |

|Try Task 9 | |

|User names and passwords | |

|Talk about the process of logging on and safety on the internet | |

|Document readers -Adobe Acrobat documents | |

|What are they? | |

|Load a pdf document (Task 10 does this) | |

|How to use them – display ages, to page through and search, for example | |

|Try Task 10 | |

|Shopping on the internet |

|Shopping on the internet | |

|Safety – see handout | |

|Searching the website | |

|Paying for goods | |

|Your account | |

|PayPal | |

|Amazon Market Place | |

|Carry out Task 11 – buying a DVD and Printer Cartridge | |

|Price comparison websites | |

|Show an example of using a price comparison website | |

|Carry out Task 12 – price of a printer cartridge | |

|E-bay | |

|What is it: not only auctions | |

|Go onto e-bay (ebay.co.uk) and show how it works both for auctions and ‘Buy it now’. | |

|Manufacturers’ websites | |

|Good for detailed specifications and all models available | |

|Carry out Task 13 | |

|Arranging travel on the internet and other opportunities |

|Travel | |

|Demonstrate the following: | |

|Checking departure and arrival times of planes and trains. (Go to an airport’s website like | |

| ) | |

|Booking tickets (Try easyjet.co.uk) | |

|Booking accommodation (travellodge.co.uk) | |

|Getting reviews of hotels and places (tripadvisor.co.uk ) | |

|Getting travel advice (use search). | |

|Checking out the location where you are staying. (Use search) | |

|Providing maps and satellite images.(google.co.uk/maps) | |

|Carry out tasks 14 and 15 | |

|Other opportunities | |

|Go through the list in the Handout. | |

|Demonstrate any that interest the student(s) | |

|Printers and Printing |

|Printing – Demonstrate/ talk about | |

|Types of printer – inkjet and laser | |

|What to print – documents, labels and pictures | |

|What to print on – types of paper | |

|How to print | |

|Print preview | |

|Preferences – go through the various options on the print preferences menus, including paper type | |

|and double-sided printing (if available). | |

|Look at how to print specific pages. | |

|Carry out Task 16 | |

|Word Processing -Moving text around and changing fonts |

|Highlighting | |

|How to highlight words and phrases | |

|The different methods of cutting and copying | |

|Change font | |

|How to change font sizes and colours | |

|Carry out Task 17 | |

|Setting up an e-mail account |

|What e-mails are | |

|E-mail addresses | |

|Types of e-mail programs | |

|On computer (Windows Live Mail, Outlook) | |

|On the web (Google Mail, Hotmail) | |

|What program do you already have? | |

|Setting up an e-mail account |You may have problems setting up |

|Take the student through setting up an e-mail account, either on line: (google.co.uk or |gmail accounts due to the |

|hotmail.co.uk) |difficulty in reading the distorted|

|or on a computer: Windows Live Mail ) or |letters on the screen, required as |

|Thunderbird (). |part of the set-up procedure. Also |

|Note that if you set up e-mail on a computer you will need the set up details (login and password) |gmail required a verification code,|

|from your Student’s ISP, plus details for the incoming and outgoing servers, usually found on the |sent to a mobile phone. Maybe this |

|ISPs’ website. |happed because we were on a public |

| |computer. I suggest setting up |

| |e-mail accounts before the session,|

| |if you are on a public computer. |

|Carry out task 18 | |

|Using E-mails |

|Take the student through: | |

|Sending | |

|Receiving | |

|Replying | |

|Forwarding | |

|Attachments | |

|Junk mail | |

|Setting up a new folder | |

|Moving e-mails into the new folder | |

|And adding contacts | |

|Carry out Task 19 | |

|Internet phoning, Facebook, Twitter |

|Skype | |

|If appropriate help the student set up a Skype account and use it. | |

|Instant messaging | |

|Demonstrate instant messaging using Windows Messenger, or Skype | |

|Facebook and Twitter | |

|If appropriate, help the student set up accounts, including security settings, and use the programs.| |

|There are no Tasks associated with this module, as it depends what the student requires. Help the | |

|student use whatever they wish to do. | |

| | |

|Parts of the computer and programs |

| | |

|Contents of a computer | |

|Go through the parts of the computer mentioned in the handout. Mention specifically the difference | |

|between RAM and the hard drive, in order to emphasise the need to regularly save work. | |

|If you are able, and knowledgeable, remove the cover from a computer case to show the parts. (Unplug| |

|the computer, don’t do this without ‘grounding’ yourself to remove static and don’t do it unless you| |

|understand what you are doing!) | |

|Programs | |

|Discuss the purpose of operating systems and the different versions. | |

|Talk about the different types of programs | |

|Show the student how to get the complete list of programs | |

|Office programs | |

|If applicable, demonstrate the type of office programs available and what their purpose is. | |

|There are no Tasks associated with this module. | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Files and folders |

|Files and directories |If you are using a ‘Public |

|What they are |computer’ you may not have access |

|How to open Windows Explorer (My Computer/Folders) |to the C: drive, so use a flash |

|Look at the folder structure |memory pen to carry out the tasks. |

|Demonstrate expanding and collapsing | |

|Add a folder | |

|Look at Drive letters (Assigned on start up) | |

|Look at ‘My documents’ and ‘Library’ (Windows 7 only) if you can | |

|Carry out task 20 | |

|Digital photos |

|Programs to use | |

|Picasa, Windows Live Gallery, Adobe Photoshop Elements | |

|If it is possible, download and set up Picasa () or Windows Live Photo | |

|Gallery () | |

|Loading from a camera (or Memory card) |Students may have to supply their |

|Show the student how to download pictures, either from the camera, or from a memory card (if the |own cameras, or bring your own. |

|computer has a slot for cards) | |

|Set up the options for transferring to a specific directory. | |

|Changing | |

|Look at the options to change the photo. | |

|Removing red-eye. | |

|Organising – Albums |Picasa is better at adding |

|Look at the additional data attached to the photo |‘geotags’ than live Gallery, due to|

|Show the student how to add captions and tags. |its better mapping. |

|Show how to change the data and time | |

|Add ‘geotags’ | |

|Send as attachments | |

|E-mail a photo | |

|Adding details to | |

|Show how to use face recognition | |

|Additional files holding data (optional) | |

|Consider how to back-up photos. | |

|Look at Picasa’s back-up function (Tools/Backup) | |

|Removing hardware | |

|Demonstrate how to remove hardware | |

|Carry out Task 21 | |

|Menus, Saving and opening work, shortcuts |

|Menu Bars | |

|Open WordPad and talk through the menu options: | |

|File name | |

|Command/Menu bar | |

|Tool bars | |

|Drop down menus | |

|Do the same with a browser | |

|Saving work (using Notepad) | |

|What is data? Types of data, documents, pictures, spreadsheets. | |

|Where data is stored- hard drive | |

|How to save – ‘Save As’ window | |

|When to save | |

|Carry out task 22 | |

| Opening a file | |

|How to open a file | |

|‘Open’ window | |

|Carry out task 13 | |

|Security |

|Threats to Security | |

|Go through the handout – adding comments of your own | |

|Check that the student has an anti-virus program on their computer | |

|If you can – look at the Windows security settings. | |

|(There are no tasks for this module) | |

|Working with files |

|Files – Windows Explorer | |

|Revise navigation, adding a folder | |

|Demonstrate the various ways of moving a file. | |

|File extensions | |

|Show examples of these in Windows Explorer. | |

|Open WordPad and ‘Save As’ to show how files can be saved as different file types. | |

|Renaming files | |

|Show how to rename a file | |

|Selecting multiple files | |

|Selecting several files – Shift and Ctrl | |

|Move a multiple selection | |

|Program and file shortcuts | |

|What they are | |

|How to recognise them | |

|How to set them up | |

|Changing the view of files | |

|RHS column in Windows Explorer – how to change the display | |

|Carry out Task 24 | |

|Scanners and Audio |

|Attaching equipment | |

|Point out the sockets for headphones and a microphone | |

|Windows Media Player | |

|If required by the student, demonstrate the functions of Windows Media Player, including ripping a | |

|CD. | |

|Go through the ‘Options’ tabs | |

|Talk about different file types (wav, mp3 and wma, for example) | |

|Look at the options for displaying information in the Library. | |

|Transfer files to an mp3 player, or phone, if appropriate | |

|Scanners | |

|Talk about the different types | |

|If one is linked to the computer, demonstrate its use | |

|No tasks linked to this module but rip CDs and scan in a document, as appropriate. | |

|Saving to external STORAGE, Backing up |

|Writing to a DVD | |

|Demonstrate writing to DVD-R and DVD-RW discs | |

| | |

|Back-ups | |

|What they are | |

|Methods of backing-up | |

|Explore the programs available with Windows. | |

|Talk through the backing-up of important files to a DVD | |

|Programs |

|Adding, deleting, updating and upgrading | |

|Demonstrate how to find an ‘Uninstall’ program on the ‘All programs’ list | |

|Show how to use the Control Panel’s Add/remove programs feature | |

|Look at version numbers of various programs, including Windows | |

|Acquiring programs | |

|Go through the handout. | |

|If necessary, look at downloading a program from the internet. | |

|Program and file shortcuts | |

|Right click a program icon on the desktop and look at its properties. | |

|Demonstrate setting up a shortcut on the desktop. | |

|Measurement of storage |

|File sizes | |

|Open Windows Explorer and look at the size of different types of file | |

|Data storage | |

|In Windows Explorer, right click the C: drive, click ‘Properties’ to look at the size of the hard | |

|drive and the storage used. | |

|Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del), click the Processor tab and look at the physical memory | |

|available and being used. | |

|Downloads | |

|Consider downloading a program to give a visual impression of hard drive use. | |

|Connecting to the internet |

|Methods | |

|Look at the handout, talk about the ways of connecting to the internet | |

|The ways of connecting to an ISP | |

|Connecting to a modem | |

|Talked about wired and wireless connections | |

|Mention the difference between a wireless connection and a connection over the mobile phone network | |

|Connection speeds | |

|Look at the handout. | |

|Measure the connection speed of the line, for example using | |

| | |

|(Search on broadband speed check). | |

|Note the difference between upload and download speeds. | |

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