Skill Sets covered during the session:



European

Computer

Driving

Licence

ECDL Syllabus 5.0

Form 1

ECDL Core

2009

Contents

Module 1 Concepts of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) 1

Hardware, Software & Information Technology 1

Main Parts of a Personal Computer 2

( Activity 1 2

Random Access Memory (RAM) & Read Only Memory (ROM) 3

( Activity 2 5

Storage Devices 5

Input Devices 6

( Activity 3 9

Output Devices 9

Input & Output Devices 10

( Activity 4 11

Module 2 Using the Computer & Managing Files 12

Starting the Computer 12

Switching Off the Computer 15

Restarting the Computer 15

Shutting Down a Non-Responding Application 15

( Activity 5 17

Common Icons 17

Selecting & Moving Icons 18

Opening Folders or Icons 19

Creating Desktop Shortcut Icons 19

( Activity 6 19

The Anatomy of a Window 20

Working with Windows 20

Switching between Windows 22

( Activity 7 22

Using Help 23

Using a Text Editing Application 25

( Activity 8 27

Module 3 Word Processing 28

Opening MS Word 28

Opening Existing Documents 29

Switching between Open Documents 30

Closing a Document 30

Closing MS Word 30

Creating a New Document 31

Saving a Document 32

Using Magnification & Zoom Tools 33

( Activity 9 33

Displaying & Hiding Built-in Toolbars 34

Switching between Page View Modes 35

Entering Text in a Document 36

Inserting Special Characters & Symbols 37

Editing Text 37

Deleting Text 38

Using Undo & Redo Command 38

( Activity 10 39

Selecting Text 40

Moving & Copying Text 40

Applying Font Types & Sizes 41

Applying Typestyles: Bold, Italics & Underline 42

Applying Subscript & Superscript 42

Applying Colours to Text 42

Applying Case Changes to Text 43

( Activity 11 43

Aligning Text 44

Inserting an Object 45

Selecting an Object 46

Resizing & Deleting an Object 47

( Activity 12 48

Changing the Document Orientation & Paper Size 49

Changing the Page Margins 49

Previewing a Document 50

Printing a Document 51

( Activity 13 52

Module 4 Spreadsheets 53

Opening MS Excel 53

Opening Existing Workbooks & Spreadsheets 55

Closing Workbooks & Spreadsheets 55

Closing MS Excel 56

Creating a New Workbook & Spreadsheet 56

Saving a Workbook & Spreadsheet 57

Switching between Open Workbooks & Sheets 58

Using Magnification & Zoom Tools 58

Displaying & Hiding Built-in Toolbars 59

( Activity 14 60

Entering Data in Cells 61

Selecting Cells 62

Selecting Rows 62

Selecting Columns 64

Editing Cell Content 65

Using Undo & Redo Command 65

Deleting Cell Contents 65

Applying Font Types & Sizes 65

Applying Typestyles: Bold, Italics, Underline & Double Underline 66

Applying Colours to Cell Content & Background 66

( Activity 15 67

Moving & Copying Data 68

Inserting & Deleting Rows or Columns 68

Modifying Column Widths & Row Heights 69

( Activity 16 70

Creating Formulae 71

Identifying Formula Error Messages 72

( Activity 17 73

Changing Worksheet Margins 74

Changing Worksheet Orientation & Paper Size 74

Adjusting Page Setup to Fit Worksheet Contents 75

Previewing a Worksheet 75

Turning On & Off Gridlines & Row & Column Headings 76

Applying Automatic Title Row/s 76

( Activity 18 77

Module 6 Presentation 78

Opening MS PowerPoint 78

Opening Existing Presentations 79

Closing a Presentation 80

Closing MS PowerPoint 80

Creating a New Presentation 81

Saving a Presentation 81

Using Magnification & Zoom Tools 82

Displaying & Hiding Built-in Toolbars 82

( Activity 19 84

Changing between Presentation View Modes 85

Inserting a New Slide 85

Changing a Built-in Slide Layout 86

Applying a Design Template 87

Adding, Editing & Deleting Text in a Slide 87

Copying & Moving Slides 88

Deleting Slide/s 89

Using Undo & Redo Command 89

Moving & Copying Data 89

( Activity 20 90

Applying Font Types & Sizes 91

Applying Typestyles: Bold, Italics, Underline & Shadow 92

Applying Colours to Text 92

Applying Case Changes to Text 92

Aligning Text 93

Running the Slide Show 94

( Activity 21 94

Module 7 Web Browsing & Communication 95

Internet vs World Wide Web 95

Internet Service Provider, Uniform Resource Locator & Hyperlink 95

Web Browsers 97

Search Engines 98

( Activity 22 98

Opening & Closing MS Internet Explorer 99

Entering a URL 100

Displaying a Web Page 100

Stopping a Web Page from Downloading 101

Refreshing a Web Page 101

Hiding & Displaying Toolbars 101

Activating a Hyperlink 102

Navigating Backwards & Forwards 103

Navigating to the Home Page 103

Displaying Previously Visited URLs 103

( Activity 23 104

Using Bookmarks 105

Creating & Deleting Bookmark Folders 106

Adding Web Pages to a Bookmark Folder 107

Selecting a Search Engine 107

Using the Keyword Search Facility 108

Searching for Information using a Search Engine 109

Previewing a Web Page 110

Changing the Page Setup 111

Printing 112

( Activity 24 112

Electronic Mail 113

The Structure of an Email Address 114

Netiquette 114

Opening & Closing MS Outlook 115

Opening & Closing an Email 116

Retrieving Messages 117

Creating a New Email 118

( Activity 25 119

Inserting & Removing a File Attachment 119

Setting Message Priority 120

Identifying & Marking Read or Unread Emails 121

Deleting an Email 121

Restoring Deleted Email 122

Emptying the Deleted Items Folder 122

( Activity 26 123

Courseware compiled by

James Cilia

2009

Module 1

Concepts of Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

Hardware, Software & Information Technology

Generally speaking, we think of computers as machines, which help us, perform tasks efficiently.

Any computer system processes data. What is data? Most of us use the words ‘data’ and ‘information’ to refer to the information which is handled by the computer. However, the two words have different meanings. We will explain the different meanings using the following example:

The 8-digit number 19072009 is ‘data’. However, when this number is interpreted as a date, then this number has a meaning and this will be referred to as ‘information’. The word ‘information’ refers to processed ‘data’.

Of course, you must first enter or input data into the computer before your machine can do anything to it. The computer processes (works on) the data to produce meaningful information. The computer will then show this information i.e. it will output the result. Thus any computer system goes through the following phases:

Therefore, we can now describe a computer system as being made up of input, processing and output devices. However, before you learn about the bits and pieces of a computer system it is necessary to distinguish between the terms ‘hardware’ and ‘software’.

Hardware - refers to the physical components of a computer system i.e. those parts which you can actually touch. Hardware includes:

|system unit |keyboard |monitor |mouse |

|disks |modem |printer |scanner |

|speakers |web camera |cables |microphone |

Software – refers to all types of computer programs. Software programs are simply a huge set of instructions, which make the computer do something useful. They tell the computer what to do with the information you are feeding into it, what to show on screen, and what to print.

In a computer system, the hardware and software work together to process raw data/words rapidly into useful information or accurate, well-displayed documents.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) – encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange and use information in its various forms. Information includes business data, voice conversations, still images, motion pictures and multimedia presentations.

ICT is a technology that combines computing with communication links carrying data, sound and video.

Main Parts of a Personal Computer

You will now look at the different parts of a computer. Your computer may look similar to the following:

The above computer is often referred to as a personal computer (PC). Typically a PC consists of a system unit (tower or desktop) that contains slots for CDs/DVDs and USB flash drives, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a set of speakers and a printer.

We use the term peripheral device for any equipment that is externally connected to the system unit such as keyboard, printer, mouse, monitor, speakers, scanner, webcam, microphone, digital camera, data projector etc.

( Activity 1

1. Distinguish between data and information.

2. Distinguish between hardware and software.

3. What is Information Technology (IT)?

4. List 4 examples of hardware.

5. Name 3 peripheral devices.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is located inside the system unit. The CPU, also referred to as the central processor or processor, is the ‘brain’ of the computer. It determines the speed at which program instructions are carried out by the computer.

The speed of the CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). 1MHz is equal to 1 million cycles per second. 1GHz is equal to 1 billion cycles per second. Each computer instruction requires a fixed number of cycles, so the speed of the CPU determines how many instructions per second the microprocessor can execute. The higher the MHz or GHz the faster the computer will execute program instructions.

Random Access Memory (RAM) & Read Only Memory (ROM)

Computers need some way of storing any data entered through the keyboard. This data is stored in the system memory of the computer. The system memory can be of two types - Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM). Before going into more details about the RAM and ROM, it is important to understand the basics about computer storage.

1. Bit – short for Binary Digit, is the smallest unit of information on the computer. A single bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1. More meaningful information is obtained by combining consecutive bits into larger units. A group of eight bits (e.g. 1011 0010) make up one byte.

2. Byte (B) - is the amount of storage needed to store one character (e.g. a, c, +, =, %, 8). So, for instance, a computer with 32,000 bytes of memory can store up to 32,000 characters in its memory. Large amounts of memory are indicated in terms of kilobytes, megabytes and gigabytes.

3. Kilobyte (KB) – is equivalent to 1024 bytes.

4. Megabyte (MB) – is equivalent to 1024×1024 bytes (or 1,048,576B). Five hundred (500) pages of double-spaced text occupy about 1MB of space.

5. Gigabytes (GB) – is equivalent to 1024×1024×1024 bytes (or 1,073,741,824B). Hard-disks (discussed later) have storage capacities measured in terms of GB (200-320GB).

6. Terabyte (TB) – is equivalent to 1024×1024×1024×1024 bytes (or 1,099,511,627,776B).

Files – are units that store collections of data. Almost all information stored in your computer must be in a file. Different types of files store different types of information. For example, program files store programs, text files store text; graphic files store images or pictures etc. Each file has a name referred to as a filename. Typically file sizes range from KB to MB.

Folders – store collections of files. Typically you organise your word-processing, spreadsheet and picture files (from your digital camera) in folders. Computer programs (e.g. MS Windows, MS Word, MS Excel etc) are stored in separate folders. Folders may also contain other folders (sub-folders) in them. Folder sizes may range from KB to GB.

As indicated earlier there are two main types of memory:

1. Random Access Memory (RAM) – is volatile storage that holds the program and data that the CPU would be processing.

The information you type on the keyboard is stored in the RAM. It is called ‘random access’ because any part of it can be examined and, if necessary, altered by the programs. In computer terminology, RAM can be ‘written to’, or ‘read from’ and is often described as ‘read/write’ memory. RAM is the memory that the computer uses to run word-processing or spreadsheets packages. Normally, such programs are stored on disks (discussed later).

When you want to use a program, you instruct the system to load the required program. In a matter of seconds the computer reads the program from the disk and starts loading (copying) it into the RAM.

If the computer’s power supply is cut off, the information held in the RAM is lost. For this reason, RAM is also called volatile memory - when the power goes off, its contents ‘evaporate’. For this reason, data stored in RAM, which is required for future use, has to be stored on non-volatile secondary storage devices such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) flash drives and hard disks. USB flash drives are sometimes referred to as USB pen disks.

As programs become more sophisticated and larger in size, the amount of RAM required to run these programs is always on the increase. Nowadays, 1-2GB RAM is a standard on all computers.

2. Read Only Memory (ROM) – refers to chips that have programs built into them by the manufacturer.

How does your computer know what to do when you turn it on? How does it know what to do to check out your hardware components (keyboard, monitor etc) to see that that these are connected correctly? Without these basic control functions, the computer would not be able to start up and accept other instructions or programs. Instructions to perform such critical operations are stored permanently on a read only memory (ROM) chip installed by the manufacturer inside the computer.

The ROM chip retains important instructions permanently. When the power supply is turned off, the instructions stored in ROM are not lost. The capacity of the ROM is typically smaller compared to that of the RAM.

( Activity 2

1. What does CPU stand for?

2. What are the units of the speed of a CPU?

3. How many bits are there in a byte?

4. How many bytes are there in the following: KB and MB?

5. What do RAM and ROM stand for? Lits some of the differences between these two types of memory.

Storage Devices

As indicated in the previous section, the internal memory (RAM) is temporary, and therefore information has to be stored on permanent media (hard-disks or USB flash drives) referred to as secondary or backing storage. To use any type of disk, the computer has to be equipped with the appropriate disk drives.

▪ Hard disk – is constructed of rigid magnetic disks sealed in a protective case. Data is recorded magnetically onto concentric circular tracks, each one divided into a number of sectors. Hard disks can hold very large amounts of data (200-320GB).

Most hard disks, referred to as internal hard disks, are fixed inside the computer. There are also external hard disks which connect to the computer through USB ports (small rectangular slots in the computer). External hard disks can be carried around easily.

▪ USB flash drive – consists of a small printed circuit board protected inside a plastic, metal or rubber case. The USB connector is often protected by a removable cap. USB flash drives are small and easy to carry around. They can store large amounts of data (up to 256GB). USB flash drives connect to the computer through USB ports.

▪ CD-ROM (Compact Disk – Read-only memory) – is an optical disk containing data, which has been written and can be read through the use of a laser beam. CD-ROMs are read-only media i.e. data on CD-ROMS cannot be erased or modified – it can only be read. CD-ROM disks have large storage capacities – 650MB. Typically, these disks are used to distribute large databases (catalogues) and reference encyclopaedias (e.g. Encarta, Britannica etc).

Other types of optical disks include CD-R and CD-RW.

a. CD-R (CD-Recordable) - disks can be written to once. Data on CD-R disks can be read but cannot be modified or deleted.

b. CD-RW (CD-Rewritable) - disks can be erased and written to over and over again.

▪ DVD-RW (Digital Versatile Disk or Digital Video Disk Re-Writable) - disks are very similar to CD-RWs but they can store much more data than CDs. DVDs have storage capacities which range from 4.7GB to 17GB. Typically these disks are used for full-length movies, advanced multimedia games and interactive encyclopaedias.

▪ Memory card – or flash memory card is a compact disk used to store digital data. Memory cards are typically used with digital cameras, smartphones etc.

▪ Network drive - is typically a shared disk that is accessed by several computers connected to a network. Typically a network stores data files that are shared amongst several users.

▪ Online file storage – is an Internet service that one can use to store personal files for personal backup of files. Users can upload their files and share them publicly or keep them password-protected.

It is important to copy data files present on the hard-disk onto a secondary storage medium (e.g. USB flash drive, CD-RW or DVD-RW) in case the hard-disk fails. This process is known as data backup. You should backup your files regularly.

It is also recommended that you make two/three backups of all data files. One copy should be kept away from the computer room – off-site storage.

In recent years, some users are using online storage facilities available through Internet to store data files. These can be easily accessed from any computer connected to Internet. Such storage is particularly useful to share data files with friends or colleagues.

Input Devices

An input device is any piece of equipment used to enter data in a computer e.g. keyboard, mouse, trackball, scanner, touchpad, light pen, joystick, digital camera and microphone.

▪ Mouse – a device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. The mouse may contain up to three push buttons each of which has a different functions depending on the program being used have. Nowadays, mice may also include a scroll wheel for scrolling through long documents etc.

▪ Keyboard – contains a set of typewriter like keys that enable you to enter data in the computer. The keys on computer keyboards are often classified as follows:

a. Alphanumeric keys - letters and numbers

b. Punctuation keys - comma, period, semicolon etc.

c. Special keys - function keys, control keys, arrow keys, Caps Lock key etc.

The standard keyboard layout that we use is known as a QWERTY keyboard because the first six keys on the top row of letters spell QWERTY. Local computer stores sell keyboards with the Maltese characters.

|[pic] |[pic] |

|Standard 48-key layout |47-key layout |

▪ Trackball – is a pointing device. Essentially, a trackball is a mouse lying on its back. To move the pointer, you rotate the ball with your thumb, your fingers, or the palm of your hand.

The trackball usually has two or three buttons next to the ball. These buttons are used in the same way that you use mouse buttons. The trackball, unlike the mouse, is stationary and so it does not require much space to use it.

▪ Scanner – is a device that transfers printed text and images to a computer. There are different types of scanners – the flatbed scanners being the most common. Sometimes scanners form part of a multifunction printer. Such printers have printing, scanning and photocopying features.

Scanners arrive with:

a. Driver software –the program that controls the operation of the scanner.

b. Photo-editing software – the program used to manipulate scanned images.

c. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software – the program used to transfer printed text into a word-processor for editing and formatting

▪ Touchpad – is a small, touch-sensitive pad used as a pointing device on most laptop computers. By moving a finger or other object along the pad, you can move the pointer on the display screen. Tapping the pad is equivalent to clicking the mouse.

▪ Stylus – is a pointing and drawing device shaped like a pen used on digitizing tablets or touch screens on mobile phones. The stylus is used to move the pointer and select objects on the display screen.

▪ Joystick – is a lever that moves in all directions and controls the movement of a pointer or some other display symbol. Joysticks typically include two buttons called triggers and are used mostly for computer games.

▪ Web camera or Webcam – is a device used to hold video communications over Internet. Typically webcams are used with communication programs such as Skype and MSN Messenger. Through webcams users are able to see each other and movements in real time. Webcams can be used to record video files and to take still pictures. External webcams connect to the computer through USB ports. Most laptops have in-built webcams.

▪ Digital camera – is an electronic camera that uses a light-sensitive processor chip to capture photographic images in digital form on a small diskette inserted in the camera or on flash-memory chips. Once a picture has been taken, it can be transferred to the computer, and then manipulated with a graphics program and printed.

Digital photos can be incorporated in word-processing documents, presentations, sent by email or posted on a web site. The resolution of the digital photos is limited by the optical resolution of the digital camera. Digital photos are quicker and cheaper to process compared to film photos.

▪ Microphone – is a device that allows sound signals to be converted into digital files that may be stored on the computer. Microphones can be stand-alone or incorporated with headphones or in-built in laptops.

Voice-recognition software uses a microphone to convert a person’s speech into digital signals by comparing the electrical patterns produced by the speaker’s voice with a set of pre-recorded patterns stored in the computer. Microphones are also used along with Internet telephony software to communicate with other people via Internet.

( Activity 3

1. What is an input device?

2. List 5 examples of input devices.

3. Distinguish between a mouse, trackball and a touchpad.

4. What is a scanner used for?

5. What is the difference between a web cam and a digital camera?

6. Mention one use of a microphone connected to a computer.

Output Devices

An output device is any piece of equipment that translates information processed by the computer into a form that we can understand e.g. monitor, printers and speakers.

▪ Monitor – also known as the display screen, video display or visual display unit (VDU), is the most common output device. Monitors can have different screen sizes e.g. 14”-, 15”-, 17”-, 19”- and 21”-inch.

There are two main categories of monitors:

a. Cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors – have a vacuum tube used as a display screen. This same kind of display technology is used for televisions and flight-information monitors at airports.

b. Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) monitors – are made up of two plates of glass with a substance in between them in which light is manipulated. Molecules of liquid crystal line up in a way that alters their optical properties, creating images on the screen by transmitting or blocking out light.

Compared to CRT monitors, TFT-LCD monitors are much thinner, weigh less and consume less power. Thus, they are suitable for laptop computers. TFT-LCD monitors are also available for desktop computers – they take less desk space compared to CRT monitors.

▪ Printers – there are three categories of printers: dot-matrix, inkjet and laser printers.

a. Dot-matrix printer – produces characters and illustrations by striking pins against an ink ribbon to print closely spaced dots in the appropriate shape. Dot-matrix printers are not good for high quality output. They are relatively inexpensive and quite noisy compared to inkjet and laser printers.

In general, dot-matrix printers are used for tasks where a high-quality image is not essential such as printing of invoices, receipts and other forms.

b. Inkjet printer – sprays small droplets of ink at high speed onto the surface of paper. This process produces high quality print approaching that produced by laser printers. Inkjet printers are reliable, quiet and inexpensive. Colour inkjet printers provide an inexpensive way to print full colour documents.

c. Laser printer - uses a technology similar to that used in a photocopying machine. It uses a laser beam to produce images with excellent letter and graphics quality. They are quiet and fast but somewhat expensive compared to dot matrix and inkjet printers. Laser printers are widely used in applications requiring high-quality output.

Some printers, known as multifunction printers, have printing, scanning and photocopying features.

▪ Speakers – can be plugged into the back of computers carrying a sound card. The sound card is used to capture as well as play back recorded sounds. The speakers enhance the multimedia capabilities of computers.

▪ Headphones – are typically plugged into the front of computers. These are used to hear sound coming out of the computer. Some headphones incorporate also a microphone.

Input & Output Devices

Some devices e.g. touch screens and modems can serve as both input and output devices.

▪ Touch screens - used in some restaurants and some ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) can also be used as both input and output devices. These screens are covered with a plastic layer, behind which are invisible beams of infrared light. Users can input requests for information by pressing buttons or menus displayed. The answers to users’ requests are displayed as output in words or pictures on the screen.

▪ Modems - are used as input devices when these receive information from the Internet (such as email). They are used as output devices when sending information (such as email) to a recipient.

( Activity 4

1. What is an output device?

2. List 3 examples of output devices.

3. Distinguish between an inkjet and a laser printer.

4. List two examples of input/output devices.

Module 2

Using the Computer & Managing Files

Starting the Computer

You will now start your computer system:

1. Locate the power switch on the system unit and press this.

2. Locate the power switch on the monitor and press this.

After some time you should be able to see a dialog box similar to the one shown below. A dialog box is a rectangular area where you can type text, tick options available and use buttons. The dialog box shown below shows that the software you are going to use is Microsoft Windows XP.

[pic]

In the Log On to Windows dialog box:

1. Type in your user name in the User name: field.

2. Type in your password in the Password: field.

3. Choose the Log on to: field

4. Click OK button. This will take you to a screen similar to the one shown overleaf.

Note that:

▪ Your teacher will provide you with the username and password.

▪ Passwords are case sensitive i.e. you need to type the password as shown on the sheet provided by your teacher. You need to use the uppercase and lowercase letters as shown.

▪ It is important not to share your password with any friends etc. If you suspect that anyone knows your password, speak to your teacher so that this can be changed.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft (MS) Windows is a program which is referred to as the computer operating system.

The Operating System (OS) is a program that manages the hardware and software installed on the computer. Sometimes operating system software is also called system software.

MS Windows – is the most common operating system on personal computers. MS Windows provides an easy interface between the computer and the user. It uses pictures (graphical representations) which look like push buttons on the screen and you can use the mouse to press them. This interface is known as a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

There are other brands of system software such as Macintosh Operating System (MAC OS), Linux, UNIX etc.

MS Windows Desktop

[pic]

The MS Windows desktop contains icons or folders. The number of folders you see depends on the components installed in MS Windows, but at the very least the following are present:

▪ My Computer - This icon contains visual representations of the various pieces of the computer: the CD/DVD drives, the hard drives, the printer and any other component attached to the computer.

▪ Recycle Bin - This icon is the MS Windows trash can. By default when you delete things from your computer, MS Windows tosses them in this Recycle Bin.

▪ My Network Places – This folder enables you to browse the network system and resources that the computer can connect to.

The taskbar is the horizontal strip that runs along the bottom of the screen. The taskbar displays the applications that are running on the computer system. It includes:

▪ The Start button - is the ‘ignition switch’ that gives you access to almost all of MS Windows. This is used to open programs and files to work on.

▪ The System Tray - displays little pictures that tell you what is happening with your computer. When you are printing, for example, a picture of a printer appears in this area. If you have a sound card fitted in your computer, a picture of a speaker appears.

▪ The System Clock - displays the current time.

The Mouse

The mouse is an important tool you need to use to do most of the tasks in MS Windows. This is particularly so if you are beginning to use computers. The basic idea is simple - you move the mouse on its pad, and a small arrow (the mouse pointer) moves correspondingly on the screen.

|Mouse Technique |Example |

|Pointing |If you position the mouse pointer over the Start button, a yellow banner that says “Click here to |

| |begin” appears. The technique of positioning the mouse pointer on an item is known as pointing. |

|Clicking |If you point the mouse to the Start button and press the left mouse button, a list of options |

| |appears on top of the Start button. The technique of pressing the left mouse button once is known |

| |as clicking. |

|Double-clicking |If you point the mouse to the My Computer icon and press the left mouse button twice in rapid |

| |succession, a frame (known as a window or a dialog box) will open. The technique of pressing the |

| |left mouse button twice is known as double-clicking. |

|Right-clicking |If you position the mouse over the desktop and press the right mouse button, a pop-up menu will be |

| |displayed. The technique of pressing the right mouse button is known as right-clicking. |

|Dragging |If you position the mouse over any desktop icon, press and hold the left mouse button whilst moving|

| |the mouse, you will move the icon*. This technique is known as dragging. |

| |*The icon will move only if the Auto Arrange option is not switched on. |

Switching Off the Computer

When you have finished working with MS Windows and you are ready to turn off the computer, you first need to close all windows. Never turn off your computer while MS Windows is still running. Doing so could result in loss or corruption of data. The process of switching off the computer is also known as shutting down the system.

1. Click Start button.

2. In the Start menu, click Turn Off Computer. The screen shown overleaf will be displayed.

[pic]

3. Click Turn Off button. The system will start to shut down. After some time a message advising you that it is safe to switch off your computer is displayed.

4. Turn off the computer and monitor.

Restarting the Computer

1. Click Start button.

2. In the Start menu, click Turn Off Computer. The screen shown in the previous section will be displayed.

3. Click Restart button. The system will shut down and restart again.

Note that:

▪ You may need to restart your computer when install program updates and new programs. Typically updates will be applied when you restart your system.

Shutting Down a Non-Responding Application

Sometimes a program (also known as an application) fails to respond to keyboard/mouse commands i.e. the program ‘hangs’. Typically non-responsive programs cannot be closed in the normal way. You need to follow these steps to close the program:

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL key combination. A dialog box will be displayed.

2. Click Task Manager button. The Windows Task Manager will be displayed.

[pic]

3. Click the non-responding program from the list.

4. Click End Task button. The End Program dialog box will be displayed.

5. Click End Now button.

[pic]

[pic]

Note that:

▪ You may also be prompted to send an error report to Microsoft. You can click Send Error Report button or Don’t Send button. An error report will be sent if you are connected to Internet.

( Activity 5

1. Switch the computer on i.e. switch on the system unit (tower or desktop) and monitor. Enter your username and password.

2. Point the mouse to the Start button.

3. Click Start button to display the Start menu.

4. Click anywhere on the desktop outside the Start menu. The menu closes.

5. Restart the computer. Enter your username and password.

6. Shut down the computer.

Common Icons

As indicated earlier on, the MS Windows desktop may contain different icons representing files, folders (or directories), applications, recycle bin (or wastebasket) etc. Typically these icons appear to the left of the screen.

|Desktop Icons |Example | |

|File |[pic] |Sometimes you may decide to save a file on the desktop. Normally you will save |

| | |this file on the desktop because you need fast access to this file. |

|Folder |[pic] |Saving individual files to the desktop will clutter the desktop. Therefore you |

| | |will save these files to an individual folder icon on the desktop. Typically |

| | |desktop folder icons are created to store files which are accessed by the user on |

| | |a regular basis. |

|Application Shortcut |[pic] |Shortcut icons have a small arrow in the lower left corner. Clicking such icons |

| | |will normally open a program (such as SnagIt 7) or a file or a folder. |

|Recycle Bin |[pic] |The place in which MS Windows stores deleted files. You can retrieve files that |

| | |you have mistakenly deleted in error, or you can empty the Recycle Bin to create |

| | |more disk space. |

Selecting & Moving Icons

1. To select a desktop icon, click the icon. The icon will be highlighted as shown:

|[pic] | |[pic] |

2. To move the icon, drag the mouse. The icon will move only if the Auto Arrange option is not switched on.

Arranging Icons

You can arrange the icons/folders on your desktop as follows:

1. Right-click the desktop.

2. Point to Arrange Icons By.

3. Click one of the commands on the submenu, as explained in the table.

|Click |To Do This |

|Name |Arrange icons in alphabetical order by the icon name. |

|Size |Arrange icons in order of file size. If the icon is a shortcut to a program, the size refers to the size |

| |of the shortcut file. |

|Type |Arrange icons in order of type. For example, if you have shortcuts to several MS PowerPoint presentations|

| |on your desktop, these will be arranged next to each other. |

|Modified |Arrange icons in the order that the shortcut was last modified. |

|Auto Arrange |Arrange the icons in columns along the left side of your screen. |

|Align to Grid |Snap icons into place as designated by an invisible grid on your screen. The grid keeps the icons aligned|

| |with each other. |

|Show Desktop Icons |Hide or show all desktop icons. When this command is checked, desktop icons are displayed on your |

| |desktop. |

Opening Folders or Icons

1. Point the mouse pointer to the folder to open e.g. Recycle Bin.

2. Double-click the mouse.

A window will show on the desktop area. The title-bar of this window shows a name which corresponds to the folder opened (Recycle Bin). The window may contain several icons or folders.

Creating Desktop Shortcut Icons

In MS Windows a shortcut is a pointer to a file, document or printer. A shortcut is represented by an icon on the desktop or in the My Computer window, or as an entry in the Start menu. Selecting the program shortcut icon or menu entry runs the program to which the shortcut “points”. Selecting a document shortcut runs the application that created the document (provided the document type is associated with a program).

To create a desktop shortcut:

1. Open My Computer window.

2. Double-click a drive or folder.

3. Click the item you want, such as a file, program, folder, printer, or computer.

4. Click File menu.

5. Click Create Shortcut.

6. Resize the window so you can see the desktop.

7. Drag the new shortcut to the desktop.

Note that:

▪ You can also drag an item to the desktop with the right mouse button, and then click Create Shortcut(s) Here.

▪ A shortcut does not create a copy of the item (file, folder or application program) on the desktop. Therefore deleting a shortcut to an item, does not delete the item. It still exists on your computer in its original location.

( Activity 6

1. Switch the computer on i.e. switch on the system unit (tower or desktop) and monitor. Enter your username and password.

2. Click the Recycle Bin icon on MS Windows desktop.

3. Drag the Recycle Bin icon to another location on MS Windows desktop.

4. Select and drag any other icons to other locations of MS Windows desktop.

5. Use the Auto Arrange command to arrange the icons moved in steps 3 and 4.

6. Open Recycle Bin icon.

7. Close Recycle Bin window.

8. Open the My Computer window.

continued…

9. Click hard-disk C.

10. Select a file or folder and create its shortcut icon on the Windows desktop.

11. Shut down the computer.

The Anatomy of a Window

As you work with MS Windows, there are a few basic terms you need to become familiar with. You do all your work in rectangular areas of the screen called windows. The following screen shows one of the many windows you will be working in.

[pic]

Working with Windows

Maximising (Expanding) a Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the Maximise button.

2. Click the mouse.

Note that:

▪ When a window is maximised it fills the entire screen covering the desktop area. The Maximise button changes to a Restore button.

▪ You can also maximise a window by double-clicking on its title bar.

Restoring a Maximised Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the Restore button.

2. Click the mouse.

Note that:

▪ You can also restore a maximised window by double-clicking on its title bar. The maximised window returns to its previous size.

Minimising (Collapsing) a Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the Minimise button.

2. Click the mouse.

Note that:

▪ You can also minimise a window by pressing the shortcut key combination: Windows key + M.

▪ The window will disappear from the desktop, but its name will still show on a button located on the taskbar.

Restoring a Minimised Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the taskbar button showing the name of the window.

2. Click the mouse.

Note that:

▪ The minimised window returns to its previous size.

▪ You can also restore a minimised window by pressing the shortcut key combination: Windows key + SHIFT + M.

Moving a Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the title bar of the window.

2. Press the left mouse button.

3. Move the mouse to the location where the window will be positioned.

4. Release the mouse button.

The technique of pressing the left mouse button, moving the mouse and releasing the button is known as dragging.

Resizing a Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the window border (the pointer will change to a double-headed arrow).

2. Drag the mouse.

Note that:

▪ If some of the icons will be hidden when changing the window size, columns appear to the right or bottom of the window. The right or vertical grey column is known as the vertical scroll bar. The bottom or horizontal grey rectangle is known as the horizontal scroll bar. The arrows in the scroll bar are used to display any hidden icons in the window.

Closing a Window

1. Point the mouse pointer to the Close button.

2. Click the mouse.

Note that:

▪ When you close a window, this will disappear from the desktop. When a window is minimised, this will also disappear from the desktop, but its button appears in the taskbar.

Switching between Windows

If you have two application windows running, you can switch from one window to another by clicking on the appropriate button located on the taskbar.

You can also cycle through application windows that are running on the computer by pressing ALT+ESC keys or ALT+TAB keys.

You can also arrange windows in cascade or tile format:

1. Open several windows.

2. Right-click the mouse on an empty section of the taskbar.

3. Click Cascade Windows or Tile Windows Vertically or Tile Windows Horizontally.

Note that:

▪ If the Cascade Windows format is chosen, the windows will be arranged in a stair-like format. If the Tile format is chosen, the windows will be arranged one next to another.

▪ Tiling divides up your screen and gives equal estate to each window. Tile Windows Vertically arranges the windows in vertical strips. Tile Windows Horizontally arranges the windows in horizontal strips. Tiling enables you to work in one window and still keep an eye on what is happening in the other windows.

( Activity 7

1. Switch the computer on i.e. switch on the system unit (tower or desktop) and monitor. Enter your username and password.

2. Maximize My Computer window.

3. Restore the maximised window to its previous size.

4. Minimize My Computer window.

5. Restore the minimized window to its previous size.

6. Move My Computer window to different parts of the screen.

7. Reduce the size of the window (use the window border).

8. Use the horizontal and vertical scroll bars to view any hidden icons.

continued…

9. Resize the My Computer window to be approximately one third the size of the screen.

10. Open the Recycle Bin window.

11. Arrange the two windows in Cascade form.

12. Arrange the windows to Tile Horizontally.

13. Arrange the windows to Tile Vertically.

14. Switch between the two windows using the shortcut key combination: ALT+TAB

15. Close My Computer and Recycle Bin windows.

16. Shut down the computer.

Using Help

MS Windows provides on-line help to assist you as you use the program. Some of the ways you can obtain help are:

Method A

1. Click Start button.

2. Click Help and Support to get help on MS Windows itself. The Help and Support Center window will be displayed.

[pic]

3. Type a word or phrase (e.g. formatting disks) to search help on in the Search field.

4. Click the arrow button to the right of the Search field.

[pic]

5. Select an item below Pick a task or Overviews, Articles and Tutorials.

6. Close the Help and Support Center window.

Note that:

▪ You can also display the Help and Support Center window by pressing the shortcut key combination: Windows key + F1.

▪ Beginners are advised to run the MS Windows Basics tutorial in the Help and Support Center window to practise and brush up some basic windows techniques.

Method B

You can search for a help topic using the Index facility in the Help and Support Window:

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as for Method A.

2. Click Index button.

3. Type a word or phrase to search help on in the Index field.

4. Click the appropriate index entry.

5. Click Display button. The Help text will be displayed in the right pane of the window.

6. Close the Help and Support Center window.

[pic]

Method C

1. In a dialog box, click Help button.

2. Click an option in the dialog box. A yellow help box appears. Read through the help text.

3. Click inside the text box to close Help.

Help topics can include graphics and text that link to other Help topics or to more information about the current topic. These are called jumps. Jumps are usually identified by a different colour or an underline. When you point to a jump, the pointer changes to a hand shape.

1. Point the mouse to underlined/coloured text.

2. Click the mouse.

Using a Text Editing Application

MS Windows has two text editing programs: Notepad and WordPad. Both programs have basic word processing facilities; however WordPad has more features compared to Notepad.

Opening WordPad

1. Click Start button.

2. Select All Programs.

3. Select Accessories.

4. Click WordPad.

By default, WordPad opens with a blank document.

[pic]

To enter text in WordPad, start typing. Text will appear at the blinking cursor.

Saving a File

It is important to save your work from time to time whilst typing. When you save the document for the first time, you need to give it a name. Document names can have up to 255 characters including spaces. File names cannot include any of the following characters: forward slash (/), backslash (\), greater than sign (>), less than sign ( ................
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