Target Audience

Ideal for older students wanting to learn about computers.

Course Content

Written, oral communications and practical applications and demonstrations.

How Computers Work- Basic Introduction

• computer fears
• different types of computers, the history of personal computers
• dissecting the computer, how the computer works, measuring capacities
• starting your computer
• under the hood of the systems unit, disk storage, other devices, hardware and software
• the future of computing

Windows Operating System

• starting Windows, the screen, the interface
• restoring default folder option settings
• mouse concepts, working with the mouse, using an intellipoint mouse
• working with menus, selecting menu options with the mouse and keyboard, shortcut menus
• exiting from Windows

Introduction to Word processing using Word

• Word processing overview, starting Word for Windows
• yyping text into a document, making changes to text
• saving your work, saving an existing document
• adjusting page setup, printing
• starting another document, working with multiple documents
• closing files, opening a document
• quick review

Introduction to Spreadsheets using Excel

• spreadsheet overview, what is a spreadsheet, starting Excel
• moving about the current sheet, entering data intro a worksheet
• using quick fill, entering numbers, performing additions, other calculations, performing What If tests 
• saving your work
• changing the look of a worksheet, printing your worksheet data, creating a chart, quick review

Introduction to Microsoft Publisher

• Publisher overview, starting Publisher
• understanding the catalogue, publications by wizard, publications by design, blank publications
• the publisher screen
• working with toolbars, understanding menus
• exiting from Publisher
• tips for planning a publication
• quick review
• on your own

Introduction to Internet Explorer

Getting Connected - 

• overview before you begin
• creating an internet connection
• testing the connection
• managing internet explorer options
• quick review

About the internet

• overview, how it began
• connection requirements
• web browser software
• search engines
• security on the internet
• quick review
• on your own

Inside the internet

• overview
• the internet and the web
• intranets and extranets
• acronyms explored and web jargon explained
• information on the internet
• ways to use the internet
• the internet and change
• quick review
• on your own 

Internet Explorer Basics

• overview
• starting internet explorer
• the explorer screen
• controlling browser window size
• the address bar
• exploring a web site
• working with the status bar and the toolbar
• customising the toolbar
• working with the explorer bar
• using help, searching the help index
• closing explorer
• quick review
• on your own

Introduction to Microsoft Outlook

• Outlook basics
• overview
• starting Outlook
• the screen
• navigating
• exiting Outlook

Outlook On-Line Help

• overview
• displaying and using the office assistant
• using ScreenTips
• hiding the office assistant

Contacts Induction

• overview
• accessing Outlook contacts
• creating a new contact
• adding contacts to existing companies
• adding more details for a contact
• deleting contacts

Mail Basics

• overview
• accessing Outlook mail
• the mail screen
• composing, sending, receiving and deleting messages

 Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the hardware and software commonly used on a personal computer.
• Start Windows and work with some of the basic features of Windows.
• Perform some simple word processing operations using Microsoft Word.
• Perform some simple spreadsheet operations using Microsoft Excel.
• Use Publisher to create a simple publication.
• Start Internet Explorer and use a web address to assess a web site.
• Start Microsoft Outlook and explore functions to send receive and manage email