Beginning Computer (Part 1)
(Part 1 of) Beginning Computer: Students will learn basic vocabulary and functions of the computer, as well as basic typing and mouse skills. Students will learn to how find web pages on the internet and perform searches using Google. Students will also set-up email accounts and practice sending and receiving e-mails.
Required experience: None! This class is best for people who have little or no experience using computers.
The following tips and tools are recommended for use within the Beginning Computer Class. Every site, students and instructors are different and will most likely need to modify the information provided to best fit their needs.
Classroom Email Account
Creating a class email account has multiple uses that will help the instructor and students. The instructor can use the class email account to demonstrate different functions of email for the students. Students can use the class email account to send their first emails and practice different tasks and receive a response from the instructor to see the process of email from start to finish. It is also a way for students to continue practicing their skills after the class and send emails to an account of someone they know. For example, Rondo Library uses rondoclassroom@gmail.com for the classroom email account.
Class Preparation
Providing students with resources they can take home to review and practice in the future to build on their skills helps create a more user friendly beginning computer course. Prepare materials in advance so instructors can provide copies of materials and hand outs to students for use during class.
Folders: Providing the students with folders give them with a place to keep their resources (Rondo library has used the SPPL folders). They can choose to take the folder and bring it back for each class session, or the instructor can hang onto the folders and bring them to class for your students. Having folders available provides the student with an opportunity to collect information throughout the course and review the information in the future.
PowerPoints and Handouts: It is extremely valuable for the class if PowerPoint presentations are printed and made available to the students for future reference and review. This also helps students so they don’t have to try and write down everything that is discussed in class and instead they can jot down additional notes.
Printing the PowerPoint presentation in “handout” format, using “grayscale” and 4 slides per page are easier for students to read and refer back to. Some slides that have smaller print, yet very valuable information (for example, sample emails) and may need to be printed separately as their own page. Instructors can also try 3 slides to a page, which leaves more room for student notes.
Instructors can customize how slides are printed out, after “Print” is selected. Checking the “Preview” before printing can help ensure that the handouts will print correctly. After the slides are prepared, instructors can hand them out to students to correspond with the material of each class.
