Increase Your Computer Competency Practical Tips and Tricks

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Increase Your Computer Competency - Practical
Tips and Tricks

• Cheryl Gould
• gouldc_at_infopeople.org
• Summer 2005

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Glossary of terms for high school students at Mt.
Tam High in Marin www.tamdistrict.org/instr/asse
ssment/computers/objective/
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Which of the following is NOT a valid ending for
a graphics file?

• a) .jpg
• b) .tif
• c) .mid
• d) .gif
• e) .psd

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With regards to e-mail addresses

• a) they must always contain an _at_ symbol
• b) they can never contain spaces
• c) they are case-INsensitive
• d) all of the above
• e) none of the above

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In order to play and hear sound on a computer,
one needs

• a) a sound card
• b) a microphone
• c) speakers
• d) a c only
• e) b c only

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True or False

• Using the ESC key is the same as clicking the
  cancel button in a dialog box
• You can cut, copy and paste a file or folder just
  as easily as text
• You can have more than one web browser window
  open at a time
• There is a universal keyboard shortcut for
  repeating your last action

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Goals for Today

• Gain confidence and have fun learning
• Learn 10 new computer skills
• Create a customized cheat sheet
• Address your specific questions

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Cheryls Helpful Hints

• You have to learn the rules of the game
• Slow down and look at your visual cues
• Make friends with the Help menu
• Dont expect things to be crystal clear, ever
• Right-click to find options
• Right-click to find options
• Right-click to find options

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Learning to Learn

• Common Language
• Visual Cues
• Universal Concepts
• Explore

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Hardware and Software

• Hardware -can touch it
• Cables
• Disks and Drives
• Sound Cards
• Monitor
• Flash drive
• Software required so hardware can function.
• Operating System
• Programs

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Windows Operating System

• Requires Windows versions of programs
• Consistent look feel
• window controls
• taskbar
• files and folders
• dialog boxes
• Open File, Save As

Like plumbing, heating, and electricity is to
your house.
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Visual Cues

• Task Bar
• Title Bar
• Status Bar
• Cursor
• Desktop
• Quick Launch
• System Tray

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Take Charge of Your Computer

• Customize desktop with shortcuts and pictures
• Toolbars and toolbar buttons
• Many ways to accomplish a task
• open programs from
• Start button
• desktop shortcuts
• click on file in Windows Explorer
• close programs
• the X in the corner
• Alt F4

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Universal ConceptControl Size and Placement

• You have control over the size of and often the
  placement of
• Windows
• Dialog boxes
• Columns
• Rows

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The Cursor Gives Clues

• Arrow
• I-Beam
• 2-headed arrow
• 4-headed arrow
• Hand with pointing finger
• 2-vertical lines with arrows pointing across the
  screen
• 2 horizontal lines with arrows pointing up and
  down
• Many More

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Explore Columns and Rows

• Open Excel
• Resize a column and a row
• Open Word
• Insert a Table
• Resize a column and a row

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Critical Pieces and Places

• Desktop
• begin and end your computer sessions
• add shortcuts to programs you use frequently
• Programs
• each program performs a specific set of tasks
• i.e., graphics, text, browsing the web
• Files
• some you create and name
• some created when installing programs
• organize files in folders

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File Basics

• File name
• includes a name and a 3 character extension
• File extension
• indicate document type
• Windows associates extensions with programs

• Files You Create
• lib_closing_proc.doc
• e_books 2005.mdb
• wildflowers.gif

• Program Files
• iexplore.exe
• winword.exe
• excel.exe

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File Extensions

• 3 letters that tell Windows what program to open.
• Can change association between extension and
  program in Windows Explorer
• Tools/Folder Options/File Types tab
• Must tell Windows to show extensions in Windows
  Explorer
• Tools/Folder Options/View tab

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Windows Explorer The Virtual Filing Cabinet

• All files found here!
• Same stuff as in My Computer
• Create folders to organize your files
• The path to a file is like a web address
• hierarchical
• specifies location

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Web Browser

• Can have many open at once
• Right-click to see options for images
• Status bar gives preview of link
• Organize Favorites like you organize files and
  folders

The URL shows the path to the file you are
viewing. Understand It!
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More Visual Cues

• Underlined letters in menus
• Visible Toolbars
• Depressed buttons
• Grayed buttons
• Blinking cursor
• Handles around objects

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Keyboard

• Special Keys
• ltEscgt Escape to cancel - ?
• ltEntergt (often can be used instead of a mouse
  click)
• ltCtrlgt Control
• ltAltgt Alternate
• Move around on the screen
• Home, End, Page Up, Page Down
• Arrow Keys
• Editing
• Backspace (to the left of cursor)
• Delete (to the right of cursor)

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Using Word Efficiently

• Paragraph Marks
• Find and Replace
• Navigating a page
• Selecting text
• Selecting objects

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Universal Concept Things Have Properties

• Text font type, size, format,
• Paragraph centered, space before or after,
  indented, numbered
• Graphics handles, resize, color, line, margins
• Most things can be changed, look for
• Tools menu
• Customize
• Properties
• Options
• Preferences

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Getting Help

• Whats This in Help menu
• Question Mark in Dialog Boxes
• Contents, Index, Natural Language Search
• Office Assistant