To be able to:
Connect a desktop computer to the mains, and attach peripherals
(monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner) with due regard for electrical safety in the positioning of cables.
Assess the electrical power used in normal and standby modes (using an electricity monitor),
and instigate practices and recommend changes to minimise the cost over the lifetime of the system.
Connect a desktop or portable to the Internet, and configure the necessary software.
Using routers, connect several computers to a single Internet line, and configure the software,
and also create a Local Area Network (LAN) with various levels of privacy.
Allow wireless connection (WiFi) to the Internet and the LAN.
Adjust a monitor for viewing position, and the display for brightness, contrast and colour.
Load a printer with paper, use different types of paper and configure the printer software accordingly.
Basic Operation and Internet Use (6 hours)
Switch on the PC in Normal and in Safe mode.
Use keyboard and mouse effectively. Know the normal uses of all the mouse buttons.
Use several different operating systems (XP, Vista, Windows 7, Linux), and set up user accounts.
View and select which programs are running currently, and which are run at startup.
Create a hierarchical folder and file system. Display, print, copy, move, rename, and delete files.
Know the main file name extensions (.htm, .html, .exe, .dll, .txt, .log, .doc, .xls).
Low level file handling using DOS, simple text editing to create batch files. Cut and paste text.
Search for text within a file and across files.
Download, install, and remove anti-virus and general software, while avoiding infection.
Select a suitable anti-virus program, based on a standard set of requirements.
Configure a number of browsers (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Chrome, Safari) and set security levels.
Set single and multiple Home Pages.
Use various search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Altavista), set effective search criteria, avoid unhelpful sites.
Understand web crawlers and web indexing, and how to get higher positioning in search engine lists.
Get information using other sites (Wikipedia, forums, manufacturer sites, online manuals).
Control cookies and browser add-ons. Set browser home pages. Use password programs.
Set up a Web Site (6 hours)
Create a local site using a simple text editor (Notepad or Wordpad),
using the basic HTML format of tags and attributes.
Select and install a text editor suitable for manipulating a web site
- chroma coding, tab spacing, context help.
Apply general rules for maintaining user interest and involvement,
and see how they are used or abused in some good and bad web sites.
Know the steps involved in setting up an online shop.
Inspect the HTML code of other sites.
Understand web crawlers, robots, and search engine indexing.
Insert diagrams and photographs, crop and resize.
Get photos and clip art from the Internet. Use a screen grabber to get other images.
Use a simple graphics program to edit and enhance images.
Reduce download times by adjusting image files. Maintain aspect ratios while resizing.
Build multiple web pages with hyperlinks. Link to other websites.
Select a web hosting company, and upload web pages to it.
Improve position in search engine lists by using meta-tags.
Use social networks (Facebook, Twitter) for business, and appreciate the extra effort and rewards involved.
eMail (4 hours)
Set up email accounts using different systems (Hotmail, Gmail, Outlook Express).
Avoid the common email and Internet scams.
Receive and reply to emails.
Organise emails into folders.
Set up message rules for junking, redirecting, or automatically replying to emails.
Build a contacts list. Save and restore the list, and transfer it between different email systems.
Inspect the HTML code of emails. Enhance emails using HTML.
Attach or insert images and documents. Use file compression and image resizing to reduce email size.
Send emails to multiple recipients and to groups.
Encrypt and decrypt emails.
Spreadsheets (5 hours)
Use OpenOffice (free), Microsoft Excel (not free, but most popular),
and Lotus Symphony (free) spreadsheets.
Insert headings and formulae into individual cells.
Use cell ranges in formulae to add columns of figures.
Add data checking - numeric only, range checks, empty cell checks.
Use conditional statements in formulae.
Write a sequence of operations as a macro.
Print from the spreadsheet.
Use the spreadsheet as a database.
Save spreadsheet data to a file, and restore from the file.
Word Processing (6 hours)
Use OpenOffice (free), Microsoft Word (not free, but most popular),
and Lotus Symphony (free) word processors.
Cut and paste. Insert images. Crop and resize.
Change text format: font, bold, italics, underline, size.
Handle headings and section numbering.
Insert bullet points and numbered or lettered lists.
Insert special characters and page breaks.
Insert and amend tables.
Spell and grammar check.
Number pages. Do double sided printing.
Produce a standard format business letter.
Write their own CV - summary and detailed versions. Include a photograph.
Transfer both CV versions to a web site as HTML, and link in to front page.