vVancouver Community Network the regional FreeNet

Instructor’s Guide: Basic Skills 1

Session Outline

Learning Objectives

To demystify computers and the internet, and help learners feel comfortable with the technology.
To learn the infrastructure of a computer, and the difference between hardware and software.
To learn how to send and receive email using webmail.
To learn how to navigate on the World Wide Web with one of the browsers.

Session handouts:

  • VCN Registration Form
  • VCN Information Form (The Regional Freenet)
  • Handout 1: Parts of a Computer
  • Handout 2: Definitions
  • Handout 3: Windows Explorer and Program Window
  • Handout 4: Parts of a Web Browser
  • Handout 5: Websites of Interest

Demystify computers and the internet, and help learners feel comfortable with the technology. 45 minutes

 Round: Introductions in a round, including name, groups they work with if applicable, and previous computer experience.

Group Brainstorm: Ask people to brainstorm some of their concerns and difficult experiences with technology. Write list on board.

Presentation: Go through the list, and explain some of the things you will be doing to help address those concerns about the computer technology. Mention that tech anxiety is common for new users, and it can be confusing, scary and frustrating.

Some things to say:

  • Explain how children do so well with computers because they have no fear
  • Explain that you can’t hurt the computer.
  • Computers make mistakes sometimes, it’s not the users fault
  • You can always restart the computer if necessary.
  • Expect whatever you are doing to take longer than you think. Emphasize that frustration is normal

Wrap-up:

  • Pass out or announce the agenda for the session.
  • Save the brainstormed sheet of concerns to put up at the end of the session.
  • Ask if people are ready to move forward.

Learn the infrastructure of a computer, and the difference between hardware and software. 55 minutes

Presentation: Go through the parts of a computer, using a drawing on the board or flip chart

Handout #1: Parts of a Computer

  • Hardware: monitor, keyboard, mouse, tower (or case), disks, harddrive, speakers, printers, RAM and ROM.
  • Software: computer programs (or applications), operating systems

Explain what an operating system is, and what system is being used on these computers. Point out that the OS is the bottom layer application that is essential, and that all the other software is optional.

Presentation: Point out the Desktop,Task Bar, Wallpaper, Icons, Shortcuts.

Task 1: Get learners to explore the keyboard by hitting lots of keys

Presentation: Explain how the mouse works

Task 2: Get learners to find the pointer and move the mouse around

Task 3: Get learners to select an icon with a single click. Ask, "What happened?"

Task 4: Get learners to drag and drop an icon around the desktop.

Task 5: Get learners to double click an icon to open a program. Get learners to go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and find File.

Presentation: What is a menu? How do you find the features you want on the menu? Point out there are different ways to do the same thing.

Task 6: Learners use the menu to look at various features available. (Point out how most computers have the File, Edit and Help menus as a standard).

Task 7: Learners close the program using the File Menu. Click File then Exit.

Task 8: Have learners open any program, minimize the window, maximize it and resize it using the appropriate boxes.

Task 9: Have learners close the program by clicking the Close Box or using the File Menu.

5 MINUTE BREAK IF NEEDED

Presentation: Parts of a Window, and Windows Explorer

Task 10: Open Windows Explorer to see what is inside a computer. Ask them to click on a folder on the left side, and tell you what happens.

Handout #3: Windows Explorer and Program Window

Presentation: Point to Handout #3.

  • Explain the parts of a window and how they work.
  • Explain we have just been looking at files and folders, and what they are.
  • Use the metaphor of a file cabinet to explain how it works.
  • Explain this is where they can organize their files by moving them, renaming them and deleting them.

Presentation: Point outcommon problems such as double click rhythms, confusion between right and left mouse buttons.

Task 11: Have learners create a new folder in the My Documents folder and give it a name they will remember.

Task 12: Have learners rename the folder.

Task 13: Have learners shut down computer using the start button.

Wrap-up:

  • Ask people to tell you what they have just learned.
  • Repeat and write on board concepts and terminology learned.

BREAK FOR 15 MINUTES

Learn to navigate the World Wide Web with a browser. 40 minutes

Task 1: Turn on the computer.

Presentation: World wide web – websites, browsers, and search engines.

  • Explain the concept of the world wide web and browsing.
  • Explain what websites are: (file on a server connected to the internet, which you can display on your computer).
  • What are some browsers called? (Netscape, Internet Explorer, Opera)
  • What are search engines? (a tool for searching for information on the internet by topic)
  • Name some of the search engines. (Google, AltaVista, 411 Canada)
  • Show learners how to find the list of search engines on the VCN site.
  • Explain that large sites often have their own search engines, and show how to use the VCN search engine.

Demonstration: Show group how to navigate with the browser using the 8 ways of navigating: Location Bar, Back Button, Home, Links and Search using a search engine. Emphasize single clicks for links, not double clicks.

Handout #4: Parts of a Web-Browser and 8 Ways to Navigate

On the handout, point out the eight ways of navigating on the Internet.

Task 2: Get learners to go to Google ( and look for a simple thing (like a blue cow). Ask people how many hits they got. Walk them through bookmarking a page.

Task 3: Go back to Search the Internet on the VCN home page. Have learners go to 411 and try and find themselves on the directory.

Task 4: Have learners go to Ask Jeeves and ask a simple question.

Presentation: Discuss some things to look for on the Internet, such as tenants' rights, BC employment rights, or Employment Insurance, or other relevant sites.

Task 5: Divide group into pairs and ask them to choose a topic and look for information on that topic.

Task 6: Ask pairs search for information on the VCN site about employment

Task 7: Ask pairs to report the results they found and any problems they ran into to the group.

Handout #5: Websites of Interest

Wrap-up:

  • Discuss how to evaluate search results: How do you assess sites? Explain that it is important to evaluate who owns the site, and appearance.
  • If there is time, let people continue searching on their own for a while.
  • During the break, write out VCN Training addresses (or learners' own email addresses) on the board.

5 MINUTE BREAK

Learn how to send and receive email using webmail. 55 minutes

Presentation: What is email?

  • Draw how it works on board using drawing below. You can use a post office analogy, hard copy versus electronic letter. Do this quickly, and then return to it after people have used the email.
  • Mention briefly that we are using webmail rather than popmail.

Task 1: Using the training addresses (or their own email addresses), have learners enter VCN email.

Task 2: Have learners compose an email and send to others in the class using the addresses from the board.

Task 3: Have learners send a Reply, a Forward, a Cc and a Bcc.

  • Explain:

Reply goes back to the person who sent the message.

Reply All goes back to all the addresses in the message header.

Forward sends a message you received to a third person.

CC stands for carbon copy. It sends a copy of a message.

BCC stands for blind carbon copy. It also sends a copy, but the recipients in the To: line won’t know that it was copied to others.

  • Explain that the Reply, Reply All and Forward commands are only available when learners open a message they've received.
  • Talk about some common problems: to be careful using Reply all, and that BCC sometimes gets blocked by programs as spam

Task 4: Look at Help.

Task 5: Optional: If there is time, have learners enter addresses in the address book.

Wrap-up:

  • Ask what worked and what didn’t?
  • Explain how to register for a VCN New User Account, as training accounts are available for training only.
  • Hand out registration forms and tell people when they can register.

Final Evaluation15 minutes

Friday, April4, 2003Page 1