Online Computer Skills Training Resources

Computer technology has become ingrained in every aspect of society. Computers have virtually
changed the way businesses advertise services, people interact with each other, and media reaches
the masses. Each modern gadget disseminates more information than the traditional means of reading
paperback novels. The younger generations continue to evolve into a technological-reliant world. All
members of society may completely rely on digital convergence to survive in the coming decades.
Therefore, children must learn how to operate a computer in the same way that the baby boomers
used a typewriter. Computers function in many different ways, including to compose and send
electronic mail, save files, copy and paste text, download media, transfer money, and pay bills. More
advanced computer users may learn how to design computer programs, fix computer hardware, and
network computers together. Young adults who realize the imperative nature of learning the basics of
computers will succeed in the their future endeavors.
Computer Vocabulary

Computer Vocabulary: A comprehensive dictionary of common terms related to computers

ranging from artificial intelligence to wizard.

Computer Vocabulary: Matching Game: An interactive matching game where a student

chooses the definition and matches it with the appropriate term.

Free Online Dictionary of Computing: A searchable database of computer-related terms,

including definitions of acronyms, jargon, programming languages, tools, operating systems,
networking, architecture, standards, mathematical formulas, conventions, theory, and more.

Basic Computer Skills

Basic Computer Skills: A short, web-based course that guides students through basic
computer skills, including how to use a mouse, keyboard and typing skills, opening and closing
files, accessing data from a CD-ROM, how to locate saved files, how to copy and paste text,
review questions, activities, and a quiz.

CUergo: Computer Workstation Ergonomics Guidelines: A 10-step guideline to preparing and

arranging an ergonomically sound computer workstation.

Turn Off a Computer: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Microsoft provides a set of fifteen
frequently asked questions (FAQ) in relation to turning on and off a computer using the Windows
operating system.

Using Software

Computer Basics (PDF): A general overview on using computers, including basic computer
skills, the keyboard and mouse, operating systems and software, and shutting down the
computer.

An Introduction to Computer Basics: Software: A thorough introduction to using a computer,

including all hardware, portage storage devices, keyboard and mouse, the Windows operating
system, and Microsoft Office software.

Computer Basics: Quick Reference Card (PDF): A quick reference card that covers the main
parts of the computer, parts of a typical window, window tips, file management, and Internet
Explorer.

Accessing a CD-ROM

Accessing a CD-ROM: A web-based tutorial that guides students to accessing a CD-Rom

through Real Media Player for the Microsoft Windows operating system.

How to Use the CD-ROM (PDF): A brief tutorial that guides students through a step-by-step
procedure of using the CD-ROM, including identifying its key components, navigating the related
software, using the CD-ROM to enhance learning style, and related terms.

How to Use this CD-ROM Tutorial? (PDF): An extensive document that describes how to use
the CD-ROM in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Opening and Saving Files

Use Microsoft Word to Open and Save a File in a Different Format (PDF): A structure tutorial
on saving existing files under different formats using Microsoft Word processor.

Working with Files: An in-depth introduction for computer novices who wish to learn more
about working with computer files, including how to open a file, open an existing document in a
new window, saving a file, printing a PowerPoint file, and providing answers to frequently asked
questions (FAQ).

Run vs. Save When Downloading Programs or Files: A brief technical introduction to running
and saving downloadable programs and files.

Keyboarding

Nimble Fingers: An interactive, Java-based typing test that guides students to learning the
beginning, intermediate, and advanced stages of keyboarding.

Text Type: A student and teacher tutorial to digital keyboarding. This exercise helps students
to memorize where each alphabetical, numerical, and special characters are located on the
keyboard.

Typing Web: A set of typing exercises that guides students through beginning, intermediate,
advanced, and specialty lessons.

The PC Keyboard (PDF): A comprehensive guide that introduces and guides students to
mastering the keyboard.

Basics: Keyboard Shortcuts: A brief introduction to basic keyboard shortcuts, including its
definition and resulting action.

The PC Keyboard Basics (PDF): A basic PC keyboard guide that teaches students how to
place their fingers on the home row keys, type letters and numbers using the right hand, use the

mouse, type one sentence, identify nine basic keys of the keyboard, and use shift, enter, and
space bar to type a paragraph.
Typing Basics The Home Keys: A comprehensive introduction to competent keyboarding,

including exercises to master the home row keys, and a fingering diagram to identify them.
Power Typing: An interactive program that teaches students how to master the Qwerty, the

standard 101 keyboard.

Typing Tutor: A computer program that helps guides students to improving their typing skills by

playing a simple game.

Rapid Typing: A free web-based program that provides add-ons, software, games, techniques,

and active testing for those wishing to improve their typing abilities.
Mouse Exercises
Mouse Exercises: Interested parties looking to improve their mouse using abilities should take

practice tests to master its utility. This webpage offers four distinct mouse exercises to accomplish
this goal, including learning where to place the mouse, clicking it, how to drag and drop, and using
the mouse to draw.
Mousing Around: Games!: A set of fourteen interactive games that tests the mouse skills of

those new to the PC hardware. Each set of games tests one-click, faster clicking and mouse
movement, and drag and drop abilities.
Mouse Concentration: An interactive game consisting of 36 squares that tests the mouse

concentration of the game participant. The game participant must match a pair of squares over a
set amount of time.
Learn How to Use a Computer Mouse: A set of online mouse games that tests the memory of

computer users, including practice exercises, tests, and other related instructions.
BBC: Clicky Mouse Game: The BBC WebWise computer game tests the mouse skills of

computer novices, including single clicking, double clicking, and dragging.

Mousing Tutorial: The Palm Beach County Library System teaches students how to effectively

use a mouse, offers mousercise activities, and then tests the students for accuracy.
Mousercise: An interactive game that teaches elementary students how to effectively use a

mouse to navigate and execute actions on the operating system and applicable software.
Learn Mouse Skills: Green River Community College offers a series of basic computer skill

tutorials, including exercises on how to hold, highlight, cut, paste, move, click, point, drag, use
radio buttons, check boxes, drop-down menus, scroll, and complete forms.

Mouse Tutorial: A brief six-step introduction to using a computer mouse.

Jans Windows Basics: The Mouse: A comprehensive introduction to using a computer mouse,
including starting up, shutting down, controlling the mouse, controlling the window, and context
menus.

Internet

Web by Design: Internet Basics Tutorial: An authoritative tutorial that teaches the Internet

basics, including the basis for the World Wide Web, network activity, netiquette, forbidden Internet
activities, electronic services, e-mail, and other related information.
Internet Basics A Guide to Getting Started: A basic guide to the Internet, including basic

terminology, anonymity, Internet tools, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), domain names, telnet,
FTP, finger, ping, gopher, the World Wide Web, Usenet, and network etiquette.
Internet Basics 101: A brief overview of beginning, intermediate, and advanced Internet

concepts, including hook up, e-mail, www, creating web pages, FTP, chat, and miscellaneous.
The Internet: Internet Basics: A novices tutorial to explaining the core principles of the

Internet, including the necessity for a web browser and the necessary steps to navigate it.
Internet Basics (PDF): A lab covering the fundamental concepts of the Internet, including

important vocabulary terms, post-lab questions, discussion and procedure, copying files across
the network and FTP, and steps to completing Internet search activity.
A Basic Tutorial on Searching the Web: A 20 lesson tutorial teaching students how to search

the World Wide Web. It includes core concepts, such as search engines, metasearchers, subject
directories, basic search tips, field searching, troubleshooting, and more detailed information
about the aforementioned subjects.
Getting Started with the Internet: An authoritative introduction to the Internet, including where

to begin when planning to create a website, creating content, and driving traffic to make it a
success.
Zen and the Art of the Internet: Network Basics: A tutorial that covers networking basics,

including domains, Internet numbers, resolving names and numbers, the networks, and physical
connection.
Basic Internet Terms: A glossary of basic Internet terms, including domain names, web

browser, search engines, World Wide Web, uniform resources locator, printing, page, online
databases, links, homepage, go and favorites.
PHYS 251 Internet Basics: An introduction to computer techniques in physics, including the

history of the Internet, what it is, how the Internet accomplishes data interchange, Internet
resources, e-mail, the World Wide Web, HTML document, tagging, examples of HTML usage, and
HTML resources.
E-mail

Outlook: Email Basics (PDF): An abstract paper covering the basics of electronic mail,
including its objectives, prerequisites, related training, and definitions, creating, replying,
forwarding, and printing a message.

E-Mail Basics: An overview of key concepts in electronic mail, including its addresses,
messages, attaching files, managing inbox, spam, garbage, and inputting signatures and styles.

Netiquette: Business E-mail Basics (PDF): A brief overview on business e-mail etiquette.

Free Email 101 Tutorial: An online course introducing the basics of electronic mail, including
what email is, the features of email services, and tips for writing business emails.

The Basics of Email Metrics: Are Your Campaigns Working?: A tutorial that introduces how to
collect data, what data to collect, how to capture the data, and making sense of the metrics
involved.

http://www.mindflash.com/elearning/online-computer-sklls-training

http://www.getonskillsdevelopment.co.za/skills-training/basic-computers.html

www.asterparkbd.com

Basic Computer Skills Curriculum

On this site you will find lesson modules covering basic computer skills developed by computer teachers* from
Adult Basic Education programs in the St. Paul Community Literacy Consortium.
You will find Lessons (handouts), Teacher Guides, Vocabulary Lists and Activities. Some computer skills may
have several lessons associated with them and some lessons may cover several computer skills.
The lessons are grouped by computer task and skill. Rather than rigidly defining a day-by-day curriculum,
teachers can pick and choose lessons and activities that suit their classroom needs and students pace.

The teachers on this project highly recommend incorporating keyboarding practice into your curriculum. Using a
keyboarding program such as Mavis Beacon every day will help your students feel comfortable on the keyboard.
Note: All files are PDF format unless noted.

New MSWord Additions

Updated exercises, project ideas, and course outlines in Microsoft Word are now available in a single (27
Megabyte) download. Simply right-click the "Computer_training.zip" zip file and choose "Save Target As" to
download to your computer. Then use your favorite zip program to unzip the entire curriculum.

Table of Contents:

Very Basic Computer Skills

Computer Vocabulary
Opening and Saving Files
Skills and Activities Practice
MS Word Exercises
Excel Exercises
Internet
PowerPoint

Very Basic Computer Skills

Visuals for teaching very basic computer skills: using a mouse and turning a computer on and off. These are
suited for low NRS levels or for students with little to no computer experience. Two good websites for practicing
mouse skills are Mousarobics and Mouse Exercises.

How to turn on the computer

TURN ON the computer
You will see a green light if it is ON.
Is it ON? Wake up!
How to turn off the computer
TURN OFF the computer
Mouse skills
Mouse visual aid
Mouse skills vocabulary
Computer Basics and Word (.zip, 16.7MB)

Computer Vocabulary
Handouts and activities to teach everyday computer vocabulary (computer parts, toolbar, font, highlight, etc.).
These are suited for low NRS levels or for students with little to no computer experience.

Basic definitions
Basic definitions matching game
Computer vocabulary
Vocabulary matching game 2
About your computer (PowerPoint)

Opening and Saving Files

Navigating windows to open and save files. These are suited for low NRS levels or for students with little to no
computer experience.

Find a file
Open a file from your disk
Save a file
Using folders

Skills and Activities Practice

Activities created to help students practice skills such as font attributes (bold, italics), spacing, cut-and-paste,
and tables. All documents are zipped together. Each lesson includes a Teacher's Guide and several activities (MS
Word Documents). These are suited for low NRS levels or for students with little to no computer experience.

Teacher Guide Graphics 2

Font attributes (.zip)
Cut and paste (.zip)
Spacing (.zip)
Editing (.zip)
Tables (.zip)

MS Word Exercises
Step-by-step instructions with graphics designed to introduce learners to various aspects of MS Word. NRS levels
range from Low Intermediateand High Intermediate Basic Education to Low Adult Secondary.

Exercise 1: Typing and Editing

Exercise 2: Editing and Formatting
Exercise 3: Spell Check
Exercise 4: Spell Check | Teacher notes
Exercise 5: Spell Check
Exercise 6: Editing and Spell Check (Microsoft Word format) | Practice (Microsoft Word format)
Exercise 7: Editing and Formatting | Formatting Practice (Microsoft Word format)
Exercise 8: Tables
Exercise 9: Columns and Indenting
Exercise 10: Bullets and Clip Art
Copying and Pasting Images
Microsoft Word: Using HELP 98 2000 Version
Microsoft Word: Using HELP XP Version

Excel Exercises
Step-by-step instructions with graphics designed to introduce learners to various aspects of MS Excel. These
lessons are suitable for NRS level Low Adult Secondary.

Explanation of Excel Cursors

Exercise 1, Basic: Entering Information
Exercise 1: Entering Information

Exercise 2, Basic: Making Lists

Exercise 2: Making Lists
Exercise 3, basic: Budgets
Exercise 4: Adding Totals
Exercise 5: Making Charts
Exercise 6: Budgets
Execise 7: Making Charts

Internet
Lessons and activities on using the internet. These lessons refer to Internet Explorer as the browser. Many
activities can be completed regardless of the browser.

What is the internet? (PowerPoint)

Go to a website on the internet
Internet directions: Mapquest
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Internet job search
Online dictionaries and encyclopedias
Internet dictionary
Metro Transit website
Publish your own recipe

PowerPoint
Step-by-step instructions with graphics designed to walk students through the creation of a PowerPoint
presentation.

PowerPoint for 2000

PowerPoint for XP
Sample presentation (PPT)

Credits
* This project was funded by America Connects Consortium with the goal of creating lessons for common basic
computer skills that teachers in the Adult Basic Education field could download and incorporate into their
classroom at no cost.
Curriculum developed by:

Jessica Schachterle from Minnesota Literacy Council

Daniel Hoisington from Lao Family Community
Deb Woodburn, volunteer with Chicanos Latinos Unidos En Servicio working with Minnesota Literacy
Council

Thanks to the Minnesota Literacy Council and teacher, Jessica Grace Jones, for the new additions. For feedback or
questions regarding the curriculum, contact Jessica at jjones@themlc.org.

http://spclc.org/curricula/computer