Functional Skills Skills ICT Entry 3 to Level 2 YOU DO NOT NEED TO WORK THROUGH THIS. IT IS AN PACK TO TEACH YOU THE SKILLS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE TASKS. YOU CAN USE IT WHILST WORKING THROUGH THE TASKS, IF YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO SOMETHING. IT Basics Information Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
Contents Backup copies... 3 Check the print queue... 3 Close a program/window... 4 Contents within Help and Support... 5 Create a desktop shortcut... 7 Date/time... 8 Desktop and how to change the look of it... 9 Dialogue boxes, radio buttons and check boxes... 11 Format font dialogue box... 12 Hardware... 12 Help and support facility in Windows... 13 How to put a CD or DVD into the computer... 14 How to put a memory stick into the computer... 14 Icons on the desktop... 15 Icon size... 15 Input, output and storage devices... 16 Maximise the window... 20 Mouse settings... 20 Open a document/file... 22 Open Microsoft Excel... 23 Open Microsoft Word... 23 Parts of a computer... 24 Print... 26 Print screen... 27 Resize and move a window... 28 Ribbons... 29 Save... 30 Screen resolution... 31 Scroll bars... 33 Select text... 34 West Nottinghamshire College 1
Software... 34 Switch the computer off... 34 Switch the computer on... 35 Touch screens... 35 Use software for a task... 36 Volume control... 37 Zoom... 39 West Nottinghamshire College 2
Backup copies A backup copy is a copy of a folder or file which is usually stored separately to the original. It is a good idea to store the back-up files in another building in case of fire, theft of your computer or corruption of the original file in some way. Companies usually backup their files on a daily basis. Loss of files containing vital information, such as sales figures, could be disastrous for the company. Personal computers containing your own personal files may not need to be backed up as often, depending on how much you use your computer. These files may be small enough to fit on a CD or memory stick. These can then be stored in a fireproof safe. CDs and memory sticks can be used to transfer data easily from one computer to another. They are small and light to allow them to be carried from building to building. Check the print queue A print queue is the list of documents which have been sent to a printer, but not printed yet. To find the print queue, click on the start button and click on the Devices and Printers from the list, or click on the start button and click on Control Panel. There will then be a list of printers for you to choose from. Choose the printer you are using at the moment from the list and double click on it. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 3
A list of documents waiting to be printed will show. Close a program/window When you have closed all the documents, you will need to close the program. Click on the in the top right corner of the window and the program will close. West Nottinghamshire College 4
Contents within Help and Support A contents list is a list of topics that are contained within, for example, a help section in a computer program. An index is similar, but is an alphabetical list of references where the contents may not be alphabetical. There is a contents list within the Windows Help and Support. Click on the start button, click on Help and Support and, when the window opens, click on the Browse Help button. A contents list will show. Click on a topic in the contents. For example, if you would like to know how to copy a file, click on Files, folder and libraries. Then click on Copying. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 5
Then click on Copy and paste a file. The full instructions for copying a file will then show. When you have finished, close the help windows. West Nottinghamshire College 6
Create a desktop shortcut Desktop shortcuts make it very simple to open a program. To create a desktop shortcut, first click on the start button and find the program you would like to have as a shortcut on your desktop. (It may mean clicking on folders to open them.) The example showing is for the program called Paint. To find Paint, click on the start button, click on All Programs, then click on the Accessories folder and Paint will show in the list. Once you have found the program, right click on it and a menu should appear. Click on Send To and then Desktop (create shortcut). The shortcut icon will then appear on your desktop. This is the shortcut icon for Microsoft Paint. West Nottinghamshire College 7
Date/time Click on the start button. Click on Control Panel in the options. The Control Panel window will open showing a list of items or categories. Click on Date and Time. The Date and Time Properties dialogue box will open. Click on the Change date and time button. Alter the date or time if you wish. Click on the OK button when you have altered it. West Nottinghamshire College 8
Desktop and how to change the look of it The desktop is the display area of the computer monitor with all open programs minimised. This is an example of a desktop. The desktop can have shortcut icons to programs and files. It can be altered to a person s individual need. The background can be changed to a picture of your choice. It could be one of your favorite photographs. Make sure all programs are minimised or closed so you can see the desktop. Right click on the desktop and click on Personalise from the shortcut menu, or click on the start button, click on Control Panel then, click on Display from the choices. When the next screen opens, click on Personalisation on the bottom left of the screen. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 9
Click on Desktop Background from the choices. Click on the background you would like. Alternatively, use the Browse button to select one of your own images to use. Then, click on the Save Changes button and the desktop background will be changed. West Nottinghamshire College 10
Dialogue boxes, radio buttons and check boxes When you select something within a program, very often boxes will appear allowing you to make choices. These are called dialogue boxes. A dialogue box can have lots of choices in it or just be a question. The Font dialogue box has quite a lot of options. It also has check boxes for you to select your choice. When they are selected, a tick will appear in the check box. Some dialogue boxes have radio buttons. These can be seen here on the Zoom dialogue box. To select a different option, simply click the box next to your choice. When a choice is selected, the radio button will show this. West Nottinghamshire College 11
Format font dialogue box Click on Home tab and click on the Font dialogue box launcher. The Font dialogue box will open. Choose from the options. If you select the text first, it will alter it when you click OK. If you do not select any text first, when you click OK, any text typed will be in the chosen new font. Hardware When people talk about hardware they mean the equipment such as the printer, monitor, keyboard and mouse etc. It is the touchable parts on the computer that are used to input information, display the information when it has been processed or store the information. The input, output and storage devices are all hardware. West Nottinghamshire College 12
Help and support facility in Windows There is a Windows help facility which you can use. To do this, click on the start button. Click on Help and Support. When the window opens, type in the subject you want to search for. In this example, the word calculator has been entered into the Search box. Click on the search icon or press the Enter key on the keyboard. A list of topics will be shown. Click on the topic you want. In this case it is Using Calculator in Windows 7 and the help for that topic will show. West Nottinghamshire College 13
How to put a CD or DVD into the computer Ask your tutor for a CD or DVD so you can try this. This is a CD. A DVD looks the same and is put into the computer in exactly the same way as a CD. It is best to handle a CD or DVD on the edges, or it may get damaged. Make sure it is this way up with the writing on the top. Look on the computer for a CD drive. It should have a button on it. Press the button to open the CD drive. Put the CD into it. Press the button again to close it. You will now be able to use any information stored on the CD. How to put a memory stick into the computer Ask your tutor for a memory stick so that you can try this. This is a memory stick. The memory stick is inserted into the USB port on the computer. This port is a small thin opening about one centimetre long. It has no obvious pins or pinholes. It is often, but not always, marked "USB". If in doubt, ask your tutor to show you where the memory stick is to be inserted. Push the stick firmly into the port. You will now be able to use any information stored on the memory stick. West Nottinghamshire College 14
Icons on the desktop The picture below shows part of the desktop on a computer. This will have the start button and may have some program names and pictures. The pictures are called icons. Icons are used a lot in a Windows system and help you to use the computer. If you move your cursor over an icon and then double click on the left mouse button, that program will open. Microsoft Word is used for word processing. Microsoft Excel is used for spreadsheets. Microsoft Access is used for databases. Microsoft PowerPoint is used for creating presentations. Microsoft Outlook is used for email. Internet Explorer is used to gain access to the Internet. It is possible to move icons around the desktop by dragging them and then dropping them in a different place on the desktop. The icon you want may not be on the desktop when you open the computer. If it is not, you will need to open the program using the start button. Icon size To change the icon size, right click on the desktop, click on View, and then on the size icons you would like on the desktop. Also, if you press the Ctrl key down on the keyboard and, at the same time use the scroll wheel on the mouse, the icon size will change. West Nottinghamshire College 15
Input, output and storage devices Each part of the computer has its own job to do. Some parts are known as input devices, some as output devices and some are used for storage. Input devices are used to put information into the computer. E.g. keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone. Output devices are used to output the information after it has been processed. E.g. printer, monitor (VDU or screen), headphones. Storage devices store information so that it can be picked up later. E.g. hard drive, external hard drive, MP3 player, cloud storage, memory stick, memory cards, DVD and CD. Labelling storage devices is important so you know what is stored on them. For example, if you create several CDs, one containing your photographs, one containing your personal letters, one containing back-up copies of your businesses accounts, etc, you will need to label each one with an appropriate name so you can identify the right CD straight away and not have to look through the contents of each CD. This also applies to creating files and folders with appropriate names. Files can be stored on different storage devices. How much can be stored on each storage device is measured in megabytes (MB) or Gigabytes (GB). A gigabyte is a thousand megabytes. There is a table on the next page showing different storage devices and a rough guide to the capacity of them. Please understand that technology is developing all of the time and new and exciting products are being introduced constantly to the market. West Nottinghamshire College 16
The table below shows the typical storage capacity for different storage devices. Storage device Storage capacity Hard drive This will vary depending on your needs and price. 500,000 Megabytes (500 Gigabytes) up to several Terabytes, for example 10 Terabytes (10,000 Gigabytes) would be an example of the memory you may have within your computer. External hard drive This is basically a hard drive which can be plugged in to your computer extra to the computer s own hard drive. 500,000 Megabytes (500 Gigabytes) up to several Terabytes, for example 10 Terabytes (10,000 Gigabytes) would be an example of the memory you may have. It can therefore supply as much extra memory as a standard computer. Memory stick Memory sticks vary greatly in the amount of storage they have. Low storage capacity ones store around 8 Gigabytes up to high storage capacity ones which can store 2 Terabytes of data (10,000 Gigabytes) Memory cards Memory cards vary greatly in the amount of storage they have. They can store a few Gigabytes up to around 512 Gigabytes. DVD (Digital Video Disc) There are various capacities available to buy ranging from 4700 Megabytes (4.7 Gigabytes). CD (Compact Disc) 700 Megabytes (0.7 Gigabytes) West Nottinghamshire College 17
The keyboard Tab Escape key Alphanumeric keys Function keys Delete Numeric keypad Caps Lock Shift Space bar Ctrl Enter Arrows Alphanumeric keys These keys make up the largest part of a keyboard. They consist of the letters of the alphabet and numbers 0-9. Space bar By pressing the large space bar on your keyboard, you will insert a blank space, as needed between words. Shift The Shift key is used if you just want to type one or two letters in upper case. By holding down the Shift key, then pressing the letter required, the letter will appear in upper case. Caps Lock (Capitals Lock) The Caps Lock key allows you to type many characters in upper case, without having to hold any other keys down. After the Caps Lock key has been pressed, any characters typed will be in upper case until the Caps Lock key is pressed again to release it. West Nottinghamshire College 18
Enter The Enter key tells the computer to carry out a task. In word processing, for example, the Enter key tells the program to move onto the next line to start a new paragraph. Delete The Delete key deletes characters individually, by removing those displayed to the right of the cursor. Arrows The set of arrow keys allows you to move the cursor up, down, left or right on the screen without having to use the mouse. Escape key The Esc key is used to enable you to quit a task. It stops any processing your computer is doing and, in some cases, can even cancel it. Tab The Tab key moves the cursor to a tab stop, from field to field in a database, or from one cell to the next in a spreadsheet. Ctrl (Control) The Ctrl key is used, together with other keys, to perform special tasks. For example, in Microsoft Word, if you press the Ctrl key and press End at the same time, it will take you to the end of the document. Function keys These perform special tasks quickly. They are used to carry out certain commands within different programs or software. For example, in Microsoft Word, the F1 key will display the help facility. Numeric keypad Similar to keys found on a calculator. They allow you to input numbers quickly. West Nottinghamshire College 19
Maximise the window There are buttons in the top right corner of any window. They look like this or This makes the window smaller and allows you to alter the size of the screen. This makes the window full screen size (maximised). Mouse settings The mouse settings can be altered to suit individual needs. If someone is left-handed, the roles of the right and left mouse buttons can be changed around. This would make it easier for a left-handed person to use the computer. It is possible to change the click of the mouse to allow more time for double clicking. This is important for people who find it difficult to double click. Ask your tutor if you are allowed to try this. Please make sure you remember to change the setting back to how it was. In some centres it will not be possible to change a lot of the settings. Click on the start button. Find Control Panel in the options and click on it. The Control Panel window will open showing a list of items or categories. Click on the Mouse options. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 20
The Mouse Properties dialogue box will appear. Click on the Buttons tab. Click in the check box to Switch primary and secondary buttons. As soon as you put the tick into the check box, it changes it. You will need to click the OK button with the right click button on your mouse. Notice the left mouse button now gives you a menu. This is usually what happens with the right mouse button. Please go back into the Mouse Properties and take the tick out of the check box to alter the mouse back to the way it was. The Mouse Properties dialogue box can be used to change the doubleclick speed. Drag the bar to a slower setting if someone is having trouble double-clicking fast enough. Then click on the OK button. West Nottinghamshire College 21
Open a document/file or Click on the File tab, then Open, and then click on Browse press and hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and, at the same time press O, and then click on Browse When the Open dialogue box opens: or click where the file is stored and then click on the Open button, double click on the folder and it will open. Open any folders, if necessary then: or click on the file, then click on the Open button and the file will open, double click on the filename and it will open. West Nottinghamshire College 22
Open Microsoft Excel Click on the start button. Click on All Programs. Click on Microsoft Office. Open Microsoft Excel by clicking on it. A shortcut way to open Microsoft Excel If this icon is on your desktop, simply double click on it and Microsoft Excel will open. Open Microsoft Word Click on the start button. Click on All Programs. Click on Microsoft Office. Open Microsoft Word by clicking on it. A shortcut way to open Microsoft Word If this icon is on your desktop, simply double click on it and Microsoft Word will open. West Nottinghamshire College 23
Parts of a computer A computer is made up of many different parts. There are many different types of computers, including laptops and hand-held computers, which can be used as you travel around. This is a typical personal computer (PC) system. Your computer may differ slightly from the one shown below. CD/DVD drive Hard drive Webcam Monitor Scanner/Printer Central Processing Unit Mouse Speakers Keyboard West Nottinghamshire College 24
Keyboard The person using the computer uses the keyboard to input information. Monitor A monitor displays the information that is being entered into the computer. It is also known as a screen or VDU (Visual Display Unit). Mouse A mouse allows the user to move the cursor around the screen and click on items. Clicking on items gives the computer instructions. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer. It deals with all the information which has been inputted and controls the information which is output. Hard Drive The hard drive is the main information storage area. This is where the operating system, programs and data are kept. Printer/Scanner The printer and scanner is usually one piece of equipment, but they can be separate. A printer is used to print images and text from the computer. There are many types of printers. A scanner is used to copy paper documents or images into your computer. Once an image has been scanned, software on the computer can be used to alter the images. CD/DVD CDs and DVDs can be used to store information. This can be in the form of software packages or large amounts of data. The contents of the CD/DVD can be transferred to the hard drive. The CD/DVD drive is where you put the CD or DVD into the computer. CD stands for Compact Disc. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 25
CD stands for Compact Disc. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. USB connection A USB allows you to connect external devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, scanners, mobile phones and external hard drives. Webcam A webcam is a camera which can be connected to your computer. It is usually set up next to a computer to allow other people to see images of you. Print Click on the File tab, then click on Print. The print choices will also appear if you press and hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and then, whilst still holding the Ctrl key down, press P. Choose what you would like to print from the options using the drop down arrows. It is possible to enter a Page range of the pages you want to print. Choose how many copies you want to make using the Number of copies box. When you have chosen from all the options, click on the Print button. West Nottinghamshire College 26
Print screen Sometimes it is useful to make a copy of what is being shown on your screen. This is sometimes known as a screen dump. This is a screen dump of my screen. To do this, press the Print screen button on the keyboard. On some computers you will need to press the Fn key at the same time. Then, open Microsoft Word, click on the Home tab and click on the Paste button, or right click and click on Paste, or press Ctrl + V on the keyboard. A picture of the screen will then be shown in the document. It is then possible to print it if you wish. West Nottinghamshire College 27
Resize and move a window There are buttons in the top right corner of any window. They look like this or This closes the window. This minimises the window to a button at the bottom of your screen. This is an example of a button on the bottom of the screen. When you click on it, the window will display again. This makes the window smaller and allows you to alter the size of the screen. This makes the window full screen size (maximised). Move a window Click on if it is at the top right of the window. The window should then be smaller and not take up the whole screen. You can move a window to another place on the screen. To do this, click anywhere on the bar (title bar) to the left of the buttons, keep your finger on the button and drag the window. There are 6 dots on the bottom right corner of the window. Click on the dots. Keep your finger on the left mouse button and move (drag) the mouse until the window is the size you want. It will alter in both width and length as you drag. You can also alter the size of the window by moving the mouse over the sides of the window until you get a double-ended arrow. Left click, keep your finger on the left mouse button and move (drag) the mouse until the window is the size you want. West Nottinghamshire College 28
Ribbons Within programs there are tabs which can be chosen to help you to perform different tasks. This shows the tabs available in Microsoft Word. When you click on any of the tabs, it will show that ribbon toolbar for you to use. This shows the Home ribbon toolbar. Similar tabs and ribbon toolbars are used in all windows software. This means you become familiar with the layout, whatever the application. The ribbon toolbars are a range of icons that can be used to perform tasks. When you point to a button, a message will show what the button is used for. West Nottinghamshire College 29
Save Save the changes to a document or or Click on the File tab, click on Save and the changes to the document will be saved, click on the Save icon above the File tab, press and hold down Ctrl on the keyboard and, at the same time, press S. Save a document for the first time or with a different filename Click on the File tab, click on Save As and the Save As dialogue box will open. Browse and click on the place you would like to save the file. In this case, Documents. Choose where you want to save the document. It may mean opening folders. To do this, double click on the folder in the right panel of the dialogue box. In the File name box, type the name you want to call the document. Click on the Save button and the document will be saved. West Nottinghamshire College 30
Screen resolution The screen resolution is the amount of pixels displayed on your screen. The greater the number of pixels used (higher the resolution), the clearer the picture will be. Click on the start button. Find Control Panel in the options and click on it. The Control Panel window will open showing a list of items or categories. Click on Display and the following box will open. Click on Adjust resolution from the list on the left and the Screen Resolution box will open. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 31
Drag the bar to change the resolution. Click on the Apply button and then on the OK button. Close the Display box and the resolution will be changed. West Nottinghamshire College 32
Scroll bars When you have a document which cannot all be seen on one screen, there will be scroll bars at the side or the bottom of the document. This lets you move what is shown on the screen up, down or sideways. These are the scroll bars. Click on the arrows to move around the document. You can also move the small bar in the middle of the scroll bar to move around the document. Simply drag the bar up or down on the side scroll bar and left or right on the bottom scroll bar. West Nottinghamshire College 33
Select text There are lots of ways to select text. Below are some ways. Click at the beginning of the text you want to select. Hold the left mouse button down and drag across the letters or words you want to select. You can drag across as much text as you want. It will be selected as you drag. Double click on a word to select that word. To select a paragraph, triple click anywhere in it. Another word for select is highlight. Software The programs that run on a computer are called software. There are two types of software: Operating System software programs which actually make the computer work. E.g. Microsoft Windows. This software allows the computer hardware to talk to the application software. Application software - programs used to produce information. E.g. Microsoft Word is used to type a letter; Microsoft Excel is used to create a spreadsheet. Switch the computer off When all programs are closed, click on the start button and then click on Shut Down. The computer will then shut down safely. You will then have to switch off all the parts to the computer, e.g. monitor/screen and printer. There is usually a button on them which is easy to see. Switch the power off at the plug and unplug them. West Nottinghamshire College 34
Switch the computer on Plug the computer into the mains and switch it on at the switch. When a computer is being switched on and started up, it is sometimes known as booting up the computer. Switch on all the main parts of the computer which needs to be switched on, e.g. monitor/screen, the main computer base (Central Processing Unit) and printer. Wait until the computer has finished starting up; this will take some time. You might have to log in to your computer with a name and/or password. Ask your tutor for the details, if this is the case. If you have to log in, do this and click OK. Wait until the start button is shown on the screen. The computer is now ready for you to start working. Touch screens Touch screens are used all the time. This means you can touch the screen and work the device instead of using a mouse. All tablets and mobile smart phones work using a touch screen. Information points work using touch screens. Cash points use touch screens to get money out of your bank account. There are boards, for example in a classroom, that are sensitive to touch. When you have a passport photograph taken in a photograph booth, it uses a touch screen. Hand-held game consoles use a touch screen. West Nottinghamshire College 35
Use software for a task When you want to do something on a computer, there are different types of application software to choose from. It is important to think, before you begin, which would be the easiest to use to do a particular job. For example, although a word processing package can be used to make tables, and formulae can be used in a table, it would be more appropriate to use a spreadsheet package to set out company expenses. Word processing is used for writing reports, letters, leaflets with pictures and tables etc. Spreadsheets are used for accounting and generally when formulae are needed to work out figures e.g. company finances, household expenses, etc. It is also possible to make graphs and charts in spreadsheet packages. Databases are used to store information. Reports can be made, drawing out specific information. E.g. a report can be made for all the customers in a database who live in a specific area. Graphics packages design objects and manipulate images. E.g. editing a photograph. Internet is a network of computers which allows you to communicate with others using websites. This might be to search for information, use chat rooms, email, etc. Email is used to send messages electronically to another person. When sending the messages, it is possible to send files attached to them e.g. a photograph or document can be sent attached to an email. West Nottinghamshire College 36
Volume control There is a volume control within the computer. Method One On the bottom right of the screen there are several icons. Click on the Volume Control icon. A volume control will then be shown. Drag the bar to change the volume. Close the Volume Control box by clicking somewhere on the screen off it and the volume settings will be changed. Method Two Click on the start button. Find Control Panel in the options and click on it. The Control Panel window will open showing a list of items or categories. Search to find Sound (you may have to scroll down the list) and click on it. Continued on next page West Nottinghamshire College 37
The Sounds dialogue box will appear. Double click on Speakers. The Speaker Properties dialogue box will open. Click on the Levels tab and then either: or use the mouse to drag the bar type a percentage into the box to change the volume. Click on the OK button on the Speakers Properties dialogue box, then click on the OK button on the Sound dialogue box and the volume settings will be changed. West Nottinghamshire College 38
Zoom There is a zoom facility to allow the screen to show documents larger or smaller if needed. Method One Click on the View tab and then click on the Zoom button in the Zoom group. The Zoom dialogue box will appear. This is the one in Microsoft Word. Choose the percentage you would like in this box and click on the OK button. 100% means that you are seeing the document on the screen exactly the same size as it would be if it was printed. Higher percentages than 100% mean that, on screen, it is larger than the actual printed size. Smaller percentages mean that, on screen, it is smaller than the actual printed size. Method Two Click on and hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard and roll the centre button of the mouse to zoom in and out. West Nottinghamshire College 39