Teaching Guide

Computer Basics for WIT 2003
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Teaching guide for the Computer Basics Module

Aim
Rationale
Audience
Subject-matter
Learning objectives
Materials
Instructional plan
Plan for assessment and evaluation

Aim

I have designed this set of web pages to help educators who are new to using computers learn enough about computers to be able to use computers, create documents and more.

Rationale

Attendees of WIT 2003 need to know how to use computers not only for WIT 2003 but for future works in today's environment. Some of the attendees to WIT will not know computers as well as need and mentors will refer them to what they need for of these pages.

Audience

I intend these web pages for WIT 2003 attendees (adults, mostly certified teachers) unfamiliar with computers or who need to brush up on certain aspects of using computers. Users of these pages may move through the main page for this set of pages in sequence or by clicking on topics they particularly need to learn.

Subject-matter

I have written pages that will lead those who use these pages through mouse use, icons, folders, saving documents and more. All the basics needed to use computers.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of these pages, participants will be able to use computers to:

Use the mouse correctly
- Click, double-click, press and drag
Understand icons and the desktop
Be able to use Menus
Know how to manipulate directory, document and application windows (including scrolling)
Understand how to use dialog boxes
Know how to open and switch between applications
Know how to create a folder
Understand modifier keys and keyboard equivalents for menu commands
Understand how to recover from a crash
How to delete files
How to find files and folders
Where to get more help

Materials

Mentors will direct attendees to these pages as needed. They could be used as one consistent block of work, sequentially or WIT attendees could pick and choose different topics as needed.

All will need access to an Internet connected computer and be give the URLs needed, or initially, be led there by their mentors.

Instructional plan

I have written the web pages with as little narrative information as possible. From 80% to 50% of the text of all these pages is Activities where readers can take steps to learn the material in that page. Please see the pages for examples of this tactic.

Note that the Previous and Next links on each page will take you to the next topic and previous topic based on the progress of pages in the main page for this module. Windows pages will progress through Windows topics and the same for Macintosh pages.

Timing

Some of the modules take only a few minutes while some are fairly major documents. I cannot predict an overall timing.

Plan for assessment and evaluation

I include no specific tests to confirm whether readers of these pages have "gotten" this material. Mentors will need to determine whether the pages communicate skills successfully and a) aid readers in learning what they need to know and b) report problems with these pages to Bill Geraci for future revisions.

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