Monthly Archives: October 2014
Class Notes for October 28 – OS Security and Troubleshooting
This was our final week of Operating Systems. Next week, we start learning how to create slideshows with Microsoft PowerPoint and LibreOffice Impress.
What We Talked About
This week, we finished up our section on operating systems by learning about the maintenance tools built into Windows and Mac OS and some helpful troubleshooting strategies.
Handouts
This week’s slideshow: And here is a PDF copy of the handout if you’d like to print it.
Homework
OS Maintenance and Troubleshooting Homework (Word Version) OS Maintenance and Troubleshooting Homework (PDF version)
Next Week
Next week, we start learning how to use Microsoft Office (and its free alternative, LibreOffice). It is up to you and your parents which to use – and it won’t affect your grade, of course. I promised to post some links for both – and they appear in this post: Microsoft Office vs. LibreOffice Please try to get this installed on your computer by class time next week. If you need help, please let me know.
Class Notes for October 22 – Windows Files and Settings
This was our third week to talk about Operating systems. We finished our discussion of files and went over the Control Panel (Windows) and Mac OS System Preferences.
What We Talked About
We talked more about files, such as where to find your documents, photos, music, movies, and downloads. We saw how to select multiple files in a folder when they are all together (shift), or if you only want to pick selected files (control).
We then moved on to the Control Panel (System Preferences in Mac) and learned how to set your desktop background and what the other icons in control panel do.
Handouts
Windows
OS X
Homework
None this week.
Next Week
Next week will be our final week on Windows and Mac OS X. We will discuss troubleshooting. We will then get ready to cover Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and you get to decide which we cover first.
Class Notes For October 14th – Using Your Computer’s Operating System
What We Will Discuss
This week, we get into the specifics of using an operating system, or OS. We will take a look at the desktops and user interfaces of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X. Then we will learn about the file system and how to open, copy, move, and rename files and folders. If time permits, we will learn how to find files and folders and learn about common tasks.
If we have enough time, I have a preview of the next version of Windows to show you.
Handouts
Here are the week’s handouts. Since we have both Windows and Mac users in the class, we have two sets of handouts. Each set covers the same topics for that OS.
Windows 7, 8:
Mac OS X:
Homework
Complete the questions on this sheet:
If you use a Mac, use this sheet to answer question 3: HW OS X Desktop
Reading:
We just don’t have time to cover everything that’s important to know about operating systems. This extra reading will help you understand your computer a little better. You only need to read the one that applies to your computer:
Next Week
Next week we will continue with Operating Systems and learn how to change the OS’s settings, find out what hardware is installed on our computers, and do some troubleshooting.
Class Notes for October 6, 2014 – Operating Systems
Well, my jury duty continues this week. I will have a substitute, Drew Burton, teaching class.
What We Will Discuss
What Do Kilo-, Mega-, Giga-, and other prefixes mean?
When talking about the amount of storage in your computer, the size of an individual file, and the speed of your internet connection, these prefixes are a sort of shorthand. Each prefix represents about 1,000 times the amount of another prefix. Your handout will explain what the correct order of prefixes is.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Typing a quick 2- or 3-key combination can be much faster than grabbing your mouse, finding a menu, clicking that menu, then finding and clicking on a command. WE will cover some of the most common and useful commands.
Operating Systems Overview
Over the next three or four weeks, we will discuss operating systems in depth. This week, we learn what an operating system is and what its basic features are.
Handouts
Handout 1: ‘Giga, Mega, Kilo’ Reference sheet (PDF)
Handout 2: Keyboard Shortcuts Reference Sheet (PDF)
Handout 3: Keyboard Shortcuts Lesson (Link – watch the video!)
Handout 4: Understanding Operating Systems (Link)
Handout 5: Getting to Know the OS (Link – Interactive lesson)
Homework
No homework this week. I will assign homework next week once we have had a chance to review the material.
Introduction to Computers 