Introduction to PC Fundamentals
In this lesson you will learn how to turn the computer on and off, control the mouse and become familiar with basic PC terminology.
Objectives
1. Start and shut down the windows operating system
2. Become familiar withthe desktop and the parts of
a window
3. Control the size of a window and minimize to the
taskbar
4. Use and master the mouse to start and close
programs
5. Review common computer terminology
6. Learn how to use menus
Turn it On The Monitor or Screen is dark or off
1. Push the button to power up the computer. With a laptop, you first open it up, find the ”Power Button” and then press it to start the computer. The computer will make itself ready to use and stop at the desktop screen. The desktop model computer is turned on
by a ”Button”in the ”Center” of the of the CPU (Central Processing Unit).
2. Using the mouse pointer, locate the ”Yellow Mouse Exercise Icon” on the screen and “Double Click” the ”Left Button” on the mouse open the “Main Page” of the exercise program.
3. Do the exercise, it contains four topics:
Placing the mouse
Clicking the mouse
Drag and Drop
Drawing
Let’s get started and have fun!
Yellow Mouse Exercise
1. Click on “Placing the Mouse” You will get a Pop Up bar stating –“To protect your security---”, click on it and select “Allow blocked content”. Another pop up will ask Are you sure? Click the “Yes” box.
2. This exercise includes ”Double Clicking” and is important for using the mouse. Most of your initial introduction to the Mouse will be on the “Left Button” on the mouse. The right button will be explained later in the training.
3. When you get to the Drag & Drop. You do this by Pointing on the item, Pressing and holding the left button of the mouse to “Drag”. The “Drop” is done by releasing the left button when the item is positioned over the trash can..
4. When you finish the Drawing exercise, click the “back button” to return to the Main Page. In the top right corner of the screen, click the “X” to close the program.
Taskbar
The Taskbar is the bar on your screen with the “Start” button in the bottom left corner of your screen. You can start a program or switch between active programs using the taskbar.
Mouse fundamentals
You must master the use of the “Mouse” in order to be successful in using a computer. Rest the heal of your hand on the mouse pad with your index finger on top “Left” button of the mouse. Use your thumb and rightmost fingers to loosely hold the mouse. Holding the mouse this way you can slide the mouse around the mouse pad and accurately move the arrow or cursor around your screen. When you click the left mouse button on an Icon and hit enter, you will see an “hourglass” appear next to the arrow. This means the computer is working and you must wait for it to complete the function. The hourglass will go away when it is done. The “Mouse” is your tool to start your action work with the computer.
Desktop –The Monitor or Screen
The desktop (Screen) is what you first see when the computer is turned on and is ready to use. The little pictures with descriptions below them are called “Icons”.They are used to start programs that are used frequently on this computer. The number of icons on the desktop will vary but it is best not to clutter the desktop with Icons.
You can add or remove Icons to customize the computer to your use.
The Instructor may ask you to slide the arrow over to an Icon on the Desktop.
1. By clicking the left button on the mouse, the icon will light up.
2. Hitting the Enter Key on the keyboard and this Program will start up.
In the upper right corner of your screen you will see”
“–” (Minus) a Full screen button or two little boxes and an X.
3.Clicking on the minus puts the program down on the Taskbar next to the Start button.
4. Putting the arrow on that item on the taskbar and clicking will display it again.
5. The two little boxes change the size (Minimize/Maximizes ) the screen window. Do this several times to see how it works. The “X” shuts down the program so you only click on that when you are finished what you are doing.
Keyboard
1. The keyboard is used to enter instructions and information into your computer. Your keyboard is similar to a standard typewriter with several significant additions. While some keyboard skills are necessary to operate your computer, you need not be a typist.
2. Backspace key -Use the Backspace key to erase characters (letters, numbers, punctuation, etc.) that are located to the left of the “insertion point” (flashing line) on the monitor. Each time the key is pressed, one character is erased.
3.Delete key -Delete allows you to erase characters that are to the right of the insertion point. Each time the key is pressed, one character is erased.
4.Enter key -When you type text, this key acts like a typewriter carriage return key or a “line down” key to start a new line of text. The Enter key also is used to signal that you have finished entering data and want the computer to act on that data. Pressing Enter is like saying “Yes” to your computer. Left click of the mouse is also enter.
5. Shift key-The pressing of the shift key with a letter makes it a capital letter.
6. Page up/down keys-Used to scroll up or down pages of a document.
7. Arrow keys-Used to move left, up, down or right on a page.
8. Tab key-The tab key moves the flashing line to the next section.
Mousercise
1. Find the Icon with the little mouse called ”Mouserciser”and “Double Click” (twice) on it. The file will open and the first page of the mouse exercise will appear on your screen.
2. Go to the “Box” (Maximize) button on the upper right corner of your screen and click it to maximize your current window.
3. You can minimize this program or switch between active programs using the “-” (Minus) button on the taskbar. This brings you back to the Desktop.
4. Click on the Mousercise: page 1box on the lower taskbar and become familiar with opening and closing the windows. Practice doing that several times.
5. On page one of the Mousercise , read the instructions and follow them.
6. When you put the mouse pointer on the underlined number, your arrow pointer changes into a hand pointer. There are 31 pages to complete. Good luck.
7. Be careful on page 14 to click on the 15.You go back to 13 if you don’t click on the 15.
8. “Radio buttons” on page 20 can have only one selected while “Check boxes” on page 21 can have as many selected as you want.
9. On pages 22 and 23, be sure to click the arrow down button to open the drop down list.
10. Page 24 has Lincoln standing in the left corner below the visible screen. Read all the instructions so you know what to do before preceding to scroll down to the number 25.
11. On page 28 there is a windows pop up. Click on the “Click this button” Click OK.
12. Page 29 shows how to fill out a form. Read the instructions carefully.
“Insertion Point”-Look for the position of the flashing pointer, it is where data will appear.
“Deleting”-When the flashing pointer is to the left of the letter you want to remove,
use the Delete key on the keyboard to remove the letter.
“Backspace”-If the flashing pointer is to the right of the letter, use the Backspace key.
“Enter Key”-The Enter key on the keyboard is used to go to the next line.
13. After entering all the data and finally the Zip code, go down to select page 30.
14. On page 30 you learn how to highlight. When you highlight a word or words, you can remove the highlight by clicking anywhere else on the page. This is useful when you want to delete or cut and paste words or sentences.
15. On page 31, we are going to use the “Right Click” on the mouse to Copy and Paste instead of the instructions on the page.
Copy Paste
A. Highlight one answer in the left column 1. Move the to the answer box and left click the mouse.
B. Right click and select Copy2. Right click and select Paste
Do this Copy and Paste for each of the questions.
16. When you are finished click the “X”in the upper right corner of the screen to end the Mousercise exercise.
Playing Solitaire
1. Go to the “--” (minus) button on the upper right corner of your screen and click it to minimize your current window and put it next to the “Start” button in the bottom left corner of your screen. You are now on the Desktop.
2. Slide the arrow over to the “Start”button. Clicking the left button on the mouse will bring up another listing of choices. Move the arrow to the “Programs”line and another list of choices will appear.
3. Move the arrow to the “Games” line, click and another list of choices appears. Be sure to move the arrow horizontally over the “Blue Scroll Bar” to get to the list and go down and click on“Solitaire”.
4.The top row includes the deck of cards and 4 spots for the Aces. You will now use “Drag and Drop”. If there is a card that can be moved to another group move the arrow to it and press and “Hold” the left button of the mouse to select the card.
5. Now slide the card to the new group and release the button. The card will remain with the new group. Place the arrow on the deck of cards an click on it and 3 new cards will appear.
6. You can now Drag and Drop from the top of that group.
7. Practice doing that several times. Good luck.
8. When you see an Ace , drag and drop in the space on the first line. Continue play solitaire as you would with a pack of cards. Don’t worry, the computer will not let you cheat and this is good practice.
9. When you are done playing or you get the message “no more moves” with the cards, move the arrow to the “X” in the upper right corner and click it to end the program.
Making an ICON to get to Solitaire
1.Return to the Desktop on your computer. Hit the Start button. Select All Programs and then Games. You will see a listing of Games. Slide the arrow over and select the Solitaire line. Right Click the mouse and select Copy. Move the arrow to a space on the Desktop and Right Click and then left click on Paste to put the Icon on the desktop.
Making an ICON to get to the Senior Center Blog
2. Return to the Desktopon your computer.
Right Click the mouse.
Select Newand slide over and select Shortcut and enter.
In the Type the location of the Item box.
Key in www.bwsccomputergroup.blogspot.com and hit enter.
In the Type in the name of this Shortcut box.
Key in Senior Center Blog and hit enter.
3. This Home Page will appear different and change as we
improve the Senior Center Blog.
Now you can…
Power up the computer
1. Start Programs from an Icon
2. Identify the basic parts of a window
3. Understand basic functions of the keyboard
4. Scroll up and down a window
5. Close a window
6. Minimize a window
7. Maximize a window
8. Page up and Page down
9. Exit (close) a program
10. Log off and shut down the computer
Turn It Off
The Monitor or Screen will return to dark or off
1. With a Windows 7 operating system, Click the ”Start Button”, and then the ”Shut Down” button. The computer will shut itself down. Do not shut it off with the power button.
2. The Windows XP operating system is a little different. The lower left corner of your screen has a Start button. Click on it and then move the "Arrow” to the ”Turn off ” button or " The "Restart" button.
Do not shut The Computer off with the power button.
3. When there is a separate ”Monitor”, check it and make sure it is off. The lower right left corner of your monitor has a ”Button” to shut off just the monitor. If there is still a light showing press the off button.
