Computer Basics

After working with a freshman class the other day, I realized that there were certain computer concepts that we might consider basic that some of them didn't know.  This is particularly true as we see more and more use of phones and tablets. Thus, this post to remind us all (including myself) that it never hurts to review some of the basics when the students are working with computers.

Here's a partial list-- feel free to add your ideas in the comments.

1. Save vs. Save As.

   Created a presentation in Keynote, but you need to play it on a computer that doesn't have Keynote?  Save As allows you to save a file in a format different from the standard format for the application.  You can save that Keynote as a Powerpoint, or a Word file as a PDF, or a Powerpoint as a set of images, etc.  Save As also allows you to make a version of a file without changing the original.

2. Visibility of on-line content

   Shared a link to a Google doc with people, but they can't open it?  When you create online content (such as Prezi, YouTube, Glogsters, GoogleDocs, VoiceThreads, etc.), you have to pay attention to the visibility of that content.  To use Google Docs as an example, you don't need to individually share a doc with each person.  You can just click on Share, then change visibility to "Anyone with the link."  Copy the link and provide it on a blog, web site, e-mail, etc.

3.  Local and network file management

   Don't just hit save and hope for the best!  At CVU, G: indicates your storage folder, while C: refers to the particular computer you are working on.  

4. Secondary clicking (right-clicking)

   Right-clicking (on a PC), or control-clicking (on a Mac) on something typically brings up a menu of options that apply to that thing.  Want to increase the font size of a word?  Right-click it!  Need to change the color of a drawing object?  Right-click it...

5. Creating hyperlinks

   When you enter or paste in the text of a hyperlink (a web address), some applications will automatically convert it into an active link (meaning that clicking on it will take you to that web page).  Moodle and Mahara (among others) do not always do this.  To create the hyperlink yourself, 1) select the text, 2) look for the hyperlink icon (it is typically a chain link or a globe), then 3) enter or paste in the web address.