Computer
resource center

Computer basics: Word and Excel

"What's the difference between Microsoft Word and Microsoft Windows?" "How much do I need to erase off my hard disk so I have more memory?" If you don't know the difference between an application and an operating system, or that erasing files off the hard disk has nothing to do with memory, then you should take this course. After learning Windows basics, students work with word processing (Word) and spreadsheets (Excel), including operations such as "cut and paste."

Windows 10

Is this really the last version of Windows we'll have to learn? Microsoft says so--with forever updates. Windows 10 is chock-full of new features, both useful and distracting, from built-in Facebook apps to the "Notifications" bar. Learn how to customize your Start and your taskbar, access the control panel, and use the Windows Shop (more useful than it sounds). (90-minute session, 9:30 to 11:00)

microsoft outlook (email)

Outlook is Microsoft's solution for integrated e-mail, calendars, address book, and task lists. Session includes basic features such as email options (receipts, signatures, stationary, virtual business cards). Also teaches how to set up your Outlook folders, work with multiple calendars (calendar sharing and related options), customize your address book (including distribution lists), set recurring appointments and reminders, and leave yourself notes!

Word

Word Fundamentals. Why are "paragraphs" so important" when formatting? When should you use columns, tabs, or tables? How do you work with multiple documents, including cut, copy, paste, and paste special? What are the tricks to envelopes and labels? (Note: This is not a basic-level course; people who are new to word processing on a computer should take "Computer basics" above.) [Recommended 2 to 3 hours]

Word Intermediate. How to use the ruler for tabs, indents, and margins. Advanced paragraph formats (line spacing vs. before/after spacing, keep with next, hyphenation, bullets and numbering). Learn to control page numbers and headers/footers with "sections." Learn quick shortcuts such as autocorrect and quick parts. [Recommended 3 hours]

Word Advanced. Reviews some of the more advanced formatting features (such as tabs and tables), with emphasis on use and modification of styles and related options such as Tables of Content. Session also covers themes, track changes, templates, and mail merge. [Recommended 2 to 3 hours]

Excel

Excel Basics. Basic spreadsheet navigation, entering and editing data, formatting, and introduction to formulas and functions (simple math, sum, average). Covers working with multiple sheets and data sorting/filtering. Chart wizard is introduced (as time permits). Students learn how to format a table for impressive printouts, including fonts, lines, borders, shades, headers and footers, and sizing to fit. [Recommended 2 to 3 hours]

Excel Formulas and Functions (Intermediate). Assumes you know everything mentioned above. Session is geared toward moving users past "sum," with more advanced formulas such as those used to calculate percent distributions (including absolute cell references) and functions covering a variety of areas (date/time, financial, text, statistical). Focuses on more advanced math ("if" statements; count, counta, countif; math with date/time; calculating interest; depreciation). Includes links across multiple tables and to other files and programs. Graphing is covered in detail, as well as sparklines and use of themes. Finally students learn how to link tables for automatic updates. [Recommended 2 to 3 hours]

Excel Power Features. Session begins with Excel shortcuts such as Flash Fill and forecast sheets. Next, database functions such as text-to-columns, concatenate, proper, filters, and grouping/subtotals are explained. Session includes with tools such as data validation (including creating drop-down menus), consolidate, goal seek, and scenarios (storing multiple numbers within one cell). [Recommended 2 to 3 hours]

Excel Pivot Tables and Vlookups. This session is entirely devoted to two operations. Pivot tables are explained, first with a simple consolidated table, then with a more complex set of data. Pivot tables are then displayed as pivot charts, and analyzed with the Excel slicer and timeline features. It concludes with an introduction to Vlookups and Hlookups, which are functions that makes Excel search for a certain value in a column or row in order to return a specific value. [Recommended 2 hours]

PowerPoint

PowerPoint Basics. Learn to create a slide show for use as an onscreen or online computer presentation. Sessions starts with explaning the components of a slide, including layouts, handles, text tools, drawing tools, and autoshapes. Layouts are used to create bullet slides, charts, photo slides, and title slides. Simple animation and transitions are included. [Recommended time 3 hours]

PowerPoint Advanced. The bells-and-whistles: speaker notes and presenter views (including running timed presentations), sound and effects (such as "build" and animated paths), inserting videos from YouTube, and exporting to other formats. Emphasis is on the use of slide masters and themes to create custom design templates and other shortcuts for efficiency. [Recommended time 2 to 3 hours]

Access

Access 1: Tables. Relational database management that allows you to access information based on your structure. First session is an overview of database concepts and the construction of tables, including field properties. Then a brief amount of time is spent on data entry and editing. [Recommended time 2 to 3 hours]

Access 2: Forms, Reports, and Queries. Session 2 focuses on the tools that feed off the data contained in your table. Wizards are used to generate a form for data entry, and a report designed for printing. Then queries are used to select data for reporting. Queries are then used for multiple conditions ("and" vs. "or" queries), carrying out calculations ("expressions"), totals ("groups), concatenations ("strings"), and parameters. [Recommended time 2 to 3 hours]

Access 3: Relationships. Relationships are the option that makes Access so powerful. Different kinds of unique data can be stored in separate tables, which can then be tied together in a relational query. Since the relational query then display all the data, it becomes the best place to work, so the relational query is used to generate additional queries, as well as linked forms for data entry. [Recommended time 3 hours]

Access 4: Queries and Reports. Additional query types are introduced, such as Make Table, Append, and Delete queries. Then the relational query is used to generate a full report, with group headings and totals, subtotals, and grand totals. [Recommended time 2 to 3 hours]

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop 1. Learn how to edit digital images, correct colors and red-eye, and even merge pictures. Session 1 focuses on learning to use the Photoshop tools and brushes, including dodge and burn, lasso, cloning, the healing tool, magic lasso, and many, many more. In addition, basic editing commands are covered, including mode, brightness, levels, and color balance. [Recommended time 3 hours]

Photoshop 2. In session 2, the major focus is on how to create and use layers and layer masks, including layer styles and layers for adjustments. Ruby lith masks are then used to edit portions of images, including text masks. Session concludes with a variety of filters, including liquify. [Recommended time 3 hours]

Adobe InDesign

Adobe's standard for “desktop publishing.” Useful for production of newsletters, brochures, posters, cards, books, etc., with the most popular design and printing tools available. Hands-on instruction with emphasis on layout and design; course exercises include creation of a one-page poster, a 3-fold leaflet, and a 4-page newsletter. Class also works with styles, layers, and many design features such as rasterizing, feathering, and drop shadows. [Recommended time 4 hours]

Adobe Illustrator

Introduction to Adobe's free-hand drawing program, working with "vector" graphics rather than pixel images. Learn how to use layers, paths, blend colors for shades. Be creative with the pencil tool and draw smooth curves that can be edited, while exploring the myriad other tools and options. Then import or export graphics to other programs. [Recommended time 3 hours]

Adobe Dreamweaver

One of the best programs for DIY web design, this "visual HTML editor" will do the coding for you; all you have to do is click on buttons, icons, and pull-down menus, much like word processing. It makes creating interesting web sites a snap. Class first focuses on HTML basics, such as headings and tables to generate stable, well-designed pages; it also works with importing jpgs from programs such as Photoshop. Then, the key part of the class is how to use CSS (cascading style sheets), including how to generate and how to attach. Class also Includes basics of web-site management: links, folders, and FTP to upload your web pages. [Recommended time 3 hours]

adobe acrobat

Want to make smaller PDFs for fast online uploading, or higher-quality PDFs that print well? How about editing your PDFs, including adding comments and merging PDFs together? This session introduces Adobe Acrobat, the powerful software behind the Acrobat Reader. Included is an overview of the tools, including the Forms tool for converting any PDF into a fillable form. [Recommended time 2 to 3 hours]

also available by request

Microsoft OneDrive (the Microsoft Office 365 cloud) [1.5 hours]
Staying Safe and Secure on the Internet [1 hour]
Selling on eBay and Etsy [2 hours]
Overview of Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram [1.5 hours]