The document outlines a basic computer class offered by the Montgomery County Public Library, emphasizing in-person attendance and individual assistance. It covers essential skills such as using the keyboard and mouse, navigating the desktop, and utilizing the internet, along with practical exercises to reinforce learning. Participants are encouraged to practice various tasks, including opening and saving documents, using software applications, and conducting internet searches.

1. Basic Computer Class

2. To receive the full benefit of this course, the staff
of the Montgomery County Public Library strongly
recommends attending in person. Individual
assistance with each exercise is provided in class as
well as a Question & Answer session with our
instructors.

3. Objectives:
• Become familiar with the use of computer
accessories such as the keyboard and
mouse.
• Learn to navigate within the computer
desktop & understand the function of icons.
• Be able to navigate the internet.

4. The Desktop
The graphics on the left are called
icons and allow you to access
programs on the computer. The
Windows icon at the bottom of the
screen opens the Start Menu, which is
another way you can access
programs.
Start Menu
Start menu

5. Using a Mouse
• The mouse allows you to navigate the computer
screen. When you are on the desktop, the mouse is
represented by a white arrow called the cursor.
It also may be seen on the computer as a straight
flashing line.
• The mouse has two areas. The left area is generally used for
issuing commands to your computer. The right area is used to
access special menus.
• To open a program, press down on the left-mouse twice in rapid
succession, known as a double-click.
• Scrolling up and down the computer screen is done by rolling the
wheel on the mouse or moving the mouse on the table.

7. Using the mouse
• To practice using a mouse, please log on to:
www.seniornet.org/howto/mouseexercises

8. Using the keyboard
• The keyboard allows you to enter text on the computer.
Keyboard layouts vary slightly but have this basic design.

9. Keys you will use frequently are:
• ENTER : used to tell the computer to follow a command or start
typing a new line.
• SPACE : used to add spaces between words.
• TAB : add multiple spaces when typing. When on the internet,
this key will move you from one box to the next.
• SHIFT : capitalizes words or gives you access to the commands
or symbols at the top of each key.
• CTRL : used for shortcuts.
• BACKSPACE & DELETE : used to erase characters when
typing.

10. Using the keyboard:
• To practice using the keyboard, please log on to:
www.freetypinggame.net/play15.asp
choose the beginner level, game #9

11. Software
• Software refers to the instructions that tell the computer
what to do. You may hear software referred to as a
program or an application.
• Different software programs allow you to do different tasks.
For example, Internet Explorer allows you to open web
sites on the internet.
• To open an application on your computer, click on the Start
Menu or you can open it from the desktop if there is an
icon for that program. Remember an icon is a picture
representing the program.
• A program may not be immediately visible in the Start
Menu if it is stored in a file. Computers are like a filing
cabinet, programs are sometimes stored in files to keep
them organized.

12. Software Practice
• Practice navigating the
computer by opening a
program called Notepad,
which allows you to type &
save information.
• To get to this program, click
on the Start Menu, then click
on All Programs. This gives
you a list of programs on the
computer. Now scroll with the
mouse until you see a folder
called Accessories & click on
it. Your screen will look like
this.
• Now click on Notepad to
open it.

13. Software Practice cont.
Let’s look at the Notepad screen. Some
symbols that are common for many
programs are:
Minimize
closes the window but leaves the
program open at the bottom of the screen
Restore
Changes the size of the window
Exit
Completely closes the program

14. Software Practice cont.
• Many programs have a similar file menu. To
open the file menu, just click on the word File
for the following options:
• NEW: allows you to make a new Notepad
document.
• OPEN: will access documents you have
already created.

15. Software Practice cont.
• SAVE/SAVE AS: allows you to store a copy of the
document you just created to the computer or a
storage device.
• PAGE SETUP: is where you change the margins
or spacing.
• PRINT: will open an new screen that asks you
how you want to print your document.
• EXIT: closes the program. If you have not saved
your document, you will be asked if you want to
save it when exiting.

16. Software Practice cont.
• Practice typing a few
words in Notepad and then
saving the document to
this computer.
• When you click Save, you
will see this prompt. You
can tell the computer
where you want to save
the file at the top of the
screen. Just leave the file
in Documents.
• Name the document
here and then press
Save.
• Write down what you
named your practice
document so we can
use it later and close
Notepad with the X
button.

17. How to do a search on the computer
• Suppose you forgot
where you saved the
file that you just
created. Open the Start
Menu and at the
bottom you will see a
box you can type in.
• Type in the name of
your file and the top of
the Start Menu will
show files that match
that name.

18. Using the Internet
• The Internet is a worldwide connection of computers
with information stored on web pages. You need an
internet provider to access the internet (the company
you pay for internet service) and a web browser to open
web pages.
• A web browser is just a program that opens the internet
on your computer. The web browser we will be
using is Internet Explorer and
is represented by this icon.

19. Using the Internet cont.
• A web site is a collection of web pages.
• Each web site has its own address. If you know the address
of the web site you are looking for, just open the web browser
and type in the address.
• If you don’t know the address, you need to go to a web site
that searches the internet called a search engine. There are
many of these but the one we will use is Google.

20. Internet Practice
• Double click on the Internet Explorer
icon and you will see this screen.
• When you open Internet Explorer, it
automatically goes to your home page. Here
at the library, the home page is the library
website. The home page for your home
computer will be different.
• At the top of screen, you will see a box that
contains the web address of the site that is
open called the address bar. This site’s
address is www.youseemore.com/mtsterling.
• This box is where you will enter the web
address if you know it or the web address of
the search engine you will use. Enter this
address: www.google.com.

21. Internet Practice cont.
This is the Google search engine. The cursor automatically
goes to the empty search box where you will type.

22. Internet Practice cont.
Type in Medline Plus and you will get a list of results like this.

23. Internet Practice cont.
Websites ending in .com are commercial sites so they may not be
accurate. Web addresses that end in .org or .gov are more likely to
have accurate information because they are created by government or
non-profit organizations.
Scroll down to the result for Medline Plus and double-click on the title
in blue. Links for websites appear in blue on Internet Explorer, this link
will take you to the web page for Medline Plus, which is a government
page for health information.

24. Internet Practice cont.
Most web pages have a search box that searches
for phrases just on their page. Try practicing
searching on this page here.