This document provides an overview of essential computer skills, including how to start and shut down a computer, work with files and folders, open and manipulate windows, and start programs. It covers basic computer terminology like the desktop, icons, menus and toolbars. Instructions are given for tasks like formatting storage media, moving/copying/deleting files, and selecting multiple files. The goal is to teach fundamental computer literacy.

1. Computing Fundamentals Module
Lesson 5 — Essential Computer Skills
Computer Literacy BASICS

2. Objectives
 Start and shut down a computer correctly.
 Use storage media to safely store and
access data.
 Open and close a window.
 Name the parts of a window.
2 Computer Literacy BASICS

3. Objectives (cont.)
 Explain how to change the size of a window
and switch between open windows.
 Create and manage files and folders.
 Start and exit a software program.
 Install new software.
3 Computer Literacy BASICS

4. Vocabulary
 Desktop  Pointing device
 Folder  Restore
 Icons  Scroll bar
 Maximize  Taskbar
 Menu  Title bar
 Menu bar  Toolbar
 Minimize  Window
4 Computer Literacy BASICS

5. Starting the Computer
 Starting a computer is simple. Just turn it on
and wait for the operating system to do all
the work.
 The computer will run a self test and then
load the operating system software.
 When the GUI is up, you will be looking at
the desktop.
5 Computer Literacy BASICS

6. GUI Terminology
 Desktop: The first screen you see when the
computer starts up
 Icons: Small pictures that represent files,
commands, or other functions
 Pointer: An on-screen symbol showing the
current position of the mouse
 Pointing Device: A mouse or trackball used
to select objects, such as icons or text
6 Computer Literacy BASICS

7. GUI Terminology (cont.)
 Menus: Drop-down lists containing
commands that can be executed
 Scroll bars: Horizontal and vertical bars that
allow you to see parts of the display not
currently visible
 Window: A rectangular area used to display
a program, message, or data
7 Computer Literacy BASICS

8. Using the Desktop
 The desktop contains windows and icons.
 It represents graphically how a person works
at a desk, with documents, files, and folders
that can be put away in a file cabinet.
 The desktop helps you stay organized when
you use a computer.
8 Computer Literacy BASICS

9. Shutting Down the Computer
 Shut down your
computer properly to
prevent damage to the
system.
 In Windows XP, you
turn off the computer by
clicking the Start button
and then selecting Turn
The options in the Turn off
Off Computer or Shut computer box include Stand
Down at the bottom of By, Turn Off, and Restart.
the Start menu.
9 Computer Literacy BASICS

10. Working with Storage Media
 Early personal computers used floppy disks
to store data and programs.
 You had to format floppy disks before you
could use them.
 Now most storage media is preformatted and
ready to use.
 If you ever need to format a floppy disk, it is a
simple process using My Computer.
10 Computer Literacy BASICS

11. Formatting a Disk
 Formatting is the process of preparing a disk
to hold data.
 Formatting organizes a disk into tracks and
sectors.
– A track is a narrow band that forms a circle on
the surface of the disk.
– A sector is a pie-shaped area that can hold 512
bytes of data.
11 Computer Literacy BASICS

12. Formatting a Disk (cont.)
 When you format a disk, any data previously
stored on the disk is destroyed.
 Each track on a disk is numbered and
labeled in the formatting process.
 The file allocation table (FAT) on the disk
logs the information about each track.
12 Computer Literacy BASICS

13. Opening a Window
 You open a window by double-clicking an
icon.
 This will execute a command and open a
window on the desktop.
 For example, to open the Recycle Bin, find
the icon on the desktop and double-click it.
13 Computer Literacy BASICS

14. The Recycle Bin Window
14 Computer Literacy BASICS

15. The Parts of a Window
Title bar
Toolbar
Menu
bar Ruler
Document Scroll bars
window
15 Computer Literacy BASICS

16. Manipulating Windows
Restore Down: Click the
Restore Down button to
return the window to its
Maximize: Click the previous size.
Maximize button and the
window fills the full screen.
The graphic on the Maximize
button changes and it
becomes the Restore Down
button (shown at right).
16 Computer Literacy BASICS

17. Manipulating Windows (cont.)
Minimize: Click the
Minimize button and the
window disappears from
the screen and is
displayed as a button on
the taskbar, the horizontal
bar at the bottom of
monitor screen that
appears to the right of the
Start button.
17 Computer Literacy BASICS

18. Manipulating Windows (cont.)
 Move: If you don t like where the window is
located on the screen, just move it. Move the
mouse pointer over the title bar, hold down the
button, and drag the window to its new location.
 Resize: You can easily change the size of a
window. Move the mouse pointer over an edge of
the window; hold down the button and drag to
make the window smaller or larger. You can
change both the width and height of a window at
the same time by dragging a corner.
18 Computer Literacy BASICS

19. Closing a Window
 To close a window, open the File menu and
then click Close.
 Or click the red Close button (the X) in the
upper-right corner of the window.
19 Computer Literacy BASICS

20. Working with Files and Folders
 When you use a computer, files begin to
accumulate quickly.
 You can create folders to hold files of the
same type, files for the same project, or files
that are somehow related.
 Computer folders are similar to manila
folders in a filing cabinet. They hold infor-
mation about some particular subject.
20 Computer Literacy BASICS

21. Working with Files and Folders
(cont.)
 You can create folders inside of other folders,
called subfolders, to further refine the type of
information they contain.
 You can move or copy files from one folder
or disk to another, but you cannot have more
than one file with the same name in a folder.
21 Computer Literacy BASICS

22. Moving a File
 Files can be moved from one folder to
another by using the Cut and Paste
commands.
 You can also click and drag a file from one
location to another.
 Moving a file removes the file from the
original folder.
22 Computer Literacy BASICS

23. Copying a File
 Files can be copied from one folder to
another to create an exact duplicate of the
original file in another location.
 Use the Copy and Paste commands to make
a copy of a file in a new location.
 You can right-click on a filename to open a
shortcut menu that lists the Copy and Paste
options.
23 Computer Literacy BASICS

24. Deleting a File
 Files that are no longer needed can be
deleted by selecting the file and clicking the
Delete option from the File menu.
 Or right-click the filename and select Delete
from the shortcut menu.
 When you delete a file, it is sent to the
Recycle Bin. You can recover a file from the
Recycle Bin if you have not emptied the
bin.
24 Computer Literacy BASICS

25. Selecting Files
 To select a group of adjacent files, click the
first file to select it. Then hold down the Shift
key and select the last file in the list.
 To select a group of nonadjacent files, select
the first file, hold down the Control key, and
click the remaining filenames you want to
select. All the selected files will be
highlighted.
25 Computer Literacy BASICS

26. Starting a Program
To start a program in Windows:
 Click the Start button on the taskbar at the
bottom of the screen.
 Point to All Programs.
 Point to the program menu that contains the
program you want to start.
 Click on the program name from the program
menu.
26 Computer Literacy BASICS

27. Switching Between Windows
 You can switch between open windows by clicking
in any part of the window visible on the desktop.
 Or click the window s button on the taskbar to
switch to another window. All windows that are
open on the desktop are represented by a button
on the taskbar.
The Recycle Bin
button on the
taskbar
27 Computer Literacy BASICS

28. Switching Between Windows
(cont.)
 When you have more than one window open
at the same time, only one window is active.
 The title bar of the active window in your
screen has a title in dark or bright lettering.
 Other open windows in the same screen will
have shaded titles.
28 Computer Literacy BASICS

29. Exiting a Program
Exit a program by closing the program window:
 Click the Close button in the upper-right corner
of the window.
 Or select Close from the program menu. (Click
the icon to the left of the File menu to open the
program menu.)
 Or select Exit from the File menu.
29 Computer Literacy BASICS

30. Installing New Software
 It is a good idea to close any open programs
before installing new software.
 Insert the new software disk in the
appropriate drive.
 Find the file called Setup or Install on the disk
and double-click the filename to launch it, if
necessary. (The file may open automatically
if the new program is on a CD.)
30 Computer Literacy BASICS

31. Installing New Software (cont.)
The Installation Wizard will prepare to install the
new software:
 Click Yes or Accept to accept the license agreement.
 Follow the steps in the Installation Wizard to install the
program.
 You may need to reboot the computer before the program
will be available.
 Register new software to take advantage of technical
support and upgrades offered by the software company.
31 Computer Literacy BASICS

32. Software Upgrades
Benefits: Disadvantages:
 Fix problems  Compatibility
 Add new features problems
 Make program  Conflicts with other
compatible with new software
hardware or newer  Upgrades may not
operating system yet have problems
or bugs worked out
32 Computer Literacy BASICS

33. Summary
 When you turn on your computer, the
operating system performs all the necessary
startup tasks automatically.
 Some of the components of a GUI are the
desktop, icons, pointer, pointing device,
menus, scroll bar, and windows.
 The desktop is a representation of how
people work at a desk and contains windows
and icons.
33 Computer Literacy BASICS

34. Summary (cont.)
 Shut down the computer using the operating
system s Shut Down or Turn Off Computer
command to prevent damage to components,
software, and data.
 Formatting is the process of preparing a disk so
it can be used to write data to and read data
from the disk. Most disk media today are
preformatted, but you can reformat a disk to
erase all of the information on it.
34 Computer Literacy BASICS

35. Summary (cont.)
 Click or double-click an icon to open a
window.
 You can move a window, resize it, maximize
it, minimize it, or restore it to its original size.
 Close a window by clicking the Close button
at the upper-right corner of the screen.
35 Computer Literacy BASICS

36. Summary (cont.)
 Use folders to organize your files.
 Delete folders and files by right-clicking on
the folder or filename and using the shortcut
menu s Delete command or by dragging it to
the Recycle Bin.
 When you move a file, it is moved to a new
location.
36 Computer Literacy BASICS

37. Summary (cont.)
 When you copy a file, you create a duplicate
of your original file in another location.
 You can select, move, copy, or delete a
group of adjacent or nonadjacent files and
folders.
 You can start a software program by clicking
on its name in the All Programs list on the
Start menu.
37 Computer Literacy BASICS

38. Summary (cont.)
 You can have several windows and/or
programs open at one time and switch
between open windows.
 The title bar of the active window in your
screen has a title in dark or bright lettering;
other open windows in the same screen will
have shaded titles.
38 Computer Literacy BASICS

39. Summary (cont.)
 To install new software, you start the Install
or Setup file and follow the instructions in the
Installation wizard.
 It is a good idea to register new software to
take advantage of the technical support and
upgrades offered by the software company.
39 Computer Literacy BASICS

40. Summary (cont.)
 Software upgrades can offer new features
and fix bugs, but some upgrades may also
cause compatibility problems or might be
released before they are problem-free.
40 Computer Literacy BASICS