COMPUTER STUDIES 2 VIT101

Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Power point and more!

This course is or people who already know how to use a computer, but wish to extend their skills, particularly with respect to Microsoft applications.

Is this course right for me?

If you are wanting to work with Microsoft word, excel, access etc this is the course for you.

This course will give you a better understanding of Windows and how to use it to your advantage. Understanding more about Windows will increase your job prospects and create more job satisfaction. You will be able to show or train others some of the different methods we use within the course. Knowledge is power and learning about computers will help you in the long-term with job placements.

Learn Windows applications Excel, Word, Access and More

13 lessons filled with easy to understand instructions

Screenshots of working examples

100 hours total study with up to 12 months to complete

No classes, submission dates or schedules!

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

There are 13 Lessons in this course as follows:

Hardware Components
Peripherals
Operating Systems (Windows,DOS etc)
Files and Folders
Office Applications
Windows Accessories Programs
Disk Management
Installation of Software
Trouble Shooting
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Powerpoint

Duration: 100 hours

WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE

Below are some activities you will do in this course:

Explain the role of the motherboard and the CPU in a computer system.
Briefly, describe the evolution computer systems, starting from the first IBM PC through to the most currently generally available systems available today. Make special reference to changes that you deem to be 'significant' leaps in this evolutionary process.
Name five things that the motherboard is responsible for supporting.
Explain how modems measured in terms of performance.
Compare three different types of printers (i.e. inkjet, laser and dot matrix) and explain how they differ in the ways that they produce a printed page.
Define the following computer terms: screensaver, wallpaper, device driver, sound card
Discuss 'Brief case', when might you use this feature, and how a brief case can be added to your desktop.
List the advantages and disadvantages of having several windows open at the same time and describe two situations that either illustrates advantages and/or difficulties than might be encountered when you work with more than one window open.
In order to install or set up a new printer, write down what you would click on or type for each step and what would happen when that was done on the computer.
Choose a software program (different to your set task) of your choice, and write about the steps involved with its installation onto a hard drive.
You are trying to run a DOS program and you get an Insufficient Expanded Memory error message in a DOS window. If expanded memory on your computer is set to Auto, how can you correct this problem?
A computer stopped working after a violent electrical storm so the customer stopped using it for a year, he has finally brought it to you to look at because the keyboard isn't working and it will not boot. List the steps you would take to determine what is wrong with it and write what your opinion of what is damaged.

Do You Understand What a Computer Is?

Software and Hardware are two different things. Hardware is a term used to refer to the machinery that makes up a computer system. It is the tangible parts of the computer; the things that you can see and touch (eg: The screen, the keyboard, the case, etc.)
Software is the intangible part of the computer; the programs or if you like, the instructions that people have stored in the computer.

There are many options when buying a computer. First you must decide what you will use the computer for and then what areas you need more power in - data storage, graphics capabilities, processor speed, etc. Speak to someone at your local computer store.

Computers store and communicate information as bursts of electrical energy. The pattern of these bursts creates a code (similar to Morse code) and this code determines the information stored. Computer language is a binary code, as is Morse code. A binary code is one made up of 2 types of signals (eg. a short pulse of electricity and a long pulse of electricity).
This contrasts with our numerical code which uses ten more different signals (i.e. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). Just as the numerical code can be arranged to create an endless number of meanings by combining different numbers of digits together in different combinations; SIMILARLY, a computer binary code can be arranged in any number of permutations to create any number of different meanings.
The speed with which information is able to be processed allows a computer to deal with great amounts of complex information very fast.

Basic Components of a Desktop Computer

A computer is made up of several components that control how it operates and exactly what its' limits are.

Keyboard
Keyboards come in various styles, they are ergonomically designed for more comfort and also to prevent typing injuries. Keyboards can also be made customised for various industries like banking for example to be able to incorporate the industry use.
There are also launch keyboards which have launch buttons so that internet and various other shortcut keys can be programmed to launch right by hitting a button on the keyboard. There are also split keyboards which supposed to be designed to follow the hand’s natural movements.

Mouse
Nearly all systems make use of a mouse, this was not always the case and in fact the mouse has proven to be one of the most outstanding improvements in computer technology even though it was available for many years but not envisaged as an essential piece of equipment for the personal computer.

Power Supply
Often hidden inside the case of the computer, the power supply controls the distribution of power to the various components. Optional features include surge protection and UPS (uninterruptible power supply - keeps the PC going if there is a blackout).

Hard and Floppy Disks
Disks come in two forms, floppy disks are cheap, low capacity, slow removable disks. They are usually used only for backups and software distribution.
Hard disks are boxes installed inside a computer used for storing data and programs on. They are very fast and hold much data and last for about 5-10 years depending on the brand. They cost hundreds of dollars compared to a few dollars for floppy disks but are worth it. They are still one of the most cost and time efficient ways to store data. The two main types of Hard disks are I.D.E. (Integrated Disk Electronics) - the standard and SCSI (pronounced scuzzy) - a faster and more expensive drive.

Motherboard
This is the component which is used as the fixing board for the rest of the components. Motherboards come with various slots for the various different components to be fixed onto them. The type of motherboard depends on the sort of CPU (central processing unit) it is being designed for. When choosing a motherboard you have to be careful because they are built only for a particular type of CPU and they are not interchangeable.

Cards
A card is an extra circuit board that plugs into the motherboard. They can be controllers for sound, network, display, printers, mice, modems, scanners or whatever. You can get cards for virtually anything.

Monitor
Although the standard for monitors these days is Super-VGA, there are many features available. This includes low-radiation, different sizes and multisync. A multisync monitor will plug into not only IBM computers but Macintosh and Amigas. Another feature is interlaced or non-interlaced, when a computer is displaying graphics in very high resolution, the screen will flicker quite annoyingly unless it is non-interlaced which slows down the scan rate of the screen.

Mobile Devices

Mobile phones, i-pads and readers are other types of computers. This course is not designed for these devices, but a knowledge of PC use will provide a sound foundation for better understanding the opportunities you might discover on other devices after you graduate.

Computer course that will teach you more..

If you already have an understanding of the basics and are looking to take your knowledge further, this course can give you an understanding of both hardware and software tasks related to a Microsoft PC. This course will give you an overview of 13 different areas that are essential for computer users to be familiar and proficient with. this course gives you this and will stand as a good foundation for you to further develop your skills in these areas.

Study online at your own pace

Using our modern online portal for study is a simple and effective way of learning. Once enrolled, you will receive your online account to our login.training system that will give you all the lessons assignments and self-assessment tests so you can start studying straight away.

This is a course for anyone who wants to explore and become more proficient with the potential uses of a desktop PC

All you need is a PC with Microsoft Windows (any version) and you can begin discovering how to use a computer in ways you probably never thought possible.

Enrol and commence studying any time and from anywhere
Better still, work at your own pace; slow or fast.
Learn from a team of IT Professionals with both university training and years of industry experience