This Project has been funded with support from the European Commission.  This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission can not be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

 

 

 

MODULE

 

Basic Digital Competence

 


Authors:

“CONNECT TO ICT” PROJECT CONSORTIUM

Pendik Belediyesi Sosyal Yardım İşleri Müdürlüğü, Turkey

W: www.pendik.bel.tr

E: sgm@pendik.bel.tr

Zgura-M Ltd., Bulgaria

W: www.zgura-m.eu

E: projects@zgura-m.eu

Amalgama Information Management Ltd., Cyprus

W: www.aimcy.eu

E: truth@aimcy.eu

Association M3 (M Cube), France

W: www.eseniors.eu

E: epstein@free.fr

STARGARDZKA SZKOŁA WYŻSZA STARGARDINUM, Poland

W: www.stargardinum.pl

E: project@stargardinum.pl

Escuela Superior Marcelo Macías, Spain

W: www.marcelomacias.com

E: escuela@marcelomacias.com

 

Total duration of the module: 16-32 academic hours

Time for review and preparation for assessment: 1 academic hour

Documents for completed course: CERTIFICATE

Prerequisite for participation:

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of the main points described in the content:

 

         Basic knowledge and understanding how to use computer independently;

         Basic functions how to use MS Word;

         How to use Internet Explorer (Mozilla, Chrome)

         Social networks – Facebook;

         Printing documents and web pages;

         How to use USB and how to get information through USB

         How to use Skype, Net conferences; Set up and use of an e-mail account;

         Reading and manipulating PDF files;

         E-banking; Manage your bank account

         Karaoke tools (entertainment) -

         Safe shopping in internet (e-shopping)

         Save travelling (mobility)

 

 

UNIT 1 – GETTING STARTED WITH COMPUTER

1.1  Basic steps when you started

PC is short for a personal computer.

The components of a PC can be divided into two broad categories:

·         hardware - the computer's physical components

·         software - the electronic data,  programmes or code, that runs on the computer

1.2 Brief review of key hardware components

Some of the computer's most important hardware components include the following:

The system unit

The system unit is a case or cabinet that contains all the components that make your computer work. It normally sits on a desk or on the floor.

Some of the key components contained in the system unit are

·         the hard disk - a magnetic disk where all the programs and data that you are working on are stored

·         the processor - the brains of the computer, where most calculations take place

·         the sound card - the component that enables your PC to manipulate and output sound

The monitor

This is where the programs and your work are displayed on-screen.

The mouse

The mouse is a pointer device for marking and selecting on-screen items. As you move the mouse across a flat surface, an on-screen arrow, known as a cursor, follows its movements.

Any action that can be done using a mouse can also be done from the keyboard, so you can ignore the mouse.

The keyboard

The keyboard is an essential part of your computer. It is the mechanism by which you tell the computer what to do by pressing individual keys or combinations of keys.

1.3. Printer, speakers, headphones, scanner

A printer is a machine connected to the PC for printing documents.

A scanner is a device that can copy images or text into your computer so that they can be stored in an electronic format.

1.4. Shutting down the computer correctly

Always be sure to shut down the computer correctly. The following keys are used for shutting down the PC:

·         Windows logo key

·         Arrow keys

·         Enter

Make sure you know where these keys are.

To shut down your computer:

·         Press the Windows logo key to display the Start menu. Use the arrow keys to investigate the options in the Start menu.

·         Select the Shut down option and press Enter.

·         In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select the Shut down option and press Enter.

Your computer will now shut down. Try starting it again. Shut it down and start it up several times until you feel familiar with the process.

 

1.6. Launching programs

While you can set up keyboard shortcuts to launch different programs, a common way to launch a program in Windows is from the Start menu. Here we're going to launch a simple text editor program called Notepad.

To launch Notepad from the Start menu:

·         Press the Windows logo key.

·         Use the up arrow until you find the Programs submenu and open it with the right arrow.

·         Use the arrow keys to find and open the Accessories submenu.

·         Use the down arrow to find the Notepad program and press Enter.

·         Shut down Notepad by pressing Alt + F4.

1.7. Reading through a file

The easiest way to read through a file, such as a text file, word processing document or e-mail, is to use the arrow keys:

·         The down arrow allows you to read the next line.

·         The up arrow allows you to read the previous line.

 

Exercise 1

 

 

þ  Open a document on your PC - ask the teacher to help you.

þ  Use the down arrow key to read through the document line by line.

 

UNIT 2 – MICROSOFT WORD

The word processor is one of the most useful programs on your computer. It enables you to create, modify and read all kinds of documents, such as letters, e-mails, reports, and even courses like this.

Before PCs became commonplace, most business communication had to be written on typewriters.

Today, typewriters have largely been replaced by word processing software.

·       Using a word processor, you can correct what you have written or insert extra text

·       move text from one part of the document to another

·       print your document

·       save your document on the computer

·       read documents written by other people

2.1 Launching Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is one of the most popular word processing programs.

To launch Word:

               Press the Windows logo key to display the Start menu.

               Select the Programs submenu.

               Select Microsoft Word and press Enter.

Using the title bar

At the top of every program that runs on Windows you'll find the title bar.

The title bar tells you the name of the program and the name of the current open file, for example Document.docx - Microsoft Word.

 

2.2 The Menu bar

Below the title bar you'll find the menu bar.

All programs have menus. A menu is a list of options that allows you to perform different tasks within the program. Most programs have at least four or five menus in the menu bar.

To go to the menu bar, press the Alt key once. You can then scroll from menu to menu and down through each menu using the arrow keys.

To leave the menu bar, press Esc.

The first menu in the left corner is called "Files". It contains a number of different options, such as saving your work, printing a document or closing the program.

Working with menus is covered in detail in Part 2 of this course.

The toolbar

Under the menu bar you'll find the toolbar. There are a number of different toolbars in Word, each one containing small images, known as "icons", symbolising different functions.

2.3 Typing a text

Launching Microsoft Word

1.    Press the Windows logo key.

2.    Use the up arrow until you find the Programs submenu and open it with the right arrow.

3.    Use the down arrow to find Microsoft Word and press Enter.

4.    Shut down Word.

Writing and deleting text

1.    Launch Word.

2.    Write your name in the edit field.

3.    Use the Backspace key to delete your name one letter at a time.

Moving the text cursor

1.    Write your name again.

2.    Press the left arrow key repeatedly until the cursor is at the start of your name.

3.    Move the cursor to the end of your name with the right arrow key.

4.    Write your address in the next line.

5.    Move the cursor around in the text using the up, down, left, and right arrow keys.

Typing and correcting text

1.    Type a short piece of text.

2.    Place the cursor to the right of one of the words and deleted it using Backspace.

3.    Write another word instead.

Practise this several times.

 

2.4 Printing

1.    Ensure your computer is connected to a printer.

2.    Open a document and ensure that it contains some text.

3.    Press Button Print and select the page which you want to print.

4.    Press Enter.

Exercise 2

 

 

 

þ  Launching Microsoft Word

þ  Writing and deleting text

þ  Moving the text cursor

þ  Typing and correcting text

þ  Printing

 

 

 

 

UNIT 3 - INTERNET

3.1 Introduction

The Internet is a global collection of interconnected computers transferring information via high-speed networking connections and telephone lines. It is a system of computers connected together that allows you to communicate with other people and exchange information.

The Internet can be used in a variety of ways, as there are just as many different ways to use other forms of communication technologies.  The Internet can be used to educate, entertain, inform or trade.  People using the Internet can find information on almost every topic by using search engines.  These search engines access links to thousands of relevant web sites.

It allows people to:

      communicate easily and cheaply,

      learn without having to be in a formal setting,

      buy and sell items and services

3.2 Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla, Google Chrome.

Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Google Chrome are software application that consists of many components, designed to allow the user to browse through Internet and explore its full potential.

The main feature of the package is the web browser, which enables the user to “surf the net.”  The browser facilitates searching for web sites, keeps a record of sites visited and allows favourite sites to be added to a folder for easy access.

3.3 Connecting to the internet

Before connecting to the Internet, the user must either have a broadband (always on) connection, or have a modem installed or connected through a Wi-Fi. This is a device that converts signals from the computer into signals that can travel through a phone line. Although it is not essential, it is often a good idea to install a separate phone line, as normal calls will not be connected while the Internet is being used.

It is also necessary to subscribe to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), who provides the connection service and an e-mail address. With a dial up connection the ISP will provide a User name and a Password, which must always be supplied before access to the Internet is granted.

 

Exercise 3 (for dial-up users)

 

  1. Select  from the Windows Desktop and select All Programs | Internet Explorer (then possibly Internet Explorer again, depending on the computer’s setup). If there is not a current connection, the Dial-up Connection dialog box will be displayed.

  2. Depending on the Internet Properties settings on the computer, the connection may be dialled automatically.

  3. The default Connect to location will be displayed. The User name and Password may already be present, as in the diagram. If not, when the Dial-up Connection dialog box is displayed, enter the relevant User name and Password. Click on Connect.

  4. There is a default starting page shown whenever an Internet connection is first made, known as your Home Page. This guide assumes that the Microsoft site is the Home Page. Leave the first screen of the Microsoft site open.

 

 

 

  1. If the Microsoft Home Page is not displayed, do the following:

 

  1. Select Tools | Internet Options to display the Internet Options dialog box.

  2. Select the General tab, if not already selected.


  1. In the Home page section, change the default address to www.msn.com, then click OK.

  2. Click . Note how the default Home Page is now Microsoft.

 

Browser Help

Internet Explorer contains an online Help facility that may assist when certain problems are experienced.

 

Exercise 4

 

  1. The default Home Page (for example www.msn.com) is shown on the screen. This will be explained in the next chapter.

 

  1. To find out more about Help, click on Help on the Menu Bar at the top of the screen. A further list of choices appears.



  1. Select Online Support.

  2. The Product Support Services page appears. This page contains hyperlinks (coloured text), each one leading to a different Help page.

  3. Click on any hyperlink.
  4. After viewing the displayed information, click the Home button, , to return to the Microsoft Page.
    Help | Contents and Index contains help relating to Internet Explorer, but not web help.

 

3.4 Internet browsers

 

3.4.1 Internet Explorer screen

Once the user has made the connection to the Internet, the designated Home Page will appear. In this guide we assume it is the Microsoft site, msn.com.

Look at the screen. It may look slightly different to the picture below, because the Microsoft web pages are constantly changing.

Scroll Bar

Links Bar

Status Bar

Address Bar

Toolbar

Menu Bar

View Window

 

 

The home page consists of the:

 

Menu Bar                  containing a variety of drop down commands from which to make a selection.

Toolbar                     containing a series of icons which perform the most common commands.

Address Bar            displaying the address of the web site being viewed.

Links Bar                 which provides a quick way of getting to another web page.

View window          which displays the actual web page.

Status Bar               which shows the user exactly what Explorer is doing.

Scroll Bar              at the far right of the screen, which allows the user to move up and down the page.

 

Views

Some functions within Internet Explorer change the view of the screen by opening an area on the left of the screen known as the Explorer Bar, from which the function is then controlled. For example, the Search button opens an Explorer Bar which allows the various search parameters and options to be defined. The bar is then referred to as the Search Bar. Other functions which open Explorer Bars include Favorites and History.

Full Screen View can be selected to view more of the web page by suppressing all toolbars except the Standard toolbar.

the Microsoft web pages are constantly changing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.4.2 View of Mozilla Firefox

Links Bar

Scroll Bar

Status Bar

Menu Bar

Toolbar

Address Bar

View Window

3.4.3 Google Chrome

Scroll Bar

Toolbar

Status Bar

Address Bar

Menu Bar

View Window

 

 

Exercise 5

 

 

1.    With your default Home Page (msn.com) on the screen, click the Search button, , to view the Search Bar at the left of the screen.

 

2.    Click on the Search button again to remove the Search Bar.

3.    Click the Favorites button, , to display the Favorites Bar.

4.    Click the History button, . The Favorites Bar is closed and the History Bar appears, showing the pages that have been visited recently.

 

5.    Close the History Bar by clicking the History button again or the Close button, , at the top right of the History Bar.

 

6.    The Search and Favorites features will be discussed in greater detail later. Pages listed in the History or Favorites can be displayed by clicking on them.

7.    The toolbar display can also be modified. Select View | Toolbars. Those toolbars currently displayed have a tick next to them. Click on Address Bar to hide this toolbar.

 

 

8.    To replace the toolbar, select View | Toolbars | Address Bar.

9.    View | Toolbars | Customize has a Text options box which alters the appearance of toolbars. This guide uses the Selective text on right option.

10. Select View | Full Screen from the menu.

11. To return to the normal view, click the Restore button, , in the top right corner of the screen and leave the Home Page open.

 

12. The <F11> key can be used to toggle between Full Screen and normal view.

3.6 Closing the Browser

To end the current browsing session, the web browser must be closed. With a dial up connection, make sure the connection is also terminated, if you are not prompted to disconnect automatically.

If you have a cable connection or WI-FI we should just switch-off the computer.

 

UNIT 4 – NAVIGATION IN INTERNET

4.1 Back and Forward Buttons

Navigating between web pages/sites is made easy by using the Back,  and Forward, , buttons on the Toolbar. Explorer records the order in which pages are viewed. The Back button moves back through the pages until the first page viewed is reached. The Forward button forward moves forward until the most recently viewed page is reached. Clicking the arrow to the right of each button displays a drop down list of all sites visited before or after the current one. Any site from the list can be selected.

Exercise 6

 

 

 

  1. With your default Home Page still being viewed, click the Back button, . The screen displays the last page visited.

  2. Repeat this action until the button becomes ghosted (pale grey). This means that the first page viewed in this session has been reached.
  3. Now click the Forward button, . Explorer will move forward to the next page in the sequence.

  4. Repeat step 3 to move forward through the pages until the Forward button is inactive. This indicates that the most recent page is displayed and it is not possible to go further forward.

  5. Click the small black arrow to the right of the Back button to reveal a drop down list of all previous sites.

  6. Click any one to go to it directly.
  7. If your default Home Page is not displayed, click  to return to it and leave it open.

 

 

4.2 Using Web Addresses

The quickest and easiest way of visiting a web site is by entering its address, or URL (Universal Resource Location), in the Address Bar. It is important to ensure that the exact address is entered. Because of the sheer volume of sites on the World Wide Web, it would be almost impossible to locate the required site without a complete address, unless it is a large multinational company.

Every web site has a Home Page; this is the first page to appear when the site is opened. The Home Page usually consists of a welcome and/or introduction to the site and links to other pages within it. Note the difference from your default Home Page, which is the page, loaded by the Browser when it starts or when you press the Home button.

 

Exercise 7

 

 

 

  1. Click in the Address Bar and enter the following address: www.facebook.com then press <Enter> or click .

 

  1. The drop down list on the Address Bar can be used to access recently visited sites. Just click on the arrow and select an address from the list.

  2. Browse the details of the FACEBOOK site, then click the Home button, , to return to your default Home Page.

  3. In the Address Bar type in www.zgura-m.eu  and press <Enter>.

 

  1. After viewing the details of the Marie Curie Association site, return to your default Home Page by clicking the Home button.

 

4.3 Browsing History

As you are browsing, a record is kept of all the web pages visited. This is known as a browsing history. The Address Bar can be used to return to previously visited pages. The History Bar also allows quick and easy access to previously visited web sites. By default Explorer keeps a record of the sites visited within the past 20 days, although this period can be altered to suit the user’s personal requirements. It is also possible to clear this history.

4.4 Search Engines

A search engine is a facility connected to a vast database. Once the user has entered key words, the search engine will select every site on its database containing those words.

Some major search engines are:

Google          www.google.com

Yahoo           www.yahoo.com

Altavista      www.altavista.com

Each search engine has a search box, where the user enters details of the subject they want to find.

 

Exercise 8

 

 

  1. Enter www.google.com in the Address Bar. Press <Enter> and the Google  search engine is launched.

  2. In the search box, enter the following search: shark.



  1. The screen may be slightly different to the one above

  2. Click on the Google search button.

  3. If there is a security warning about submitting information, click Yes to continue but be aware of the implications of the message.

 

  1. After a few seconds Google will retrieve every site on its database which contains this word. Some commercially sponsored sites may be displayed at the top of the list. Select the first Web site match and browse the site.
  2. Return to your default Home Page by clicking the Home button, .

 

4.5 Search Criteria

The previous chapter demonstrates a common problem encountered by Internet users: a search can produce hundreds of thousands of “hits”, not all of them relevant to the intended subject. It is possible to narrow the search considerably by using certain criteria.

Specify the language       Use the Language drop down list in the search box.

Use lowercase text           This will search for lower and uppercase words.

Include key words            Enter a + before the key word, e.g. films +          

                                           Scorcese.

Exclude words                    Enter a - before an unwanted word, e.g. french + wine - champagne.

Use phrases                        In speech marks, for words which always go together, e.g. “Tom and Jerry” or “The Battle of Hastings”.

 

Exercise 9

 

 

 

  1. Go to the AltaVista search engine by entering the address www.altavista.com in the Address Bar. Press <Enter>.

  2. You want to find a Chinese recipe for chicken salad. Narrow the search by selecting the options for UK sites in English language, if not already selected.

  3. In the Search box, type recipe Chinese then click Find.



  1. Scroll down the page. The number of pages found that match the search should be displayed. A large number of matches will be found!

  2. Click  to return to AltaVista’s home page.

 

  1. In some search engines a + criteria will narrow down a search by insisting that the following word is included in the page. Enter recipe +salad +Chinese in the search box (make sure there are spaces before the + signs).

 

  1. Click Search. There should now be fewer matches.

  2. Try this search: “chicken salad” (include quotation marks). The search will now only find pages where these words occur together in a phrase, but will no longer be restricted to those sites containing the word ‘chinese’.

  3. Select a recipe from the list by clicking on its hyperlink. Read the recipe, then return to the AltaVista home page by clicking .

  4. To see an example of narrowing a search, try to find web sites about sea angling. Start by searching for angling. Take note of the number of matches, which is the number of pages that contain the word ‘angling’. There should be many thousand.

  5. Now search for pages containing the two words sea angling. The two words can be anywhere on the page. There may still be several thousand but the number should be less than before.

  6. Next search for the phrase “sea angling”. Use quotation marks around the phrase. Now the words must occur together. The number of matches will be further reduced.

  7. Now enter your name, separated by a + in the search box, e.g. Amanda + Laughton, and press Search. Make a note of the number of matches found.

  8. Now enter your name in quotation marks, e.g. “Amanda Laughton”. The number of matches should have reduced.

 

  1. Explorer includes the Autosearch function - a quicker, simple to use way of retrieving matches. It is possible to find the web site of a large multinational company, Esso, for example, by entering their name in the Address Bar, then pressing <Enter>.
  2. Click the Home button, , to return to your default Home Page.

 

 

4.6 Saving a Web Page

 

Web pages can be saved directly from the Internet in the same way as other files or folders, either on the hard drive or floppy drive of the computer.

Exercise 10

 

 

 

  1. Use the Address Bar list to go to www.keycompetenceskit.com.

  2. To save this web page, select File | Save as from the menu. The Save Web Page dialog box will appear.

  3. In the Save in box, specify the location where the file is to be saved, in this case My Documents.

  4. Make sure Save as type shows Web Page, complete.

  5. Change the File name to Welcome by overtyping the existing name and click Save.

  6. The Welcome file should be there, as an HTML file,

  7. Double click the Welcome icon and it will be displayed in its own Explorer window without the need for an Internet connection, i.e. offline.

  8. Close the new Explorer window and My Documents.
  9. Maximise the original Explorer window then click Home, , to return to your default Home Page.

 

 4.7 Print

Each web browser (Internet Explorer, Mozzila etc.) can print pages, or parts of pages, directly from the Internet.  The user can decide exactly which parts of the web page to print. If the page is framed, individual frames or selected frames can be printed, or the page can be printed as it appears on the screen. It is also possible to print all linked documents, or a table of links. A page can be previewed before printing.

 

Exercise 11

 

 

 

  1. With the www.zgura-m.eu  home page on screen, select File | Print Preview. A preview of how the page will appear is displayed. Click Close to remove the preview.

  2. Select File | Print to display the Print dialog box.

  3. Select the appropriate printer and in the Print range section, select to print page 1 only, and make sure that the Number of copies is set to 1.

 

  1. The Selection option is settled unless a selection from the page has already been made.


  2. Under the Options tab, make sure that the check boxes Print all linked documents and Print table of links are either unchecked (not ticked) or preliminary settled. Opt to print the frames As laid out on screen from the Print frames section.

  3. Click Print.

 

  1. The Print button, , can be used to print a single copy of the page to the default printer without displaying the Print dialog box.

  2. When the page is displayed, select the first paragraph of text to highlight it in blue.

  3. To print only the selected text, select File | Print. From Page Range choose Selection and click Print.

  4. Click the Home button, .

4.8 Download

Many types of files, including sound and video files can be downloaded from the Internet and viewed or played. Downloaded files can also be permanently saved to either the hard or floppy disk of the computer in a variety of ways.

 

Exercise 12

 

 

  1. Go to www.clipart.com

  2. Click the Sounds hyperlink at the left of the page to display the following page.



  1. Click on the hyperlink Sample 1. By default the Media Bar will open on the left of the Explorer window and the file will start to download. There maybe a dialogue box asking if you want to play the item within Internet Explorer, if so clicks Yes.

  2. The controls may vary between different Media players but will be functionally similar.

  3. As the sound is downloading, it will play (possibly with some interference). When the download is complete, the Pause button becomes the Play button. Press this to hear the music again.

  4. Close the Media bar.

UNIT 5 – E-MAIL

Electronic mail, most commonly abbreviated email and e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages. The example is from Yahoo.

If you use a different ISP the setup pages will be slightly different.

 

  1. Enter www.yahoo.com into the address bar of Internet Explorer

  2. The following page will appear:

 

   

 

You will need to click the Mail option as shown. 

 

 

 

 

This will take you to another page.

  1. From the page shown below you will need to click the Get Yahoo! Mail Now link.

 

Click on Sign Up for Yahoo! Mail and the following page will appear:


You must select a username and password which you will use to access your email account. 
Choose a username but you must remember that this must be different to any other person’s username.
You should now continue to fill in all information including a password that you will be able to remember.

Finally on this page you will need to press the Submit This Form button

 

 

Always remember to sign out when you have finished using your email.  This will stop other people from using your e-mail account. Write down somewhere your username and password where you will be able to advise anytime you want to access your email at later stage.

 

Exercise 13

 

 

 

You can easily type a message to all your friends, colleagues or everyone that you want. Please try the next exercise:

  1. Go to mail.yahoo.com and insert your already registered username and password.
  2. Then click on New icon and the following screen will appear:

In the line “To:” please insert the e-mail address of your friend or colleague.

In the line “Cc” you can add additional e-mail address

In the line “Subject” you can insert the theme of the e-mail

Then on the blank space please insert your message as you already done in Word processor.

You could attach some files – photos or documents by using the Attach Files Icon.  Click on the attach file button which usually can be illustrated by a clipper  . Then a choose file window will appear. Browse through your files to find the required file.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then you can choose the file that you want to attached and press the button Open. Once you have attached the file you will need to return to the e-mail message on your previous window and press the button “Send” and your message will be delivered to the sender.

All messages you receive are stored in the “Inbox” folder.

All messages you have sent are stored in the “Sent” folder.

All messages deleted are stored in the “Trash” folder.

You could forward some your messages by using the icon “Forward” from the main screen Menu and then insert the e-mail address of the potential received and then press the button “Send”.

 

UNIT 6 – SKYPE, FACEBOOK AND PDF DOCUMENTS

6.1        SKYPE

SKYPE is one of the most popular programme used for chatting, internet phone calls and communication with everybody around the World.

You can download the programme for free at: www.skype.com

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once at the homepage of the “Skype” click on the green button “Download Skype” and the programme will start downloading. When downloading is completed double click on the icon “skype.exe” and the programme will run on your computer.

The screen shown on the right will appear:

The next step requires that you register by choosing a username and a password of your own. The procedure is the same as when registering for an e-mail account.

When you insert your credentials then the next screen will appear.

 

 

 

When accessing it for the first time with your new username and password then a tutorial how to use will be started on your preferred language. You can choose the language from the Menu Tools of the programme each time. The programme supports more than 32 languages.

 

 

 

 

For example we registered as user “keycomkit”. After click on “Finish” button the next screen will appear:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can star with the Skype test call. You can add contacts using the button with the same name. If you want to call somebody please click on “Call Phones” icon. You can call without charge to every skype user. The green headphone is to start the call and the red one is to finish the call. In order to make conversation you should have a microphone and speakers.

If you want to chat via typing text with someone please click on the user from your list and then click on blue icon with lines.

Then the following screen will appear:

If you want to sign out just go to File menu and press on “Log off”

Exercise 14

 

þ  Try to set up you own account

þ   Find and add your friends and try to call them or to type a message to  them.

 

6.2 FACEBOOK

Facebook is a social networking website. To become a Facebook user all you need is a valid email and age above 13.Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Additionally, users can join networks organized by city, workplace, and school or college.

Register yourself on Facebook

  1. Go to the Facebook homepage – www.facebook.com
  2. Enter your full name.
  3. Enter your email address and password.
  4. Your password must be at least 6 characters long and must include both letters and numbers. More at Facebook Help Centre: Facebook Signup - "What is the minimum password strength? How can I make my password strong?"
  5. Select a gender: Male or Female.
  6. Insert your birthday date and year.
  7. Click on the Signup button.
  8. Go to your email that you used to join Facebook.
  9. Open the registration confirmation email from Facebook.
  10. Click on the verification link.
  11. Now you can access Facebook and find your friends online.

 

 

 

 

Search for friends

  1. You can also search Facebook for people that you know who are registered on Facebook. Facebook lets you search by the person's name, search people who attended your school or people who work at a place of employment.
  2. To search everyone registered on Facebook, enter the name of the person who you want to search for in the Search field and click on the Search Facebook icon.
  3. To search for a classmate or co-worker, click Friend Finder.Facebook
  4. The Find People You Know on Facebook screen is displayed. In the Search for People section, a list of your schools and employers is listed. Click the school or employer that you want to browse.
  5. A list of people matching your search criteria is displayed.
  6. To add the person displayed as a friend, click Add as Friend.
  7. If you want to add a personal message with your friend request, click Add a Personal Message.
  8. To add as a friend, click on the Add Friend button.
  9. An email is sent to the friend for them to approve your request to be added as a friend.

 

Finding friends by using your email address

 

  1. Click on the Find Friends button.
  2. Note that for web based email applications, you are directed to your email provider to enter your password directly on their site. Many email providers require that you sign an agreement allowing Facebook to access your email account.
  3. Click the checkbox next to each friend you want to add or click Select All Friends. If you do not want to add any of the friends displayed, click the Skip button.
  4. To add the friends you have selected, click on the Add as Friends button.
  5. An email is sent to the friend for them to approve your request to be added as a friend.

 

 Exploring the Facebook Toolbar and Tabs

 

  1. Use the Facebook button to return to your Facebook homepage. You can also use the Home button to return to your home page. Your Facebook page displays information about your Facebook friends. A series of tabs are displayed at the top of the screen that allows you to easily navigate through your Facebook page. There are five default tabs for your Facebook homepage.
  2. News Feed - This tab displays stories about your friends such as when they add friends, post updates or write a friends wall. The amount of information displayed about a friend depends on their privacy settings. You can customize the amount of news that you receive about a particular friend in your News Feed.
  3. Status Updates - This tab displays status updates posted by your friends. It does not include other stories about your friends, such as when they join a group or add a new friend.
  4. Photos - This tab displays your friend's photo albums. The photo albums displayed in this tab depends on the privacy setting selected for the photo album.
  5. Posted Items - This tab displays all stories posted by friends.
  6. Live Feed - This tab displays all news stories about your friends, such as status updates, friends they have added, and groups they have joined.
  7. To add additional application tabs to your Facebook page- select the arrow at the far right of the tabs. From the drop down list, select the application feeds you want displayed on your tabs. The tabs are added to your Facebook page.

See on the next screen an example of registered facebook user:

 

Receiving and sending email messages via Facebook

  1. Press the button “Messages” to read messages and send messages to your friends. Messages are a way to communicate with a friend, but mind that messages posted on their wall are accessible publicly.
  2. From the Inbox menu, select Compose New Message.
  3. Enter the name of the person you want to send a message to, the subject and the message.
  4. Click the Send button.
  5. To read messages sent to you, select View Message Inbox from the Inbox menu.

More information about the Facebook features could be read via: http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-use-facebook

Exercise 15

 

þ  Try to register your own facebook account;

þ  Try to find your friends from the school

þ  Try to send a message to them.

 

6.3 PDF documents

What is a PDF Document?

There are a couple of very good reasons to use PDF Documents.

Firstly, PDF is far more secure than other types of documents such as word, html or text, all of which can be changed within a couple of seconds.

Secondly, as mentioned above, the formatting of the original document is maintained across all computer operating systems and platforms. So for example, a PDF document that has been created on an apple Mac computer can be emailed to someone using a pc and opened without looking any different on the recipient's computer. The same could not be said of a word document.

Thirdly, PDF documents are generally quite small thus making it easier when sending them via email.

What you need to read the PDF document?

In order to successfully read a PDF document all you’ll need to download and install an updated version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The versions of Adobe Acrobat can be obtained from the address: http://access.adobe.com.

Note that Adobe is constantly being updated so you should check their website to see which version is currently available.

 

Install the version of Adobe Acrobat reader

Once you have downloaded from the above website, you will need to install the downloaded programme. You can do this by simply locating the file and selecting it.

Follow the installation instructions, you can accept the options given to you by the computer, i.e., you don't need to change anything in the installation options.

When the software has been installed, reboot your computer to ensure that all system files are updated.

Accessing PDF documents

A PDF document is accessed in the same way as you would access any other type of document such as MS Word or HTML. Simply press enter on the document if it has been downloaded to your machine or if it's on a website, navigate to the link that takes you to the document and press ENTER on it.

 

Exporting PDF documents to text

You can, with some PDF documents, export the content to a text file for later editing or reading.

To do this, choose the "export to text" option from the file menu.

Note that this option will only be available if the author of the PDF document has allowed it.

 

The other option is to use the functionalities of url: http://www.pdfonline.com/ There you can convert the files from Doc to PDF or visa versa.



Printing

You can print a PDF document in the same way, as you would do with any other type of document.

Simply either choose the "print" option from the File menu
or press Control + P
or choose your printing preferences

 

 

UNIT 7 – How to use USB and how to get information through USB

7.1      USB Key (storage)

Introduction                          

A USB key (also called a memory stick or thumb drive) is an external device connected to a computer by a USB plug.                

The USB logo is represented by a kind of trident symbol:             

Universal Serial Bus: a universal serial data bus

 

There are different kinds of USB keys and different technologies as well – a growing tendency!

 

 

Dongle key:

Infrared key:  

WiFi or wireless key:
Bluetooth key:
.

Radio or TV key:  

 

 

 

 

 

Storage Key: the topic discussed below

               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
256 megabytes                                2 gigabytes                                                       8 gigabytes

 

 

7.2      How to plug in the key

Insert the male plug-in connector (the key) into the female receptacle (socket) of the computer.

Note: Do not confuse with an ethernet connector!

An ethernet socket is meant to be used for network connection using an RJ45 cable:

   

USB key                                  Ethernet socket                                              RJ45 cable

 

 

 

 

 

7.3 How to safely remove a USB key (in Windows)

Go to the USB icon in the task bar at the bottom right of the PC screen (right click with the mouse on the icon) and then click on Safely Remove Hardware

 

 

Then press Stop and click on Close.

 


 

 

 

 

UNIT 8 – E-banking and how to manage your bank account

8.1 E-banking/phone banking

 

Ever since the advent of the Internet, traditional banking has been replaced by electronic banking, also known as e-banking. For many consumers, e-banking means 24-hour access to cash through an automated teller machine (ATM). But electronic banking involves many different types of services. When you want to carry out a transaction, such as a money transfer, all you have to do is call the bank and use their phone banking service. A consultant will ask you for your credentials such as an ID number and a password to verify your identity and authorise the transfer. You can then pay bills or transfer money between accounts.

You could also be using an IVR system, where you perform operations with a touch-tone telephone or through voice recognition. Internet banking is also becoming more and more popular. It lets you handle many banking transactions via your personal computer. You can view your account balance, request transfers between accounts, and pay bills electronically. When using this form of e-banking, thanks to encryption and specialised security systems no one will access your account information as long as you store the passwords in a safe place. So, as you can see, there are many advantages to these new technologies over the traditional system. And most of all, you will never have to queue in the bank again!

 

8.2 How can I access banking servces, and pay my bills online?

Simple registration

Setting up your online account is simple. Go to your bank’s website and click on the “log in” or “register for online banking” section. Select “register” and sign up. Your bank will send you - by post - your password instructions and possibly a card reader. Your bank will send you detailed instructions when you register for online banking. These measures are entirely for your security. We’ll assume you have a card reader for the rest of the instructions.

When these have arrived, go to the website and click “register” again. When you’ve selected the fact that you have a card reader, the website will ask you to put your card into the reader and enter your PIN. Having checked this, the bank will send a code to your reader which you enter onto the screen.

After this (or variations on it), you’ll be set up to bank online. If you want to pay bills you’ll need the card reader again and the bank will verify you’re the card holder by sending a code after you’ve entered your PIN or password. Once this has happened, you will be allowed to enter your payee’s details.

Enter Your Id (Login).

 

Enter Your password.

 

The bank will be aware of the payment details for the major credit card companies - but if you want to pay just about anyone else, you’ll need their details. Payments can take a couple of days to process, although they are getting faster, and some banks have signed up to the scheme that allows them to make same-day transfers.

 

You will also be able to edit and set up standing orders and transfers between your accounts, apply for credit cards and overdrafts, and most of the other things you can do in person in a high street bank.

 

Your bank will never ask for your password, and don’t ever click through a link on an email that appears to come from your bank – it’s probably a scam. If you think it might be genuine, your bank won’t mind if you phone up and ask.

 

8.3 How do I withdraw money from ATM?

 

Insert the card the side with your name up.

 

Enter PIN number, you won’t see the numbers, there will be four star. Then push the green button.

Please choose what You want to do.

If You want withdraw money please select QUICK WITHDRAW or WITHDRAW CASH.

To do so please push the button next to your choice.

 

 

By QUICK WITHDRAW You can choose from specified amount of the money. To do so please push the button next to your choice.

By WITHDRAW CASH You can enter desired amount of the money.

To do so please enter the numbers and then to confirm push the green button.

 

 

 

In both cases QUICK WITHDRAW or WITHDRAW CASH, at the end you can see your balance on the account after withdraw (not every bank provides this service).

PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR CARD BACK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIT 9 – Safe shopping in internet (E-shopping)

9.1 How do I shop safely with my credit card online?

You can reduce your exposure to card fraud by knowing what to look for and by being cautious. It’s essential to check how trustworthy a sales site is and know how to safely pay for goods online.

 

For a card transaction, you should never be asked for your online banking password, secret number or other bank account details. No legitimate sales site will ever ask for your card’s PIN either - it's only used at cash machines and physical, point-of-sale terminals. For 'card not present' transactions, the 3 or 4 digit 'CVV2 number' (usually on the back of the card) is used instead.

Your PIN is more useful to a fraudster than your CVV2 number, as the PIN allows direct withdrawals of cash. So never divulge your PIN to anyone - not even to someone from your bank. Knowing only your card number and CVV2 should limit fraudsters to making purchases, and card services can make checks on unusual requests to deliver goods to addresses other than the registered card address.

But some clever fraudsters have succeeded in changing the registered address for a card.

So, if your statements stop arriving, this should make alarm bells ring.

Shopping sites are not allowed to store your card's CVV2 number after the transaction you supplied it for has been completed. So if you revisit a site and it lets you make new purchases without entering your card details again, be very suspicious. At the very least they're breaking the rules, and your details might get leaked if the site is attacked. You should contact them and request they delete your card details. It's much safer to re-enter them for each purchase than have them stored like this.

 

 

 

9.2 How to buy online

You are not familiar with shopping on the Internet? Here are the main steps of the online purchase as well as key points to watch.

Visit the shop online

After finding his name on a search engine or price comparison or, more simply, after entering the address into your browser, you arrive on the home page of the merchant. In general, products are classified into several categories (cameras, printers, etc..). Each site also offers most often a search engine: enter the product number to find and validate faster.

Review the data of the product

By clicking the product name, you come upon a description. You'll find a picture, a description, a sheet, the list of compatible accessories, the package contents, etc.. Pay attention to the mention of availability: it lets you know the time within which you will receive the item you order. All of which will help you verify that the product is suitable for your needs.

Order Article

With a click on the link or on the Order button, the item of your choice is slipped into your cart, or caddy. This contains the products you are considering buying. It is possible at any time to access your shopping cart (by clicking on the button with a cart) and change the content by adding or deleting an item. Check especially that the merchant has not added services and products (eg insurance) that you do not necessarily need to your order.

Confirm your order

View your cart and click Confirm your order. Unless you are already registered on the site, enter your name, your e-mail addresses, billing and shipping. Then opt for a mode of delivery (mail, parcels Kiala relay ...) and check-in cost. And select the payment method.

If paying by check, wait until you receive the confirmation e-mail the seller and send your check to the address specified by the site. If you want to pay by credit card, indicate that you have and confirm. You are returned to a safe space in which you must enter the card information: the number to sixteen digits, expiry date and the last three digits of control, or CVV2 (they are on the back of the card, on the band on which you signed).

If you are worried about piracy of your card, you can pay by e-card. Your bank then provides, on request, references a virtual card (valid only a few hours) you enter in place of those of your own card. The secure solutions like Paypal are also an alternative to the CB. You must first open a Paypal account and credit. To pay for your purchases, you just have to contact the seller (who must also have a Paypal account) an email allowing it to transfer the amount of the order to his own bank.

You must receive confirmation

With payment by credit card, the confirmation of the order is usually almost instantaneous. It can still happen at the request of his insurer, the dealer calls for proof of your identity, which may delay delivery. Within minutes after the validation, a confirmation email summarizing the command is sent to you.

Wait for preparing your package

If the product you bought is not in stock, the retailer the supplier at his command. Otherwise, he immediately prepares your package for shipment in the warehouse where all products are stored.

Monitor the transport

Most shipments are made ​​by post. Some sites will then communicate with a tracking number and a link to a topic of laposte.fr letting you know where your package. Other sites offer the ability to recover your own packages in a collection point (a store belonging to the Kiala network, for example) near your home. For orders bulky (a computer, for example), the site generally uses a private carrier.

Control at reception

Better be home during delivery. Otherwise, with the Post Office, you must go to the office the next day you depend on to get your order and with a carrier, you will have to set an appointment. Think, before signing the delivery note, to verify that the product is not damaged so as to spare you the opportunity to get a refund.

 

 

UNIT 10 – Save travelling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIT 11 – Entertainment tools (Karaoke)

11.1  How to find Karaoke songs

Do a search on Google Video­­ – for example: summertime karaoke

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.2  How to find the words (lyrics)

If you cannot find the song in karaoke mode, perform another search for the song in another window or tab with “lyrics” as a key word. Example: summertime lyrics

 

11.3  Vanbasco MIDI Karaoke

You can also use Vanbasco to listen to a song in MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) format and with the words displayed:

http://www.vanbasco.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are ready for the self-assessment quiz please go to section TEST.