Teach Your Students Basic Computer Skills
Lessons
- Basic Computer Terminology
- Using a Mouse
- The Task Bar
- The Start Menu (Windows 2000)
- The Start Menu (Windows XP)
- Creating Shortcuts
- Alternate Menus
- Cut, Copy and Paste
Below you will see a list of lessons currently available. Simply click on the lesson you want, and you'll be presented with a brief introduction and the link to download the lesson document. Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher will be required to view the content. You may download the free Acrobat Reader now. If you have any questions or comments on any of the lessons, please e-mail pomeroy@ky.gov.
If you have questions or concerns about these lessons, please e-mail pomeroy@ky.gov.
Basic Computer Terminology
To understand more about computers, you need to know some of the standard terminology that is used. This lesson will allow you to:
- Better understand what your application documents are saying
- Operate your computer and applications more effectively
- Communicate better with your technical support personnel
Go through the terms in the document below a couple of times to ensure you have the basic understanding of these terms, then print the document and keep it handy for quick reference. As you go through the lessons, you'll understand more on how these terms are used.
Download Basic Computer Terms Lesson (20K PDF)
Using a Mouse
This lesson will cover the basic Mouse functions you will use on a daily basis. Understanding these basic functions will increase your ability to work in the computer environment.
All advanced uses of the Mouse are derived from these simple functions, so mastering this lesson will help you understand the other more advanced uses easier.
Using a Mouse Lesson (192K PDF)
The Task Bar
The Task Bar serves a couple of different functions. It's divided into different sections, each with its own specific purpose. We will cover the different sections in this lesson.
The Task Bar Lesson (92K PDF)
The Start Menu (Windows 2000)
In this lesson, you will learn the functions of the Windows Start Menu and the different ways for starting programs. We'll show examples from Windows 2000, but if you are still using a Windows 9x or ME product, most of this will apply to you as well.
The Windows XP Start Menu is covered below.
The Start Menu is the gateway to the Windows operating system. Everything from starting programs to configuring your printer, to customizing the look and feel of your computer environment, is accessed through the Start Menu.
The Start Menu (Windows 2000) Lesson (996K PDF)
The Start Menu (Windows XP)
In this lesson, you will learn the functions of the Windows Start Menu and the different ways for starting programs. We'll show you examples from Windows XP.
The Start Menu is the gateway to the Windows operating system. Everything from starting programs to configuring your printer, to customizing the look and feel of your computer environment, is accessed through the Start Menu.
The Start Menu (Windows XP) Lesson (803K PDF)
Creating Shortcuts
This lesson will explain what a shortcut is and how to create them.
Creating Shortcuts Lesson (194K PDF)
Alternate Menus
In this lesson, we are going to talk about the Alternate Menus and what they are used for. Since there are many different options to the menu, as well as different types of menus, we will cover the basic functions you will use the most in your day-to-day computer activities.
Alternate Menus Lesson (348K PDF)
Cut, Copy and Paste
Cut, Copy and Paste are features used in most of your applications, as well as in the Alternate Menus. Understanding these functions will increase your productivity by allowing you to manage your files and document contents with greater skill.
Cut, Copy and Paste Lesson (1.2MB PDF)