A 36-Hour Computer Course for Seniors
(Draft - 14 July 2005)
 by David B Y Tan

( dbytan@gmail.com ) 

Section I.    For the Trainer’s Information

Target Group:  Senior Citizens with little IT knowledge

Medium of Instruction: English (& Mandarin as well if necessary)

Method of Teaching: Explanation and demonstration by trainer, followed by plenty of hands-on practice by trainees with the help of tutors

Duration: 36 hours divided into 12 sessions of 3 hours each

Ratio of Instructors to Trainees: 1 trainer and 1-3 tutors to 16 trainees

Objectives:  To help trainees who are mainly senior citizens and housewives to acquire the necessary computer knowledge and skills to

·        do simple word processing,

·        surf the Net,

·        send and receive emails, greeting cards and photos,

·        create web-based photo albums,

·        create simple PowerPoint presentation of photos,

·        download songs and images

·        input Chinese characters using the Hanyu Pinyin method,

·        and More!

The Trainer should at least be equipped with the following knowledge and skills 

1.     The functions of the various components of a Personal Computer   

Hardware (硬件) : e.g. motherboard (装配板), hard disk, monitor (显示器), keyboard (键盘), mouse (鼠标), modem (数据机), etc

Software (软件) : e.g. programmes such as windows operating systems, anti-virus programmes, Microsoft PowerPoint, WordPad, Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, etc

2.      Know These Terms in English and Chinese
Microsoft (微软), Windows XP (视窗操作系统 XP), Word Processor (文字处理机), pointer/cursor (光标), hand (手), scroll up/down(卷 上/下) button (钮), menu bar (菜单台), tool bar (工具台), Start (启动), Shut Down (关闭), highlight (强调), click (单击) double click (双击), browser (浏览器) such as  Internet Explorer,  The Internet (互联网), WWW (World Wide Web) (环球网), the Desktop (桌面), Web site (网站), Web page (网页), URL (网址), Links /Hyperlinks (连接链),

3.     How to work comfortably before a computer
3.1   Use a height-adjustable chair with good back support.   
3.2   Top of monitor screen at or slightly below eye level.     
3.3   Reduce glare on the monitor screen.                          
3.4   Sit at arm’s length from the monitor.
3.5   Feet on floor or footrest.
3.6   Arms and elbows close to body.
3.7   Wrists flat and straight.                                  
3.8   Monitor and keyboard right before you.
3.9   Mouse just beside keyboard.
3.10 Take frequent short breaks.
3.11  Exercise your eyes … frequently blinking and focusing on distant objects.
3.12  Exercise both hands … frequently stretching and closing them above keyboard. 

4.     Using Windows XP – the Operating System
4.1     The mouse.
4.2     Start Windows, the Desktop, Start a Program, e.g. MS Word, Internet Explorer,  
          Maximize/Minimize/Move/Size a Window, Scroll Through a Window, Switch
          Between Windows, Close a Window, Shut Down Windows, Getting Hel
4.3     The keyboard :  alphabet keys, space key, Shift key, Enter key, numbers, Control
          key, Backspace key, arrows, etc.

4.4     Play a game, music CD, videos.  And how to adjust the volume.
4.5    Chinese Language Input Settings – How to set up and use Ch (Simplified) - QuanPin .

Note:  To get Chinese (PRC) - Chinese(Simplified) – QuanPin
(简体-全拼) if it is not ready for use, go to Control Panel and
follow the instructions given below.

1.   Click  Regional & Language Options

2.  Click  Details                                            3.   Click Add
    

4.  The Add Input Language box appears.  Click the first downarrow .

5.  The next dialogue box appears as shown below.  Find Chinese (PRC) and click it.

                                                                      
6.  Chinese (PRC) appears in the highlighted box as shown below.  Now click the down arrow
     of the next box.

7.   Find Chinese(Simplified) QuanPin and click it.
 

8.  The next dialogue box appears as shown below.  Note that you  now have Chinese
      and English input languages.  Now click Key Settings.

9.   The box appears appears as shown below.  Highlight "Switch between input languages 
       Left Alt-Shift" if it is not already highlighted.  Click OK.

10.  Now click "Language Bar Settings" and check the first option: "Show the
Language bar on the desktop".  Click OK.    Close Control Panel.

11.  By default, the input language is ENGLISH (EN) as shown below.   To change to Chinese(CH), press down left Shift and Alt keys together and let go. 

12.  EN is now changed to CH.  The movable 全拼 bar has also appeared.  You can now input Chinese.

5.     Using a Word Processing Programme – WordPad/MS Word

5.1     Start MS Word or WordPad program to create documents.
5.2     Type some documents, e.g. a short letter and a simple memo.
5.3     Edit text such as correcting spelling, grammatical and other errors, changing text  
          sizes, moving text, using of Bold, Italic and Underline features, copying and pasting
          documents, undoing and deleting text and images, etc.
5.4     Open a new document, save it or delete it
5.4      Set up Windows Chinese operating system.
5.5      Inputting Chinese words and phrases using Hanyu Pinyin (QuanPin全拼)
          method     
         (In Pinyin lessons, passages in Chinese will also have Hanyu Pinyin)

6.     The Internet

6.1     It includes:  (1) WWW (World Wide Web) --  takes you to websites all over the
         world  (2) FTP – downloading  and uploading  files  (3)  E-mail  (4) Newsgroups
         --  reading and posting messages in ongoing discussions with other surfers
6.2      How to get connected to the Internet – You need a computer, a modem, an
          Internet service provider (ISP) e.g. Singnet, StarHub, a browser e.g. Internet
          Explorer
6.3      URLs ( Uniform Resource Locator ) e.g. http://www.tembusu.org  
6.4      Title bar, Menu bar, Tool bar, Address box, etc.    Buttons:  Back, Forward, Stop,
          Refresh, Home, Favorites, History, etc.
6.5      Know how to change the default home page to a Web page you prefer, e.g. to
          Yahoo!China.
6.6      Know how to search for information using Yahoo!Singapore, Yahoo!China,
         Google, Singov, etc for information such as news, travel, photos, music, recipes,
          medicines, hospitals, schools and ministries
6.7    Able to find more Chinese and English Web sites including e-Citizens, Lianhe
         Zaobao, Channel NewsAsia, AsiaOne, Berita Harian, BBC, CNN and CCTV

7.     Emailing and Greeting Cards

7.1     Your email programme will at least have the following features:

7.2     open a web-based email account with Yahoo!
7.2     compose, send and receive emails
7.3     check for new messages, reply and delete messages, etc.
7.5     attach photos and documents
7.6     store email addresses
7.7     send and receive greeting cards

8.     Miscellaneous   Know how to

8.1    download images and songs
8.2    make your own greeting cards and email them
8.3    create your own Yahoo! PhotoAlbums
8.4    create your My Yahoo!

Section II -  Hands-On Training
(There are 12 sessions, each session lasting 3 hours.)

Session 1

1.   What is a computer?  
Types of Hardware  硬件 such as mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, casing, and  motherboard
Types of Software 软件 (programs 程序设计) such as Windows XP (operating system 操作系统 ), a word processor (such as WordPad or MS Word), Internet Explorer (a browser), PowerPoint (to make slide presentations) and Windows Media Player (to play music)

2.  The mouse, the keyboard, the monitor and their functions.

3.  Booting up and shutting down

4.  The Desktop 

·    The main programs as listed on the desktop and their movable icons;

·    The moveable taskbar usually at the bottom of the screen, which includes Start button, a clock, notification area and volume control

·    Start  programs such as WordPad, MS Word, My Documents, My Computer and Internet Explorer.  Practise using the mouse’s left button

5.  Using MS Word to input the following:

          We shall now sing the Happy Birthday Song.

          Are you ready?
          One, two, three, sing:

          Happy birthday to you,
          Happy birthday to you,
          Happy birthday  ......
          Happy birthday to you!        

        Now,save the documents in My Documents in C Drive

6.       Surfing the Net --  Using a search engine to find information

·   Click the Internet Explorer to go to the home page.  If the home page is not Yahoo!Singapore, type into the URL box: sg.yahoo.com to gain access to Yahoo!Singaore. 

·   Using Yahoo’s search engine, find e.g. photos of Guilin (桂林) .
(Type into the search engine box:  guilin and click the word: Images shown right the above the search box.)  (Another very good search engine you can use is Google.)

·   Find photos of other places of interest such as the Great Wall of China, Jiu Zhai Gou (九寨沟), Shanghai, Sentosa in Singapore, Disneyland in Japan  (Don’t forget to click the word Images right above the search box.)

·   Find (using a search engine): e.g. Hainanese chicken rice recipe, Information on Glucosamine      

Session  2

1.    Revise the previous lesson : Type the Happy Birthday song again and save it.

2.    Learn about My Computer

·    Open My Computer and locate these items:  3 ½ Floppy, ( C ), Control
Panel.  Find also My Documents.

·    Practise using Minimize, Maximize/Restore and Close buttons;  changing
window sizes; opening and closing 2 or more windows.

3.    MS Word  -  Type the lyrics. 

4.    Save the above lyrics as a file in My Documents in C Drive.

5.    Net Surfing

5.1  Search for newspapers, local and foreign, such as The Straits Times, Berita Harian, 
       Lianhe Zaobao, The Washington Post, The Star, The People's Daily and The Australian.
5.2  Government websites:  www.gov.sg , http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg
5.3  Use Yahoo! search engine to search for NDP  ( Type in: NDP+Singapore)
5.4  Use Google or Yahoo! to search for a hospital, a primary and a secondary school in
       Singapore, Bishan North e-Club, AsiaOne, ChannelNewsAsia

Session 3

1.      Internet – Search for music
1.1    Use search engine to find songs such as Happy Birthday To You, Auld Lang Syne and
         Christian Midi Hymns. 
1.2    Find websites with Chinese/Malay music.
1.3    Go to www.dbytan.com/musicplease.htm  for music in midi format      

2.      Emailing
2.1    Open a web-based e-mail account
2.2    Send  messages -- to yourself , then to your teacher/friend
2.3    Receive messages
2.4    Delete messages and empty Trash folder
2.5    Storing addresses 

Note: For more detailed lesson notes, please go to Computer Lessons in David Tan's Website: www.dbytan.com   

Session 4

1.     The Internet
1.1   Use search engine to find oldies in English and Chinese in midi format.
1.2   Open www.gov.sg    Look for Sitemap and find, e.g.
        1.2.1   the Ministry Health and Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic
        1,2,2  the Ministry of Manpower and Singapore’s Public Holidays
1.3   Open www.ecitizens.gov.sg  and apply for a SingPass.

2.     Emailing
2.1   Revision:  Send a message to someone. 
2.2   Forward a letter someone has sent to you to another friend.
2.3   Store a few email addresses.
2.3   Attach a document  and send it out.
2.3   Attach a photo and sent it out.

 Session 5

1.     Introduction to Hanyu Pinyin
1.1   Go to MS Word and practise switching languages from English (EN) to Chinese(CH) and
        vice versa.
1.2   Type in a mixture of English and Chinese.
         Examples:  How are you?   你好吗?   I am well, thank you.  我很好, 谢谢.
                          Where are you going?   你要去那里?  I’m going to Toa Payoh.  
                          我要去大巴窑. 

2.    Emailing (Cont’d)
2.1  Send and receive emails with attachments of text documents and photos.
2.2  Save email messages in My Documents.
2.3  Save attachments in My Documents.

Session 6

1.    Hanyu Pinyin (cont’d)
       Type the lyrics:

       太阳一出满天下,                taiyang yi chu mang tianxia
       村里儿童笑哈哈.                cun li ertong xiao ha ha

       来吧, 来吧, 快来吧!            lai ba lai ba kuai lai ba
       一同打猎又看花                 yitong da lie you kan hua

2.    Type the Pledge.

The Pledge

We the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.

3.    Greeting Cards   Practise sending and receiving a birthday card and a new year card.

Session 7

1.     Hanyu Pinyin (cont’d)
        Type in the poem by Li Bai

        静夜思                 jing ye si

        床前明月光           chuang qian ming yue guang

        疑是地上霜           yi shi di shang shuang

        举头望明月           ju tou wang ming yue

        低头思故乡           di tou si gu xiang

                    李白         li bai

2.      Surfing the Net
         Use a search engine, Google.com, sg.yahoo, or Baidu.com, to find scenic  photos of  
         places such as  Sentosa, Singapore Bird Park, Guilin, hangzhou and Jiuzhaigou..
         (Note: To find only images, click the link Images located right above the search
         engine’s text box.)

3.      Learn how to download some free images from the Internet and save them in My
         Pictures in My Documents
 

 Session 8

1.      Hanyu Pinyin (cont’d)

1.1    Type in the lyrics.

2.      Net Surfing

2.1    Find Butchart Gardens of Canada and save some of the photos in your My Pictures in
        My Documents.

2.2    Find other scenic spot of the world, e.g. The Niagara Falls, The Three Gorges, The
        Great Wall of China, The Blue Mountains, and save some of the photos in you’re My
        Pictures folder.

Session 9

1.      Hanyu Pinyin (cont’d)

         Type in the lyrics

2.      Net Surfing

2.1    Search for songs online.and listen to them.

Dear  X X X

Herewith the lyrics of  何日君再来.

何日君再来

好花不常开，好景不常在。

愁堆解笑眉，泪洒相思带。

今宵离别后，何日君再来？

喝完了这杯，请进点小菜。

人生难得几回醉，不欢更何待？

【白】来来来，喝完这杯再说吧。

今宵离别后，何日君再来？

Enjoy singing the oldie.

Best wishes

XXX