Learning Guide # 15: LO 1: Start The Computer

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LEARNING GUIDE # 15
Unit of Competence: Operate Personal Computer
Module Title : Operating Personal Computer
LG Code : ICT ITS1 M06 L01 15
TTLM Code : ICT ITS1 TTLM06 0511
LO 1: Start the computer
INTRODUCTION Learning Guide # 15
This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following content
coverage and topics –
 Parts of a computer and how it works

 Starting your computer
 Shutting down your computer
This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to –
 Check peripheral device connections for correct position

 Check input voltage for the device based on the OHS standards
 Switch the power on at both the power point and computer
Learning Activities
1. Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.
2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 1” in pages 3-6.
3. Accomplish the “Self-check” in page 7.
4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 1” in pages 8-9. However, if your
rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity # 1.
5. Read the “Operation Sheet 1” and try to understand the procedures discussed.
6. If you satisfactorily performed Operation Sheet 1, proceed to “Operation Sheet 2” in pages 10-12.
However, if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to
Operation Sheet 1.
8. If you satisfactorily performed Operation Sheet 2, proceed to “Lap Test on page 13. However, if your
rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Operation Sheet 2.
9. Do the “LAP test” (if you are ready) and show your output to your teacher. Your teacher will evaluate
your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your teacher shall advice you on
additional work. But if satisfactory you can proceed to Learning Guide 15.
 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your
teacher shall advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory you can proceed to the next topic.
Information Sheet 1 Parts of Computer and how it works
Identifying the parts of a personal computer
There are many different models of personal computers. They include desktop personal
computers (PC), notebooks and laptops but they all have the same basic hardware parts:
 a keyboard
 mouse/touch pad/trackball
 monitor (screen)
 system unit.
The diagram below shows a typical set up of a personal computer.
Figure 1: The typical set up of a personal computer
Another type of personal computer is a notebook. A notebook is a compact computer that

is easily transported and can be powered by batteries.
Figure 2: Notebook computer
Next time you see a shop that sells computers you could have a look at some of the
computers, notebooks, laptops and palm pilots that are available.
How computer works
Input/output/process
The computer system needs people, data, hardware and software to operate. The process
for getting data in, processing the data and getting the information out is known as
input/process/output.
Input
Input is the data that is entered into the computer. It is entered through input devices.
Some examples of input devices are:
 mouse
 keyboard
 microphone
 scanner
 digital camera
 joy stick
 touch pad
 MP3 player
 digital video player (plays DVDs).
Using a mouse (input device)
The mouse is used to move the mouse pointer around the screen
and to perform tasks such as moving and opening folders or files. A
mouse could be attached to a computer with a cord or it may be
cordless (a remote mouse).
You see the position of the mouse on the screen by seeing a symbol. The mouse symbol
moves around the screen as you move the mouse. Depending on the task you are doing, the
mouse symbol could look like any of the following.
A mouse pointer: means you can click on an item, such as a folder icon, to
select it or move it.
A timer: means the computer is busy processing a task so you need to wait until
the computer finishes the task and the symbol changes back.
Flashing insertion point: When you click the mouse the insertion point will
flash if text can be entered or deleted.
I
I-beam: This shows you where your mouse is when it is hovering over text.
Process
Processing refers to the computer performing operations and calculations (using the data
that has been input and software). This processing of data is done by the central processing
unit (CPU) that is housed in the system unit.
Output
Output is what the computer displays as a result of processing data (eg calculations or
instructions). Some examples of output devices are:
 printers
 speakers
 monitor/screen.
Figure 3: A computer with typical input

and output devices
Examples of input/process/output
Activity Input Process Output

Preparing Type inventory to Computer checks The inventory
Inventory computer using the printer is ready report was printed
Report keyboard and sends label in the paper.
details to the
printer.
Make a Type the needed The computer runs Presentation
powerpoint information using the presentation appears on the
presentation MS powerpoint monitor
Self-Check 1 Written Test
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications- feel free to ask your teacher.
Please ask your trainer for the questionnaire for this Self-Check.
Operation Sheet 1 Starting the computer
Starting a computer running Windows XP operating system
Starting your computer is also known as booting the computer. It is important to switch
your computer on in the correct way because the computer will check the peripheral devices on
start up. Starting the computer will also start the operating system.
Figure 4: If the power switch on the system unit is off (no light), then you need to turn on the
computer parts in the correct sequence
Sequence for starting a computer
1. Check peripheral device connections.

2. Turn on power at the power outlet.
3. If the monitor has a separate switch, turn it on.
4. Switch on the printer.
5. Check to see if there is a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive if your computer has one.
Eject the disk to ensure the computer starts from the hard drive.
6. Switch on the system unit. If using a desktop PC the power switch is usually a button on
the front or side of the system unit. If using a laptop the power switch is usually at the
top of the keyboard.
7. The computer will perform a start-up routine. When the start-up routine has completed
then the operating system will start.
Logging on
The computer you are using may have been set up so that you need to log on to the
computer in order to be able to access the software and stored data, and commence using it.
This is a security feature that is often in place for computers in the workplace, school, college or
other large organisation.
When you log on you are connecting the computer with a network of other computers in
the organisation.
If you need to log on you will see a box on the screen asking you for two items of
information that you need to type in:
1. Username
2. Password.
Usernames and passwords are set (for each authorized user) by the IT Administrator for the
organisation. Your teacher or IT Department (in an organisation) will provide you with these
details.
Security conditions
Your username and password determines what information and features of the computer
and network you have access to, and this is determined by the IT security policy of the
organisation.
Therefore, it is important to note the conditions of use that apply to you when you log on
to a computer with your username and password. These conditions appear on the screen before
you are asked to enter your name and password. You must click on the OK button after you
have read the conditions. This enables you to get to the log on screen where you enter your
name and password.
Operation Sheet 2 Shutting down the computer
Shutting down a computer running Windows XP operating system
It is good practice to use the correct shut down procedure when you want to turn off your
computer so that you do not lose data. If you still have any software applications or files open
they will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Each of the applications and files must be
closed. You may get a message asking you to confirm whether files need to be saved. Make sure
you save any work you have done before you turn off the computer.
Depending on whether or not you have had to log on to start using a computer, you will
need to follow a different sequence shutting down the computer.
Logging off
If you have had to log on to the computer when you started the session, then you need to
log off when you finish your session on the computer.
Logging off means you are disconnecting the computer from the network and no one else
will be able to access the same computer unless they also have a log on (username and
password). You must log off the computer regardless of whether or not you will be turning off
the power.
If you don’t log off the computer, then you will be preventing other people from using the
same computer and being able to log on with their own name and password. In the workplace,
failure to log off will probably also mean that other people (who may be unauthorised to use
your computer) can access all the files that you have access to. This could mean a serious
breach of security in an organisation.
To log off a computer:

1. Close all files (remember to save your latest work if necessary).
2. Close all software programs.
3. Remove floppy disks or other storage media from drives if necessary.
4. Click the Start button on the taskbar (at the bottom left corner of the screen) to see the
Start menu.
5. Click on Log Off (at the bottom of the menu).
6. A message box will appear on the screen asking you to confirm that you want to log off.
Click on Log Off.
7. A final message box will appear telling you ‘It is now safe to turn off your computer.
You can now switch off the computer and the power outlet if you want to shut down the
computer.
Figure 5: Logging off in Windows XP. From the Start menu, click on the Log off button at the
bottom of the menu.
Figure 6: A box appears asking you to confirm that you want to log off. Click on the Log Off
button to confirm.
Sequence for shutting down a computer

Follow this sequence if you do not have to log off first.
1. Close all files (remember to save your latest work if necessary).
2. Close all software programs.
3. Remove floppy disks or other storage media from drives if necessary.
4. Click on Start on the taskbar. Select Turn Off computer from the Start menu.
6. Check that Turn off is selected.
7. Click on OK to confirm.
Your computer may automatically turn the power off but if not you will get a
message like ‘It is now safe to turn off your computer.’
8. Switch off the computer and the power outlet.
Lap Test Practical Demonstration
Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

Time started: ________________________ Time finished: ________________
Instructions: You are required to perform the following individually with the presence of your
teacher.
 Please ask your trainer for the instructions for this lap test.
 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If

unsatisfactory, your trainer shall advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory, you
can proceed to the next topic.
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LEARNING GUIDE # 16
LO 2: Access basic information system

 The computer desktop environment

 System tools for accessing system settings
 How to get online help
 Inset user name and password as prompted and noted access, privacy, security and related
conditions of use displayed on introductory screens
 Navigate operating system to access system information to identify system configuration and
application versions in operation
 Use on-line help functions as required
Learning Activities
Operation Sheet 1.
8. If you satisfactorily performed Operation Sheet 2, proceed to “Lap Test on page 19. However, if your
Information Sheet 1 The Computer Desktop Environment
Getting familiar with the desktop environment
Using the mouse
One of the most useful tools for working on a computer is the mouse. The mouse is used
to move a pointer or cursor around the screen, in order to select a button or icon to perform a
particular task, or to access, move or copy data. When you create your own files using
application software (like a word processor) you’ll use the mouse to help you write and edit text
or other data.
So before you start to navigate around the computer, make sure you are comfortable with
using the mouse. It may take some time and practice to get this.
Practice moving the mouse
Mouse pointer: On the screen, the mouse usually appears as a small white or black
arrow. When you move your mouse on a flat surface, the arrow will match the
movement on the screen.
To move the mouse pointer, move the mouse across the mouse pad and watch the
pointer on the screen move in the same direction. Practice moving the mouse now.
Doing tasks with the mouse
There are a variety of mice available. Apple computers have a single button, while PCs can
have either two buttons (a left and a right button) or three buttons (left, middle, right). The left
and right mouse buttons, however, are commonly used by PC operating systems.
Some common ways that you can use a mouse with two buttons include:
 Left-click: One click of the left mouse button allows you to choose something on the
screen.
 Right-click: One click of the right mouse button will often open up a shortcut menu.
 Double-click: Quickly clicking the left button twice allows you to open a selected file
or folder.
 Click-drag: Left-click on an item, such as a file icon, and keep holding the mouse
button down, then drag the item to move it to a new location. Another common
function that click-drag performs is with text. For example, when you are inside a word
document, left-click at the start of a sentence and drag to the end of the sentence to
select that sentence.
Figure 1: A mouse with two buttons and a scroll wheel
A mouse may also have the additional feature—a scroll wheel—that enables you to use
the mouse to scroll up and down a window instead of using the window’s scroll bars.
What is the desktop?
The desktop is the background screen that appears as soon as the computer has finished
starting up. The desktop is part of the operating system software, so its appearance is controlled
by system settings.
There are several useful items on the desktop including:
Icons: An icon is a small picture that may appear on your desktop. Double left-clicking
on an icon is an easy way to open a program, files or other items (such as storage
drives). Icons allow you quick access to all of these items.
Desktop windows
It is very important to become familiar with how to work with windows on the computer.
A window is an area on the screen that displays programs or information. For example, windows
are a device the operating system uses to display a list of the contents of a folder. A window can
be moved, resized, opened and closed. Many operating systems allow you to have several
windows open at any time, so you can easily move around between areas.
Windows are also used in application programs to display a document when it is open.
There are several features of windows including:
 Title bar: This is a bar that appears at the top of the window. It often includes the
name of the program or folder.
 Minimize: This option shrinks the window to its smallest size. It will now only appear
as an option on the task bar. The program is still open; left-clicking on it in the taskbar
will restore it to its regular size.
 Maximize: This options makes the window expand to its largest size.
 Close: This will close the window. If you need to save your work, a program will
usually ask you to save before closing.
 Scroll bar: This is a slider on the right-hand side of the window that allows you to move down the
contents of the window, in the same way you might have scrolled down a website page. Left-click
and drag the slider, or left-click on the down and up arrows in order to move up or down the window
contents.
Minimize Maximize Close
Figure 2: Buttons that appear in Microsoft Windows operating system windows—to minimise,
maximize and close a window. These buttons sit at the top right-hand corner of every window.
The task bar
The Task bar is a horizontal bar at the very bottom of the desktop. It shows any
applications or windows that are open. If there is more than one document open in an
application it will show the name of the application and the number of files open. It also shows
the time and short cuts for any other items open on the desktop.
The Start menu
You can left-click the Start button on the Task bar to see the Start menu. This menu
allows you to:
 access information about the computer system you are using
 access controls for changing the way that information is displayed
 access application programs that are installed on the computer.
Next we’ll look at the settings you can access in the Control Panel. The Control Panel can
be selected in the Start menu.
Figure 3: The Start menu where you can access system information and change display settings
(in the Control Panel), and open the application programs
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 System tools for accessing system settings
Accessing system information and settings
The Control Panel
The Control Panel enables you to view and change settings to things like:
 The display—screen savers, patterns, appearance, wallpapers.
 Date and time
 The system—resources that the system has available such as devices listed in the
hardware tab.
 Printers and faxes—shows printers and faxes and their settings.
There are other options that you could use once you are more confident.
The Control Panel window contains many icons that represent different controls, players
or information about the computer system. You can access any of these by double left-clicking
on an icon.
Look at Figure 4 on the next page. Find the icons for:
1 Date and time
2 Display
3 Folder options
4 Printers and Faxes.
Figure 4: The Control

Panel window where you can access information and system settings by double-clicking on the
icons
Customize the desktop
It is possible to customize your desktop, for example, to change the background pattern
and the style of the text displayed by the operating system. You do this through the Control
Panel through the Display icon.
Now, on your own computer, follow the steps below to customize the desktop on your
computer.
1 Left-click on Start on Task bar.
2 Left-click on Control Panel.
3 Double left-click on the Display icon.
The Display Properties box will appear.
Figure 5: The Display Properties box (in Windows XP)
Notice the tabs across the top of the box—these provide options for changing display properties:
 Themes
 Desktop
 Screen Saver
 Appearance
 Settings.
Click on each tab to see the different options.
Appearance
Figure 6. below shows the options under the Appearance tab.

Change the colour scheme and font size
Note: From now on the word ‘click’ refers to the left mouse button.
1 Select ‘Windows XP style’ from the Windows and Buttons option. To do this, click on the
arrow to see a drop-down menu which lists the options. Then move the mouse pointer down
the list to select the option you want.
2 Select a Colour scheme in the same
way you changed the Windows and
Buttons option. Notice how the colour
scheme changes on your desktop as
you choose different options.
3 Now change the font size, for example,
try ‘Large’.
4 Click on OK to save the changes you
have made OR click on Cancel if you
don’t want to save the changes.
Figure 6: Options under the Appearance tab
Change the date and time
Follow these steps to change the date and time on your computer clock.
1. Click on Start on the Task bar.
2. Click on Control Panel.
3. Double-click on the Date and Time icon.
The tabs here give you options for how the time and date is displayed and allow
you to set the correct time on the computer’s clock if necessary.
Check the following options are set on your computer:
4. Click on the Time Zone tab.
5. Select ‘Aus Eastern Standard Time’ from the drop-down menu.
6. Click on the Date & Time tab.
7. Click on the drop-down menu and select the correct month.
8. Use the up and down arrows to select the year.
9. Click on the date in the calendar to select the day.
10. Under the clock, use the up and down arrows to select the correct time.
11. Click on OK to save the changes you made OR click on Cancel if you don’t want to
save the changes.
Figure 7: Date and Time properties box (in Windows XP)
Check printers and faxes
Now we’ll look at how to check the settings for the printers that are connected to your
computer.
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Printers and Faxes icon.
Figure 9: Printers and Faxes options (in Windows XP)
1. Click on a printer to see the corresponding list of Printer Tasks listed to the left.
To perform any of these tasks, click on the task name in the list.
2 Right-click on the printer icon to see a drop-down menu with additional options.
(See Figure 9 below. Note you may have different printer names on your
computer.)
Figure 9: A
drop-down
menu appears when you right-click on a printer icon
Change printer preferences

Follow these steps to see the options available for your printer.
1 Right-click on a printer icon and select (with a left-click)
Printing Preferences from the drop-down list.
2 In the Preferences box, click on each of the tabs and
notice
the options that are available. You can change the
paper
size or paper orientation under the Page Setup
tab (see
Figure 10 below). Features that your printer does not have will be greyed out (faded) and you
won’t be able to use these options.
3. Click on Cancel to close the preferences box without saving any changes.
4. Click on the Close button to close the Control Panel.
Figure 10: Printer preferences box for Canon S520 printer

Open and close an application program
Follow theses steps to see what programs are installed on your computer and to open one
of the programs.
1. In the Start menu, click on All Programs to see a list of all the application
programs on the computer.
2. Move the mouse across to the list of programs and then up or down the list to the
program you want to use. Click on the name of the program to open it.
Note that if a name has a small arrow next to it, a sub-menu appears when you
click on the name. See Figure 11.
3. If your computer has Microsoft Office listed under All Programs, click on
Microsoft
Office. Then move the mouse across to the sub-menu and click on Microsoft
Office
Word.
4. The program will take a few moments to open. A new blank document will be
displayed in the Microsoft Word window.
Figure 11: Click on Microsoft Office then move the mouse across to the sub-menu and
click on Microsoft Word
Close the program
To close the program click on the Close button at the top right of the window.
Operation Sheet 2 How to get online help
Getting online help
Online help is a facility provided with most application programs and operating systems.
It gives you assistance with all of the functions and features of the product you are using. If you
are using later versions of the software you can also connect directly to the software website for
further tutorials, definitions and assistance.
Using online help in Windows XP
Follow these steps to use online help in Windows XP Professional.

1. Under the Start menu, select Help and Support.
Figure 12: Help and Support in Windows XP can be accessed under the Start menu
2. At the Help and Support Centre there are Help topics you can browse through,
or you can use the Search field to enter a keyword and find help.
Figure 13: Help and Support Centre in Windows XP

3. In the Search field, type in the word ‘printers’ and click on the green arrow.
Look at the tasks and topics in the search results. If you want to get help for any
task or topic, click on the item in the list.
4. To try another search, click inside the search box and press the Delete key on your
keyboard to delete the word ‘printers’. Then type in a new word or phrase.
To go back to the Help and Support Centre home screen, click on the Back button at
the top left-hand side of the window.
Getting online help in an application
All the popular programs also have an inbuilt help facility. This facility might include
tutorials for learning the program.
For example, there are two ways you can access the Help options in Microsoft Word:
1. Click on the Help menu to see the Help-related items, including the Microsoft
Office website. OR
2. Press the F1 key on your keyboard. This is the first ‘F’ key on the very top row of
the keyboard.
Click on some of the choices and look at the help that is available.
Get help for printing a document

You can use the Word Help to search for help topics or browse topics under the Table of
Contents.
Figure 14: Microsoft Office Word Help
To search for help to print a document:

1. Under the Help menu click on Microsoft Office Word Help OR press the F1 key
to open Help.
2. Type the word ‘printing’ in the Search for: box.
3. Click on the green arrow. The computer will search the Microsoft Help site and
provide a list of tasks and topics that might be useful. Click on any item to get the
help information.
4. Scroll down the list of items and click on any you think may be useful.
To browse for help to print a document:

1. Click on Table of Contents (directly under the Search for: box).
2. Click on Printing. A sub-list of topics for ‘printing’ appears.
3. Click on any of the topics that may be helpful.
To close the Help facility click on the Close button .

Restore
Minimise
Type a question for help
In Microsoft Word, you can also type a question for help on the main menu bar. At the top
right-hand corner of the window (on the menu bar) there is a box where you can type a question
for help.
Figure 15: In Microsoft Word you can type a question for help on the main menu bar
1. Click inside the box (where it says ‘Type a question for help’).
2. Type in your question. For example, try ‘How do I save a document?’ Look at the
items that appear in the results. Click on one that sounds most relevant to your
question.
Now try your own question.
Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

teacher.

yes
LEARNING GUIDE # 17
LO 3: Navigate and Manipulate Desktop

Environment
 Creating desktop icons

 Customizing the appearance of icons
 Arranging icons on the desktop
 Opening an application program from an icon.
 Create and customize desktop icons

 Select, open and close desktop icons to access application programs
 Manipulate application windows and return desktop to original conditions
Learning Activities
2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 1” on page 3.
Operation Sheet 1.
Operation Sheet 2.
10. If you satisfactory performed Operation Sheet 3, proceed to “Lap Test on page 14. However, if your
Information Sheet 1 Desktop Icons
Explore the desktop
A computer desktop provides you with an easy way of identifying, organising and
accessing stored data and programs on your computer.
A computer desktop can display shortcuts to get to application programs and storage
devices (such as the hard drive). You can also create your own shortcuts to places on a hard
drive or network, so that you can open particular websites or files and folders quickly.
All these shortcuts are displayed on the desktop as icons. There are different styles of
icons depending on what they represent (although later you find out how you can change an
icon graphic to suit your preference). To go to the shortcut, you double-click on the icon.
Icon for Internet Icon for accessing Icon for a shortcut to Icon for a shortcut to
Explorer. Double-click shared files on a a folder that is on the a website. Double-
this icon to open the network. Double-click computer’s hard click this icon to go to
program this icon to go to the drive. Double-click the website
network this icon to go to
open the folder
Figure 1: Different styles of icons you might find on the desktop
The desktop loads after you start up a computer that is running a windows-based
operating system like Microsoft Windows XP or Macintosh OSX.
If you are using a Microsoft Windows operating system you will see the Start button (to
get to the Start menu) on the bottom left and some desktop icons.
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 Creating Desktop Icons/shortcuts
Create desktop icons/shortcuts
Now try customising your own icons/shortcuts on your desktop. For the following
examples, the operating system Windows XP is used. We will practice two ways of creating a
desktop icon:
1. Click and drag an item from a menu.
2. Use the Create shortcut command in a window’s File menu.
Create a desktop icon to open the Control Panel
Follow these steps using your own computer.

1. Click on Start on the Task Bar.
2. Click on the menu item Control Panel but keep the mouse button held down and drag
the mouse pointer from the Control Panel to the Desktop.
3. The following icon will now be on your desktop:
You have now created a desktop item which will allow you to open the Control Panel
from the desktop instead of going through the Start menu.
Create a desktop icon to open a program
1. Click on Start on the Task Bar.

2. Click on All Programs.
3. Under All Programs, click on Accessories.
4. Under Accessories, click on Paint and drag this item to the desktop. (If you don’t
have Paint on your computer then select a different program.)
5. You should now have an icon/shortcut to the program on your desktop.
Create a desktop icon to open the DVD/CD drive
You can also place shortcuts to storage media drives on the desktop. You would do this if
you are regularly using these items.
1. Double-click on My Computer (on the desktop).
2. Click DVD/CD Drive and drag this item to the Desktop.
3. The following icon will now be on your desktop:
Create a desktop icon to open a folder
When you have a lot of folders stored on the computer, shortcuts to folders you regularly
use are very handy.
1. Double-click on My computer (on the desktop).
2. Double-click on one of the drives listed under Hard Disk Drives. You will now see a
list or group of folders that are stored on that drive.
3. Click once on one of the folders stored on the drive. The name of the folder will now
be highlighted (which means it is selected).
4. Click on the File menu at the top of the window and move down the menu and click on
Create Shortcut. (See Figure 2.)
Figure 2: Create Shortcut under the File menu
5. A new folder called ‘Shortcut to…(the name of the folder)’ appears in the window. Click
and drag this shortcut item to the desktop.
6. The following icon will now be on your desktop (but with a different folder name):
Operation Sheet 2 Customize the appearance of icons
Customize the appearance of icons
Rename an icon
You can rename any icons on the desktop such as a shortcut to a folder.
1. Right-click on the icon you want to rename so that a menu appears.
2. Move the mouse down the menu and select Rename. The name of the icon is now
highlighted (which means it is selected).
Figure 1: Right-click on an icon to rename or delete an icon
3. Use the keyboard to type the new name for the icon. The text that you type will
replace the highlighted text.
4. Press Enter on the keyboard OR click anywhere on the desktop to save the new name.
Delete a shortcut/icon
You can delete a shortcut when you no longer need it. Note that if an icon is actually the
file to open a program, and not just a shortcut to it, then you probably don’t want to delete this!
Delete the shortcut to the DVD/CD drive:
1. Right-click on the DVD/CD icon/shortcut so that a menu appears.
2. Click on Delete.
3. Click on Yes to confirm you want to delete this icon.
The desktop icon/shortcut for the DVD/CD drive will be deleted but you will still be able to
access the drive through My Computer. Only the shortcut has been deleted.
Change the picture for a shortcut/icon
You can change the picture for a shortcut/icon by selecting from a range of icons provided
by the operating system.
1. Right-click the shortcut/icon you want to change so that a menu appears.
2. Click on Properties.
3. Under the Shortcut tab, click on Change Icon. (See Figure 4.)
Figure 2: Changing the picture for an icon
4. Click on the icon picture you want then click the OK button. (See Figure 5.)
Figure 3: The globe icon is selected for My photos shortcut
Change the size of icons
You can change the size of icons and the text related to the icons.
1. Right-click on an empty area of the desktop—not on an icon. A menu appears.
2. Click on Properties. A Properties box appears.
3. In the Properties box click on the Appearance tab.
4. Click on the Advanced button.
5. Select ‘Icon’ from the Item drop-down box (See Figure 3.)
Figure 4: Changing the size of an icon (Item) and the size of the icon text (Font).
6. Change the size of all icons by clicking on the down or up arrows under Size:
(for Item:).
7. Change the size of the text related to icons by clicking on the Font size arrows.
8. Click OK to make the changes OR Cancel to return to the desktop without making
changes. If you want to make the changes, note the original settings (so that you
can return and put the sizes back to their original settings).
Arrange icons on the desktop / Open an

Operation Sheet 3
application program from an icon
Arrange icons on the desktop
When you have a lot of icons or shortcuts on the desktop you may want to organise them
according to either:
 Their name (alphabetical order)
 Their size (the amount of data that the icon points to)
 Their type (group icons for files made with the same program)
 When they were modified (group the icons according to when they were last
customised).
When you arrange the icons according to any of the above preferences they will regroup on the
desktop and be laid out in rows (if Align to Grid is also selected).
Arrange icons on the desktop
1. Right-click on an empty area of the desktop—not on an icon. A menu appears.

2. Click on Arrange Icons By, then from the sub-menu choose your preference.
(See Figure 1.)
Figure 1: Arrange Icons By sub-menu showing preferences for how icons can be arranged on
the desktop (with Align to Grid selected)
Select, open and close desktop icons to access application programs
You can now open an application program from the desktop icon.
Click on the icon/shortcut for Paint (or another program you have made a shortcut to) to
open the application.
To close this application click on the Close button at the top right of the window.
Try opening some other items on the desktop. Remember to close them when you have
finished.
Notice that any items you open, it will appear on the Task bar at the bottom of the
screen. You will need to close all of these items before you shut down the computer.
Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

teacher.

LEARNING GUIDE # 18
LO 4: Organize Basic Directory/Folder

Structure and File
 How to access directories and sub-directories

 Identifying attributes of directories
 Moving and renaming directories
 Creating directories and sub-directories
 Create and name directories and subdirectories

 Identify attributes of directories
 Move subdirectories between directories
 rename directories as required
 access directories and subdirectories via different paths
Learning Activities
4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 1” on page 10. However, if your
rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity#1.
Operation Sheet 1.
8. If you satisfactorily performed Operation Sheet 2, proceed to “Operation Sheet 3” in pages 13.
Operation Sheet 2.
Information Sheet 1 How to access directories and subdirectories
How data is typically stored on a home or office computer
Data files such as word documents can be kept on a computer for future uses such as
editing and printing. To find documents you will need to store them in an organised fashion—in
the same way you might file documents like lesson notes, bills, letters and bank statements at
home.
Just as you might use folders to organise your personal or business documents, you also
store your computer documents in folders. A folder is only a device for grouping files in the
same location, not a data file.
Folders and files can be stored on a computer’s desktop or on a storage device which
will be able to store hundreds or thousands of documents.
Folders can be created or moved so that they sit within another folder, and so on. Other
terms for describing this structure of files and folders grouped within folders are directory and
sub-directory.
You will need to decide where you want to save files. There are several types of storage
devices that may be an option for you, depending on your computer setup.
Storage devices
 Hard disk drive (HDD)
Your computer will have a hard disk drive. The hard disk drive is in the system unit.
The hard drive is where the operating system and application programs are kept. If you
are using a Microsoft Windows operating system there is also a location called My
Documents on the hard drive for storing your data files. You can also have a removable
hard disk drive which has the advantage of being able to store a large amount of data and
be transported and connected to other computers.
 Floppy disk drive (FDD)
A floppy disk is the least expensive storage media. They don’t hold a lot of data but
they are easily transportable. They can be damaged by smoke, heat, magnets and liquid.
 Memory stick/flash drive/thumb drive/pen drive/USB drive
All these terms refer to a small drive that you plug into a USB port (an input
connection on the system unit). They are small (about the size of a disposable lighter) and
can be carried easily. They hold a lot more data than a floppy disk.
 CDs (compact disk)

 CD-R: (compact disk read-only) are read-only format which means you can read the
data but you can’t write (add) data to the CD. They often have application programs or
music stored on them.
 CD-RW: (compact disk read-write) another form of CD that you can read and write to.
This means you can add or copy data to this type of CD. You will need a CD burner to
do this.
Access directories and sub-directories

Figure 1 shows a view of the directories and sub-directories (folders) that are stored on a floppy
disk.
Figure
1: When
the
Customers folder is selected in the left frame its sub-folders are listed in the right frame
In Figure 1 the 3½ Floppy (A:) drive contains three folders:

1. Customers
2. Staff
3. Warehouse.
The Customers folder has four sub-folders:

1. CD Basement
2. Gig Shop
3. MP3 to go
4. Music Beat.
Access directories on your computer

You can view folders on a drive and the contents of the folders through windows. Double-
clicking on a drive icon or a folder icon opens a window which shows you its contents.
Try this exercise:

1. Double-click on the My computer icon on the desktop.
2. Double-click on a data drive (check with your teacher or someone familiar with your
computer which drive is a data drive if you are not sure).
3. You will see a list of folders stored at the root level of the drive. Double-click on a folder to
view the contents of the folder.
4. Keep opening folders until you find files inside a folder. Note the difference between icons for
folders and files (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: One folder and three files are contained in this folder
Change the view of a folder’s contents
You can choose a different view (appearance) of the contents of a folder depending on
what is useful for you.
1. Click on the View menu of a window.
2. Select a view from the menu (Thumbnails, Icons, List, Details).
Try each of these to see the different views.
View a directory tree structure
Files and folders can be enclosed by any number of folders which creates a hierarchy or
tree structure. You can change the view of a folder window to see the directory tree structure.
This allows you to see the whole directory structure as well as the contents of any folder in one
view.
An easy way to view the directory tree is to click on the Folders button on a window
Toolbar (see the window Toolbar in Figure 2). If you can’t see the Folders button on the
Toolbar, click-drag the right edge of the window to expand the size of the window and its
Toolbar.
When you click on the Folders button the directory tree will appear in the frame on the
left. When you click on a folder its contents are listed in the right frame (see Figure 1 and
Figure 3).
Figure 3: The folder CD Basement is selected in the left frame so that its contents can be
viewed in the right frame
In the left frame you can click on the + sign next to a folder to expand the folder—this will
also show you the contents of the folder (listed in the left frame) under the folder. Click on the -
sign next to a folder to contract the folder (to hide the contents of the folder).
To change the window view back to the original view click on the Folders button again.
Access files you use regularly
There may be files that you regularly need to access, for example, to update a database
or use a document template.
In Microsoft Windows you can create shortcuts to files so that you can quickly access
them under the Favourites menu. To do this:
1. Use any of the above methods to find the file you regularly use.
2. Click on the file name to select it.
3. On the window Toolbar click on the Favourites menu.
4. Click on Add.
You can now access the file from the Favorites menu (on any window’s Toolbar) by
clicking on Favorites and selecting the file.
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 Identifying attribute of a directory
Identify attributes of directories
Attributes define the type of file or directory which could be:

 read-only
 hidden
 archive
 system.
Sometimes you will need to check the attributes of a file or folder to ensure you use it
appropriately. Or you may wish to set attributes to read-only so that data is not lost or changed
by someone.
To check or change the attributes of a file:
1. Double-click on My Computer on the desktop.
2. Double-click on a data drive and find a document file.
3. Right-click on the file you want to check.
4. Select Properties from the menu.
Figure 4: The Properties box for this file shows that the
file is Read-only.
Under the General tab of the Properties box you can

check or uncheck the boxes for read-only or hidden.
More attributes are under the Advanced button.
Click OK to save any change to the attributes and close
the Properties box.
Operation Sheet 2 Moving and renaming a directory
Move and rename directories
Move subdirectories between directories
Sometimes it is necessary to move a folder to another location or folder. Here are two
ways you can do this. (Note that you can move a file in the same ways.)
Use ‘Move To Folder’

1. In window view, click once on the folder you want to move (so that it is selected).
2. In the window’s Toolbar click on the Edit menu and select Move To Folder.
3. Select the folder you want to move the selected folder to. To do this, scroll up or down
the list to find the target folder. You may also need to expand folders to find the folder
you want. To select the target folder click on the folder name so that it is highlighted.
4. Click on the Move button.
Drag the folder to the new location
Another way to move a folder is to drag the folder to the new location:
 Click on the folder icon and keep the mouse button down as you drag the folder over the
top of the target folder. Release the mouse button when the target folder is highlighted.
OR
 Click-drag the folder into the window area of an open folder or drive window.
Copy, cut and paste files across directories
Cut, Copy and Paste are tasks you can do in all application programs and windows such
as a folder or drive window. You need to make a selection first so that you can cut or copy the
selection and then paste it in another location.
With cut, copy and paste you can remove or move a folder or a file as follows:
 Cut: Remove file from current location.
 Copy: Make a copy of the file.
 Paste: Place a copied or cut file into another location.
Try this exercise:
1. Locate a file to move to another location (such as a different folder).
2. Right-click on the file to select it.
3. Select the appropriate option: Cut or Copy.
4. Open the directory or folder where the file is to be moved.
5. Right-click anywhere in the window where you want to paste the file. Click on Paste in
the menu.
Rename directories
You can rename your folders at any time. To do this:

1. Right-click on a folder.
2. Left-click on Rename in the menu.
3. Type in the new folder name.
4. Press Enter on the keyboard to save the change.
Select, open and rename groups of files
Sometimes you may wish to select, open or rename more than one file at a time.
Select and open more than one file
1. Hold down the Control key (CTRL) and click on each file you want to select. Don’t
release the Control key until all the files are selected.
2. Right-click on one of the selected files and select Open from the menu.
To rename more than one file
1. Select the files to be renamed as you did in step 1 above.

2. Right-click on one of the selected files and select Rename from the menu.
3. Type in the new file name.
Note: Windows will give each file a number after the common file name.
Operation Sheet 3 Creating Directories and Sub-directories
Create directories and sub-directories
You can set up your own directory and sub-directories by creating new folders within a
hierarchical structure, depending on a logical or business system for organising the directory.
In our earlier example (Figures 1 and 2) the directory on the floppy disk has this
hierarchical structure:
To create a new folder:

1. Locate the directory or folder in which you want to create a new sub-directory/folder.
2. Double-click on this folder to open it.
3. In the folder window click on the File menu and select New then Folder. This creates
a new (empty) folder inside the folder you have opened.
4. Type in the name of the new folder (to replace the default text ‘New Folder’.)
To create more folders at the same level as this, keep selecting New Folder until you
have all the folders you need.
To create one or more folders inside one of the new folders, repeat the above steps.
In this way you can create a hierarchy of folders according to a hierarchical structure. The new
directory will be set up and ready to save or copy any documents into.
Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

teacher.

LO 5: Organize files for users and / or

Organization Requirements
 Deleting and restoring files

 Using the search tool to find files
 Copying files to a disk
 Erasing and formatting a disk
 Use system browser to search drives for specific files

 Access most commonly used types of files in the directories
 Select, open and rename groups of files as required
 mover files between directories
 Copy files to disks
 Restore deleted files as necessary
 Erase and format disks as necessary
Learning Activities
Operation Sheet 1.
Information Sheet 1 Deleting and restoring files

Delete and restore files
Delete files and folders
You may need to delete files or folders, for example, when you no longer need them or
when they are copied to another disk.
Here are two ways you can delete a file (a folder can be deleted in the same ways).
1. Right-click on the file you want to delete

o Right-click on a file.
o Left-click on Delete in the menu.
The file is now moved to the Recycle Bin which sits on the desktop.
2. Drag the file to the Recycle Bin

Another way to delete a file is to drag it to the Recycle Bin on the desktop:
o Click on the file and hold the mouse button down as you drag it to the Recycle
Bin.
o When the file is directly on top of the Recycle Bin the bin will be highlighted. At
this point release the mouse button and the file will be moved into the bin.
Figure 6: Icon for the Recycle Bin in Windows XP

Restore deleted files
If you have deleted files or folders but not emptied the Recycle Bin you can still get the
deleted files back. This is called restoring a file.
To do this you need to access the Recycle Bin from the desktop:
1. Double-click on the Recycle Bin to open it. Inside this window you can see the files
that have been deleted.
2. Right-click on the file you want to restore.
3. Click on Restore in the menu.
The file will be returned to the place it was previously deleted from.
Empty the Recycle Bin
Deleted files and folders stay in the Recycle Bin until you empty the bin. If you empty
the Recycle Bin anything in it will be permanently deleted (unable to be restored from the
desktop). It is a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin on a regularly basis, as deleted files take
up storage space on the computer.
To empty the Recycle Bin:

1. Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon.
2. Select Empty Recycle Bin from the menu. (If there are no files in the bin then this
option will be faded.)
The files that were previously deleted (transferred to the bin) are now permanently
deleted.
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 Using the search tools to find files
Use the search tool to find specific files
Sometimes files are saved or moved to locations that you can’t remember or just don’t
know. There may be thousands of folders in a hard drive which would be impossible to browse in
order to find a lost file.
Luckily there is search tool that is part of a computer’s operating system. This tool runs an
automatic search on a drive or within a specific directory (using keywords or the file name) to
find a file or folder.
You can open the Search Companion (the search tool in Microsoft Windows) in a number
of different ways—here are three ways to do this.
Right-click on a folder or drive icon

1. Right-click on a folder or drive icon and select Search from the menu. This will search
on the folder or drive you clicked on, eg My documents.
2. Type in either part or all of the file name OR a word or phrase contained in the
document you are searching for.
Figure 1: Microsoft Windows Search Companion

3. Click on the Search button.
4. The results of the search are listed in the window. There may be more than one result
for your search. Double-click the correct file to open it, or move the file to another
location.
Figure 2: Results of a search
Press the F3 Key

Alternatively, from the desktop press the F3 key on the top row of your keyboard. You
may need to select the specific folder or drive you want to search on.
Go through the Start menu

Another way to access the Search Companion is to click on Start and select Search from
the Start menu. Click on the Files and Folders link to go to the same search box as shown
above. You may need to select the specific folder or drive you want to search on.
Search a different directory

The search will be done on whatever folder is selected in the Look in: field. To search a
different directory, click on the arrow next to the Look in: field to get a menu of all the drives
you have access to. Scroll down to the very end of this list and select Browse. Then you can
search the directory tree to find a specific folder to search. Click on the name of the folder you
want to search and then click OK.
Advanced searches
You can do an advanced search to look for files used in the last week or month when
searching files and folders in the Search Companion box.
1. Click on More Advanced Options
2. Select the appropriate setting for your search.
3. Click on Search.
Copying files to a disk and Erasing and

Operation Sheet 2
formatting a disk
Copy files to a disk
Copying files means that you can leave the files in their current location and place copies
in another location. For example, you can copy a file from the hard disk and save it on a floppy
disk or flash drive.
Here are two ways you can do this.
 Copy and Paste a file
1. Locate the file you want to copy.

2. Right-click on the file. Click on Copy in the menu.
3. Right-click in a new location. Click on Paste in the menu.
 Drag a file from one disk to another

When you drag a file or folder from one disk or storage media (such as a hard disk)
to another (such as a flash drive), a copy of the file or folder is automatically made at the
new location.
When you do this, make sure you have the destination folder or drive in view—in a
window or on the desktop.
1. Click and hold down the mouse button on the file you want to copy.
2. Drag the file to the destination. If you drag the file on top of a closed folder and
release the mouse button then the file will be copied inside that folder.
Erase and format a floppy disk
You can format a disk if you want to erase the contents of the disk. You might want to do
this because you no longer need the data that was stored and you want to reuse the disk. You
might also want to format the disk if it has a virus.
To format a floppy disk:
1. Place a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive.
2. At the desktop double- click on My Computer to
open it.
3. Right click on 3½ Floppy (A:) drive.
4. Click on Properties in the menu.
5. Click inside the Volume Label box and

type in your name.
6. Click the checkbox for Quick Format to select
this.
7. Click on Start.
8. Click on Close when the formatting is
complete.
Figure 9: Formatting a floppy disk
Lap Test
Practical Demonstration
Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

teacher.

Unsatisfactory, your trainer shall advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory, you
yes
LEARNING GUIDE # 20
LO 6: Print Information
 Select the default printer and check printer settings

 Printer documents
 View the progress of print jobs
 Add printers if required and ensured to have correct printer settings

 Change default printer if appropriate
 Print information from an installed printer
Learning Activities
Operation Sheet 1.
Select the default printer and check printer

Information Sheet 1
settings
Select the default printer and check printer settings
Printers that you can access from your computer may be directly connected to your PC or
you may have access to printers over a network. A network printer could serve many
computers so you may not be the only person sending jobs to a printer. In this case it is
particularly useful to be able to view the progress of your print jobs as they may be sitting in a
queue waiting to be printed. You can also cancel a print job after you have sent it to the printer.
Check printers you can access
If printing over a network there may be more than one printer you can access. To check
the printers that you have access to:
1. Click on Start and then select the Control Panel.
2. Double-click on Printers and Faxes to open this item.
3. In Printers and Faxes you see the names of the computer/s that you should be able
to access.
Figure 1: Printers and Faxes (under the Control Panel) where you can see the printer/s you
have access to
Change the default printer
If you have access to more than one printer, then one of those printers will be the
default printer. This means it is automatically selected when you send a job to print. In Figure
1 you can see that the default printer has a tick next to it.
To set a printer as the default printer:
1. In the Printers and Faxes window right-click on the name or icon of the printer.
2. Select Set as Default Printer from the menu.
Figure 2: Right-click on a printer to select Set as Default Printer—to make this printer the
default
If you only have one printer available then you will not need to set a default printer.
Check printing preferences for a printer
Printing preferences include options for printing such as:

 the size of the paper you are printing to
 whether the document you are printing has a horizontal (landscape) or vertical
(portrait) layout
 whether you want to print on both sides or only one side of the paper
 how many copies of the document you want to print.
You can change these options every time you send a document to the printer but you can
also set default options so that your preferred options are the default until you change them.
To check or change the default printing preferences for your printer:

1. In the Printers and Faxes window right-click on the name or icon of the printer.
(See Figure 2)
2. Select Printing Preferences from the menu.
Figure 3: The Printing Preferences for Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
3. To change the paper size you want to print on, click on the arrow next to the box
under Page size. Select a different paper size from the popup menu.
4. To change the orientation of your document page click in the button next to either
Portrait or Landscape.
5. Click OK to save any changes or Cancel to keep the same settings.
The preferences box for a printer will have different options depending on the model of
the printer, but the basic options shown in Figure 3 should be available for all printers.
You can select more printing preferences in a program’s Print box at the time of
printing.
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 Print documents
Print documents
You can send a document to the printer from the desktop or from within the application
program that created the document.
Print one or more documents from the desktop
To print one or more documents from the desktop:

1. Open a folder that contains one or more documents.
2. Click on the name of the file you want to print.
3. To print more than one file, hold down the Control (Ctrl) Key on your keyboard and
keep clicking on files to add them to the selection.
4. When all the files are selected, right-click on one of the selected files. Select Print
from the menu.
All the files you selected will be sent to the printer.
Print a web page
To practice printing a document from within an application program, try printing a page
from a website. Your computer needs to be connected to the Internet and have a web browser
such as Internet Explorer.
1. Double-click on the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop to open the program.
(If your web browser is not on the desktop you may need to open the program from
Start then the All Programs menu.)
When the browser program is open you will see the Internet Explorer menus at the top
of the window.
2. Click on the File menu then select Print from this menu.
Figure 4: The Print command is under the File menu
3. The Print box allows you to change the printer and change the printing preferences for
the job. (Note that any changes here do not permanently override the default settings)
Figure 5: The Print box allows you to change print settings and to print from within an
application
4. When you have made any changes to the print options click on Print to send the page
to the printer or click on Cancel if you don’t want to print the page.
You can print a document from within any application program in the same way. That is:
1. Open the document you want to print (Double-click on the filename if it is not already open.)
2. Click on the File menu then select Print.
3. In the Print box check the printing preferences for your job.
4. Click on Print.
Operation Sheet 2 View the progress of print jobs
View the progress of print jobs
If a document is taking a long time to print or the printer is busy with other people’s print
jobs, you can check all the jobs that have been sent to a printer and see where your job is in the
queue.
From the queue you can also delete a print job if you decide you want to cancel it.
To view the progress of a print job:
1. Open Printers and Faxes in the Control Panel.
2. Double-click the printer icon to open the print monitor where you can see the jobs
currently in the queue for that printer.
Figure 6: Close up of a print queue
3. The print monitor lists the files that have been sent to the printer which are either in
progress or waiting to be printed. The order of files in the list is the order they will be
printed. Check the Status column (next to Document Name) to see the name of the
file that is currently printing.
Once a job has printed it will disappear from the queue.
Delete a print job
To delete a job from the print queue:

1. In the print monitor window (Figure 6) click on the name of the document you want
to delete.
2. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
3. The following box appears:
4. Click on Yes to delete the print job. Click on No if you do not want to delete it.
5. The word Deleting will appear in the Status column.
Note: If you are working over a network, you cannot usually delete the print jobs that
some else has sent (as you would not have the permission to do this).
Shortcuts to the print monitor
Note: if you are not quick enough the document may start to print before you get a
chance to delete it. So you may like to use a shortcut to access the print monitor quickly.
There may be a shortcut to the print monitor on the Task Bar of your desktop.
Otherwise, you can create a shortcut to a print monitor:
1. Open Printers and Faxes in the Control Panel.
2. Click on the printer icon you want to access. Hold down the mouse button and drag the
icon to the desktop.
3. A shortcut to the print monitor is now on the desktop.
You can double-click this icon anytime to check the print jobs sent to this printer and to
delete the jobs you have sent.

Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________
teacher.

yes
LEARNING GUIDE # 21
LO 7: Operate Application Software

 Introduction to Application Software and Word Processing

 Creating a new document
 Editing a document
 Formatting a document
 Adding tables and graphics to a document
 Creating a Mail merge
 Printing a document
 Create documents and customize basic settings to meet page layout conventions
 Format document and create tables
 Add images and use mail merge
 Select basic print settings and print documents
Learning Activities
4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Operation Sheet 1 – 6”. However, if your rating is
unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity#1.
5. Read the “Operation Sheet 1-6” consecutively and try to understand the procedures discussed.
6. If you satisfactory performed Operation Sheet 1-6, proceed to “Lap Test on page 29. However, if your
rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to respective Operation
Sheet.
Introduction to Application Software and

Information Sheet 1
Word Processor
What is Application Software?
Application software utilizes the capacities of a computer directly for a dedicated task.
Application software is able to manipulate text, numbers and graphics. It can be in the form of
software focused on a certain single task like word processing, spreadsheet or playing of audio
and video files. Here we look at the application software types along with some examples of
application software of each type.
MS WORD 2007
A word processor is an example of an application software used for the production

(including composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable
material.
Using a computer to create, edit, and print documents. Of all computer applications, word
processing is the most common.
To perform word processing, you need a computer, a special program called a word
processor, and a printer.
A word processor enables you to create a document, store it electronically on a disk,

display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and
print it on a printer.
There are a number of word processing packages (software). Among these are
WordPerfect, AmiPro, Microsoft Word 2003, 2007 and 2010 versions. Some of them run under
MS-DOS and others under MS-Windows Operating System environment.
Microsoft Word Windows Environment Restore

down
Microsoft Minimize
Office Button Title Bar Menu Bar Close
Indent Marker
Ruler
Tool Bar
View Ruler
Vertical Scroll
View button
Status bar
Zoom slider
When you start Word, you see the Application window, named Document 1-Microsoft
Word. This is a blank document window, named Document 1. Usually, the window is maximized
and fills the whole screen. When the window is maximized, three buttons namely: minimize,
restore and close buttons are displayed in the upper-right comer of the screen
 Title bar: -It is Upper bar and contains the name of application windows, document
name, different buttons like (save button, undo buttons, Redo button and etc) and control
menu like minimize, maximize/restore and close button used to control windows.
 Microsoft Office Button: - The File menu of word 2003 has been replaced with the
Microsoft Office Button. We can gate new, open, save, and etc commands on the Microsoft
office button.
 Menu bar: - Contains seven menus. Menu bare contains menus lake Home, Insert, page
layout, References, Mailings, Review and View. Each menu contains different buttons.
 Ruler: - shows you where your margins are (i.e. left margin, right margin, top margin
bottom margin, tabs and indents) and it lets you set them.
 View Ruler: - To show or hide the horizontal and vertical rulers, click View Ruler at the
top of the vertical scroll bar.
 Typing area - is the blank area in the document window where you can type your text.
 Insertion point: - Also known as the cursor shows you where the next characters you
type will appear.
 View buttons: - There are five view buttons located in the lower-Right corner of the
document window, used to change the way your document is displayed on screen. By
default, Word uses Print Layout view.
 Zoom slider: - You can zoom in to get a close-up view of your document or zoom out to
see more of the page at a reduced size. You can also save a particular zoom setting with a
document or template.
 Scroll bar: - There are two scroll bars, Vertical and Horizontal. Used to navigating inside
windows.
 Status bar: - Tells you what page you’re on, the total number of pages, and where your
insertion point is on the page. As you use Word, the status bar sometimes displays other
information as well.
Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Operation Sheet 1 Creating a new document
To Start Word 2007
First Click on Start button Click on All programClick on Microsoft office click on
Microsoft office word 2007
Or
First Click on Start buttonClick on Run Write winwordOk.
Creating New Document
Sometimes you need to create a new document when you are in the middle of typing
another one. You can create a new document even if you have not saved and closed the
document you are currently working on.
Click the Microsoft Office ButtonNew  Under Templates, you see options you can
use to create (A blank document, installed, template and etc) select one of your option
Create.
Or
Press Ctrl +N key
Entering Text
 The flashing insertion point shows you where the new character you type will appear.
 You can move the insertion point to a new location by using the four arrow keys found
on the keyboard.
 You can also point a new location with your mouse, and then click once to move the
insertion point.
Saving Document
 When you save a file, you can save it to a folder on your hard disk drive, a network
location, disk, CD, the desktop, or another storage location.
 You need to identify the target location in the Save in list.
To save Document
Click the Microsoft Office ButtonSave as  Word documenttype file name on
File name box In the Save as type list, click the file format that you want to
save the file in Save.
To save using keyboard

Press Ctrl+ S key for your keyboard
Close Document
To close your document your have to options using close command and close button form
title bar.
To close using close Command

Click the Microsoft Office Button  Close.
To close using close button

Click on Close button from title bar.
To close using keyboard

Press Alt+ F4 Key.
Operation Sheet 2 Editing a document
Editing a Document
Open an existing file/document
To open a document:
 Click the Microsoft Office Button  Open command (ctrl+O).
 In the Look in list, click the folder, drive, or Internet location that contains the file
that you want to open.
 the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file
 Select the file that you want to open Open button.
Selecting, deleting and move or copy text
Selecting Text:
 Select text means to highlight it in preparation for performing such as deleting it,
moving it, and formatting it.
 In Microsoft Office Word 2007, you can select text or items in a table by using the
mouse or the keyboard.
 You can also select text or items that are in different places.
To select any length of text using mouse and keyboard:
 Position the mouse pointer at one end of the block of text you want to select.
 Holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse toward the other end of
the block.
To select a word:
 Move the mouse pointer anywhere over the word and double-click.
 Place the insertion pointer at the beginning of the word and press Ctrl +Shift
+Left Arrow keys.
To select a line:
 Move the mouse pointer to the left of the line, the pointer changes it shape and
become a white arrow pointer then click once.
 Place the mouse pointer to the left of the line then Press Shift + Down arrow
key.
To select a sentence:
 Move the mouse pointer anywhere over the sentence then holding down the Ctrl
key click the mouse button, then release the Ctrl key.
To select a paragraph:
 Move the mouse pointer to the left of the paragraph the Double-click.
To select the entire document:

 Ctrl + A
Select text in different places:

 Select some text Hold down CTRL while you select any additional text or item in a
table that you want
Delete Text
You can delete one character at a time or delete a large block of text by selecting it first:
the remaining text shifts over to fill the vacated space, and line breaks adjust automatically
To delete text character by character:

 If the insertion point is just before the text to be deleted, press the Delete key.
The Delete key deletes the character to the right of the insertion point.
 If the insertion point is just after the text to be deleted, press the Backspace key.
The Backspace key deletes the character to the left of the insertion point.
Move and copy text

 Cut (move): text is removed from the active document and is placed in the temporary
storage known as clipboard
 Copy: copy command of Word is the same as the cut command, except original text
remains in the active document.
 Paste: The command for placing the texts that was cut or copied to a new location.
To Copy or Move a text using the copy, cut and paste tools:
To move:
 Select the text you want to move.
 Select Hone tab  Click on Cut Button then point where you want to move the
text. Then Select Home tab Click on paste Button.
To copy:
 Select the text you want to copy.
 Select Hone tab Click on Copy Button then point where you want to Copy the
text. Then
 Select Hone tab  Click on paste Button.
Find and Replace

 Word find is faster and more accurate than we humans could ever hope to be.
Sometimes you not only need to find text; you also have to replace it with some other
text.
 You can also find and replace noun or adjective forms or verb tenses.
To Find Text:
On the Home tab, in the Editing group select Find button  Type the text you
want to find in the Find what text box  Find Next button. Use this button again and
again.  Close
To Replace Text:
On the Home tab, in the Editing group select Replace button  Type the text you
want to find in the Find what text box. In the Replace with text box, type the text that
will replace the Find What text. Click on the Find Next button. To replace the word, click
the Replace button (If you don't want to replace this word, click Find Next again to find
the next matching word.)
Check spelling and grammar
Word 2007 offers improved spelling and grammar checker. The spelling checker
recognizes a much broader range of names for people, organizations and companies, cities and
countries Internet and file addresses, and more.
To correct the spelling of a word marked with a red wavy underline:
 Right-click on the word  Click on the correct spelling from the list
To fix the grammar of a word or phrase marked with a green wavy line:
 Right-click on the word  Click on the desired correction
To disable automatic spell and grammar checking in any document:

 Click the Microsoft Office Button Word Options  select proofing tab 
Clear the check boxes labeled Check Spelling as You Type and Check
Grammar as You Type.  Ok
Inserting page number

 If your document has multiple pages, you can display the page number on each page. In
most documents, page numbers appear in either the header or the footer of each page.
 Microsoft Office Word 2007 has many preformatted page number designs so that you can
quickly insert headers or footers that display the page number.
To Inserting page Number:

 Click on the Insert tab in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number
Click Top of Page or Bottom of Page, depending on where you want page
numbers to appear in your document.
Place the page number in the side margin of the page:

 Click on the Insert tab in the Header & Footer group; click Page Number
Click on Page Margins Choose a page number design from the gallery of
designs.
Formatting page number:

Click on Format page numberSelect page format and edit starting page
number.
Remove page number

Click on Remove page number.
Undo and Redo

 Word lets you undo most actions, including typing, deleting, moving and copying, and
formatting text. In addition it lets you undo multiple actions, not just your most recent
one.
 However, Word cannot undo certain actions, such as opening, saving, or printing a
document.
To undo you’re most recent action:

 Click on Undo button from Title bar.
Or
 Press Ctrl + Z key form the keyboard
To reverse all your actions back to a certain point:

 Click on Redo button from Title bar.
Or
 Press Ctrl + Y key form the keyboard
Operation Sheet 3 Formatting a document
Formatting a Document
 Formatting refers to all the techniques that enhance the appearance of your document.
 In Word, you can roughly divide formatting techniques into three categories: Character,
Paragraph, and Page formatting.
 Character formatting includes all the features that affect individual characters; and the
primary character formatting features are boldface, italic, font and font size.
 Features that fall in paragraph formatting include line spacing, indents, alignment, tabs,
and so on.
To make the text bold

 The Mini toolbar appears automatically when you select text. It also appears with
the menu when you select text and then right-click.
 Select the text that you want to make boldSelect Home tabFrom Font Group
select bold button.
To make the text bold using Font dialog box

 It is possible to change font style using Font dialog box.
 Select the text that you want to make boldSelect Home tabFrom Font Group
select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tabSelect bold form font style
box.
Show font button
To make the text Italic
 Select the text that you want to make italicSelect Home tabFrom Font Group
select Italic button.
To make the text italic using Font dialog box

 Select the text that you want to make italic Select Home tabFrom Font Group
select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tabSelect italic form font style
box.
To make the text Underline
 Select the text that you want to make italicSelect Home tabFrom Font Group
select underline button.
To make the text underline using Font dialog box

 Select the text that you want to make underline Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tabSelect underline form
font style box.
Changing text font
To change font using change font face options
 Select the text that you want to change font face Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select Show font face dropdown option choose one of them.
To change font using Font dialog box
 Select the text that you want to change font face Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tab choose one of them
form font box.
Changing text size
To change font size using change font size options
 Select the text that you want to change font size Select Home tabFrom Font
Group click on Show font size dropdown option choose one of them.
To change font size using Font dialog box
 Select the text that you want to change font size Select Home tabFrom Font
form size box.
Changing font colors
To change font color using change font color options

 Select the text that you want to change font color Select Home tabFrom Font
Group click on Show font color dropdown option choose one of them.
To change font color using Font dialog box
 Select the text that you want to change font color Select Home tabFrom Font
form font color box.
Subscript or superscript
To change subscript using subscript button
 Select the text that you want to make subscript Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select subscript button.
To change subscript using Font dialog box
 Select the text that you want to make subscript Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tab check the check box
of subscript.
To change superscript using superscript button
 Select the text that you want to make superscript Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select superscript button.
To change Superscript using Font dialog box
 Select the text that you want to make Superscript Select Home tabFrom Font
Group select Show font dialog box buttonClick on font tab check the check box
of superscript.
Changing the Case of Text
To change capitalization of a text:

 Select Home tab Click on change Case button form font group select
(UPPER CASE, lowercase, Sentence case, tOGGLE cASE, Capitalized Each
Word).
Change case
button
Creating a Drop cap

To create Drop cap
 Click in the paragraph that you want to begin with a drop capClick on Insert
tabIn the text group select Drooped or In margin.
To Remove Drop cap

 Click in the paragraph that you want to begin with a drop capClick on Insert
tabIn the text group select Drooped or In margin.
Paragraph formatting
Changing Line Spacing
To change line spacing using line spacing button
 Click in the paragraph that you want to change line spacing Click on home
tabfrom paragraph group click on Show line spacing dropdown button  select
one of them.
(Line spacing button)
To change line spacing using paragraph dialog box
 Click in the paragraph that you want to change line spacing Click on home
tabfrom paragraph group click on Show paragraph button  select one of them
from line spacing box.
Show paragraph
button
Indenting a Paragraph
To change Indent using indent box
 Select the paragraph that you want to indent Click on page layout tab ender
paragraph group click the arrows next to Indent Left or Indent Right to increase
or decrease the left indentation of the paragraph.
To change Indent using paragraph dialog box
 Click in the paragraph that you want to indent Click on home tabfrom
paragraph group click on Show paragraph button  ender paragraph group click
the arrows next to Indent Left or Indent Right to increase or decrease the left
indentation of the paragraph.
To indent first line
 Click in the paragraph that first line indent Click on home tabfrom paragraph
group click on Show paragraph button  select first line indent form special box.
Paragraph Alignment
To change paragraph alignment using alignment button
 Click in the paragraph that you want to align Click on home tabfrom paragraph
group click on align left or align right or align center or also align justify button.
Left Center Right Justify
To change paragraph alignment using paragraph dialog box
 Click in the paragraph that you want to align Click on home tabfrom paragraph
group click on Show paragraph button select alignment form alignment box.
Tab formatting
To set custom tabs:

 First sate tab stop poisons Click on home tabfrom paragraph group click on Show
paragraph button  click on Tabs button  Select tab stops position and select
leader and alignment ok.
To delete a custom tab:

 To delete single tab stop position; (Click on home tabfrom paragraph group click
on Show paragraph buttonclick on Tabs button Select tab stop position and use
clear button)
 To delete all tab stop position; (Click on home tabfrom paragraph group click on
Show paragraph buttonclick on Tabs button  clear all)
Bullet and numbering list
To create a numbered list automatically:
 Type 1, followed by a dot and a space  Type the text for the first item and press
Enter. And use Enter to continue. (To Stop press Enter twice)
To create a numbered list using numbering button
 Click on home tab from paragraph group select number format form numbering
button Type the text for the first item and press Enter. And use Enter to continue.
(Numbering button)
To create a bulleted list:

 Type (*) followed by a dot and a space  Type the text for the first item and press
Enter. And use Enter to continue. (To Stop press Enter twice)
To create a bulleted list using bullet button
 Click on home tab from paragraph group select bullet format form bullet button
Type the text for the first item and press Enter. And use Enter to continue.
If you want to change the numbers to bullets (or vice versa):
 Select the entire list  Click on the Bullets or Numbering button from home tab on
the paragraph group.
Border and shading
To add border
 Select the picture, table, or text that you want to apply a border select Page
Layout tabform the Page Background group select page boarders buttonclick on
border tabfrom style select Line Style and select line Color form Color box  Ok
To remove border
 Select the picture, table or text that you want to remove border select Page Layout
tabform the Page Background group select page boarders buttonclick on border
tabclick on none box Ok
To add shading
 Select table or text that you want to shading select Page Layout tabform the
Page Background group select page boarders buttonclick on shading tabselect
shading color Ok
To remove shading
 Select table or text that you want to remove shading select Page Layout tabform
the Page Background group select page boarders buttonclick on shading
tabselect no color Ok
Page formatting
Page border
To add page border
 Select Page Layout tabform the Page Background group select page boarders
buttonclick on page boarder tab specify the Type of border you Want from
Apply to specify in which page you the border apply Ok
To remove page border
 select Page Layout tabform the Page Background group select page boarders
buttonclick on page boarder tabclick on none box Ok.
Header and footer

To create header and footer:
 Select Insert tab in the Header & Footer group, click Header or Footer button
Click the header or footer design that you want.
To remove header and footer:
 Select Insert tab in the Header & Footer group, click Header or Footer button
Click on remove header and remove footer button.
Changing Page Margins
To insert page margins
 Select Page Layout tab in the Page Setup group click on page setup button
Click on Margins tab  Type a new setting (or use the Up and Down arrows next the
text box) Ok.
To change Orientation
 Select Page Layout tab in the Page Setup group from orientation button select
preterit or landscape.
Column
To create Column
 Place the insertion point where you want the page to break Select Page Layout
tab in the Page Setup group from Columns button select more column
buttonEnter number of columns in the Number of Columns text box. If you want to
insert line between columns, mark the Line Between check box select applied
location form apply to boxOk
Page break
To create page break
 Place the insertion point where you want the page to break Select Insert tab in
the Pages group click on Page break button.
Or
 Place the insertion point where you want the page to break and Press Ctrl + Enter
key.
To remove page break
 Place the insertion point on the break in Normal view Press the Delete key
Operation Sheet 4 Adding a table and graphic to a document

To insert table
 Click where you want to insert a table On the Insert tab, in the Tables group click
Table and then click Insert Table commandinsert number of columns and Rows.
Selecting Parts of a table
To select a cell:
 Point at the left side within the cell Click once.
To select group of cells:
 Click in the first cell of the group pressing the Shift key, click the last cell of
the group and release the Shift key.
To select a row:
 Point at the left side of the row outside the table  Click once.
To select a column:
 Point just above the column you want to select Click once.
To select multiple contiguous rows/columns:
 Select the first row or column pressing the Shift key select the last row or
column.
To insert a new row at the bottom of the table:
 If you want to insert a row at the bottom of the table, just click in the last cell of
the table (the lower-right cell) and press the Tab or Enter key.
To insert a new row in the middle of the table:
 Select the row where you want to insert the new one Click on Table tools tab,
Click layout tab, Under Row & column click on Insert Above or Below
button.
To insert a new column in the middle of the table:
 Select the column where you want to insert the new one Click on Table tools
tab, Click layout tab, Under Row & column group click on Insert Left or
Right button.
To delete a Row or Column:
 First select the Row or Column  Click on Table tools tab, Click layout
tabUnder Row & column group click on Delete Row or Column button.
To delete an entire Table:
 Select the entire table  Click on Table tools tab, Click layout tabUnder
Row & column group click on Delete table button.
Merging Cells:
 Select the Cells to merge Click on Table tools tab, Click layout tabUnder
Merge group click on Merge cells button.
Adding Graphics to a Document
Add an AutoShape
To insert auto shape
 Select area you want to insert auto shape On the Insert tab in the Illustrations
group click on Shapes Click the shape that you want, and then drag to place the
shape.
(Auto shape button)
To resize auto shape:
 Select the drawingto resize the drawing, drag one of its selection handles when it
changes to double arrows.
To move auto shape:
 Select the drawing to move the drawing, drag the mouse when the mouse pointer
changes to four black arrows.
To add text on auto shape:
 Select the drawingRight-click on the auto shape select add text options.
Insert a picture
To insert picture using Clip art
 On the Insert tab in the Illustrations group, click on Clip Art buttonIn the Clip
Art task pane, in the Search for text box, type a word or phrase that describes the
clip art that you want, or type in all or some of the file name of the clip art.
To narrow your search, do one or both of the following:

 To limit the search results to a specific collection of clip art, in the Search in box,
click the arrow and select the collection you want to search.
 To limit the search results to clip art, click the arrow in the Results should be box
and select the check box next to Clip Art.
 In the Clip Art task pane, you can also search for photographs, movies, and
sounds. To include any of those media types, select the check boxes next to them.
 Click Go.
 In the list of results, click the clip art to insert it.
To insert picture using Clip art
 Click where you want to insert the picture click On the Insert tab in the
Illustrations group, click Picture. Locate the picture that you want to
insertDouble-click the picture that you want to insert.
To resize picture:
 Select the pictureto resize the picture, drag one of its selection handles when it
To move auto shape:
 Select the picture to move the picture, drag the mouse when the mouse pointer
WordArt
To insert WordArt
 On the Insert tab click on the Text group then click WordArt button and then
click the WordArt style that you want Type your text in the Text boxOk.
WordArt button
To resize WordArt
 Select the WordArtto resize the WordArt, drag one of its selection handles when it
To move WordArt
 Select the WordArt to move the WordArt, drag the mouse when the mouse pointer
Operation Sheet 5 Creating Mail Merge
Mail Merge
To create the mail merge

1. Write your main document and save it and close it.
2. Open new document and create your data source using tables then save the table and
close it.
3. Open your main document and click on mailings tab;
4. Open your data source; form mailings tab; form select recipients button click on use
existing list button.
Use existing list
button
5. Insert your fields using insert merged field Button from Mailings tab under write &
Insert fields group.
 Insert you’re filed one by one.
(Insert Merge Field Button)
6. View your merged data using preview Results Button form Mailings tab under Preview
Results button.
(Preview Results)
7. View the user data using next and previous button form Mailings tab under preview
results group.
Firs Previou Next Last
8. Edit personal data using Edit personal documents button form mailings tab under finish
& merge button under finish group.
Edit personal
documents
9. Finally save the Edit personal documents.

Operation Sheet 6 Printing a document
To print a document
 Make sure that a printer was attached to your computer or to the network.
 Make sure also that the driver for that printer was already installed in your
computer.
To print:
 Click on Ctrl + P or click on the Office button then click Print
 After that, a print window will pop-up

Here are the basic things you should know when printing a document:
If you have many printer installed in your computer, choose the printer you want to use
here.
Print all pages
Print the current page

displayed on your
screen
Print specific page/s only

Ex. 1-4 – prints pages 1-4
1,3-4 – prints page 1
and 3 to 4
1,5 – prints pages 1 & 5
Indicates the number of

copies to be printed
When you’re done, click OK button to print the document..

Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________
teacher.


Learning Guide # 15: LO 1: Start The Computer

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Learning Guide # 15: LO 1: Start The Computer

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LO 1: Start the computer

INTRODUCTION Learning Guide # 15

 Parts of a computer and how it works

 Check peripheral device connections for correct position

Information Sheet 1 Parts of Computer and how it works

Identifying the parts of a personal computer

Another type of personal computer is a notebook. A notebook is a compact computer that

Figure 2: Notebook computer

Using a mouse (input device)

Figure 3: A computer with typical input

Activity Input Process Output

Self-Check 1 Written Test

Starting a computer running Windows XP operating system

Sequence for starting a computer

1. Check peripheral device connections.

Shutting down a computer running Windows XP operating system

To log off a computer:

Sequence for shutting down a computer

6. Check that Turn off is selected.

Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If

LO 2: Access basic information system

 The computer desktop environment

Getting familiar with the desktop environment

Using the mouse

Practice moving the mouse

Doing tasks with the mouse

What is the desktop?

Minimize Maximize Close

The task bar

The Start menu

Operation Sheet 1 System tools for accessing system settings

Accessing system information and settings

The Control Panel

Figure 4: The Control

Customize the desktop

Figure 5: The Display Properties box (in Windows XP)

Figure 6. below shows the options under the Appearance tab.

Figure 6: Options under the Appearance tab

Change the date and time

Figure 7: Date and Time properties box (in Windows XP)

Check printers and faxes

Figure 9: Printers and Faxes options (in Windows XP)

Change printer preferences

Figure 10: Printer preferences box for Canon S520 printer

Close the program

Getting online help

Using online help in Windows XP

Follow these steps to use online help in Windows XP Professional.

Figure 13: Help and Support Centre in Windows XP

Getting online help in an application

Get help for printing a document

To search for help to print a document:

To browse for help to print a document:

To close the Help facility click on the Close button .

Type a question for help

Lap Test Practical Demonstration

Name: _____________________________ Date: ________________

 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If

LO 3: Navigate and Manipulate Desktop

INTRODUCTION Learning Guide # 17

Name: _____________ Date:

Name: _____________ Date:

Name: _____________ Date:

Name: _____________ Date: