Entry level of working with a computer. Getting started with a computer - basic skills

Facebook

Greetings, dear readers.

If you opened your browser and found this article, you have already taken a big step towards new knowledge and skills. Today I will talk about what computer literacy courses you can take to quickly master the basics of working with technology and the most necessary programs.

This material will be useful for older people and all novice personal computer (PC) users. Let's talk about different training formats and consider several online services. At the end of the article there will be addresses and telephone numbers of “live” free courses for older people in large cities of Russia.

There are several options for learning how to use a computer from scratch. Let's consider each of them, highlighting the pros and cons.

Gaining knowledge online on special sites

On online learning platforms, lesson plans are built on various topics, tests and assignments can be provided to test knowledge, and there is also support and answers to questions in the comments to the materials. The main advantages of this approach:

you plan your own time for studying;
you can return to the information you have covered at any time and refresh it in your memory;
You can take only relevant lessons; it is not at all necessary to go through the entire training program from beginning to end.

Now about the disadvantages of the method. Studying online requires discipline and internal motivation. There is no teacher who grades and forces you to carefully study the topic. Even with well-established and fairly quick responses to comments, it can be difficult to get a detailed answer to your question.

It is also difficult to master anything beyond the given lesson. That is, the site simply may not have the information you need.

In general, this option is quite convenient if you find a good website where the material is presented simply and clearly, and feedback is provided promptly. Below I will talk about several successful projects.

Studying courses in a group or individually with a teacher

In many cities you can find private schools that teach beginners how to use a computer. You need to come and sign up for a group or individual lessons with a teacher. The advantages of this method of learning:

the presence of a teacher does not allow you to relax, you have to work at full strength;
the mentor answers all questions, helps when difficulties arise, all this happens quickly, there is no need to wait for an answer for several hours or days, as is the case with online resources;
Studying in a group additionally stimulates the acquisition of knowledge and skills, helps to cope with shyness and indecisiveness.

The main disadvantage of such lessons is the need to allocate time and adapt to the schedule of the training center. But for older people this is even a plus. You can take a walk, meet fellow students and communicate, which is also important at an older age. Another drawback is that it is often a paid basis, but there are social projects with free training for pensioners. I'll tell you about them a little later.

You can also learn how to use a computer for free if you ask a friend to become a teacher. It is often difficult for older people to find a common language with their grandchildren and children: it is difficult for them to learn, and teachers and students lack patience. But you can find a good mentor among friends of your grandchildren or children.

Books

A good book can replace online learning and even a teacher. Advantages of this method:

availability at any time;
information is always at hand in a convenient format, you can pick up a textbook and immediately apply your knowledge at the computer;
you can make notes, bookmarks, take the book with you for a walk, to the clinic, the subway, to the beach;
a fairly detailed discussion of what online courses may lack.

The disadvantages include the need for discipline and a great desire to learn, as well as the cost of books. Good benefits don't come cheap. Try asking your acquaintances and friends, perhaps they have such a textbook, and you can study with it for free. Another option is to ask your children or friends to give you a good allowance.

I like the books in the “For Dummies” series. They are written in clear language and explain all the actions in detail with examples. This series contains the following textbooks on the basics of computer literacy:

a guide to working with the latest version of the most common operating system today, “Windows 10 for dummies”,
“Internet for dummies”,
“PC for dummies” and “Computer for dummies”,
“Laptops for pensioners.”

If you are used to learning from books, then this method will help you master the computer.

“The ABCs of the Internet” – a textbook for pensioners

The resource “AzbukaInterneta.rf” was created by PJSC Rostelecom together with the Pension Fund of Russia specifically for training older people, but training can be completed at any age, there are no restrictions on free acquisition of knowledge. The website provides online lessons, and you can also download a textbook and study without access to the Internet.

The course covers 14 topics:

Computer structure in simple terms.
Working with files and folders in the Windows operating system.
Word text editor for beginners.
Basics of working with a browser, accessing the Internet.
Searching for information on the Internet.
Internet safety.
Creating and using email.
Registration and receipt of information on the State Services website “gosuslugi.ru”. Websites of Armenian authorities.
Websites of Russian federal bodies. Social online services in Armenia.
Working with the web resource of the Russian Pension Fund.
Useful services and online shopping.
Social media.
Installing and using Skype.
Search for work on the Internet.

In my opinion, this is one of the most successful free courses, which teaches you how to use a computer for everyday tasks from the very beginning and without unnecessary information. To start studying the materials, go to the website “Azbukainterneta.rf” and click on the “Start classes” button.

If you are new to using a computer, start with the very first lesson. At any time, you can open the section that is relevant to you and go through the material on it. To do this, click on the “Watch lesson” button.

The information is presented in text form with screenshots. At the end of the material on the topic there are test questions to consolidate the knowledge gained. To return to section selection, click on the arrow in the browser window.

Another option is to use the menu on the left. To do this, you need to go to the site header.

You can download the textbook to your device at any time to view the information at a convenient time and print it if necessary.

The only drawback of the “ABC of the Internet” project that I saw was the obsolescence of information. In particular, work with Windows 7 is considered, but now Windows 10 is the most common one. Their interface is significantly different.

“Neumeka” – a course for mastering computer programs

“Computer for Beginners”, including the basics of working with Windows.
“Working on a Computer” helps you understand the structure of the device and basic terms, as well as operating system settings at a basic level.
“Training in computer programs” includes the basics of the most popular programs: Word, Excel, Paint.
“Internet for Beginners” is needed to master working with a browser, popular social networks, and Skype. The author also paid attention to modern slang on the Internet.
"Email". This block discusses working with such popular email clients as Mail.ru, Gmail, Yandex.Mail.
“Master class” allows you to study services and programs and work with information on the network in more depth.

This course is designed for the path from a beginner to an advanced user; it is more in-depth compared to the “ABC of the Internet”. After mastering it, you can find and start earning money while at home. But there are no topics related to government services and online shopping.

To start training, go to the website “neumeka.ru”. There are 3 tabs at the top of the screen:

“Computer from scratch” – this includes the first 3 blocks of lessons described above.
“Internet training” – all the information on working with programs and services on the Internet is collected here.
“Lesson Archive” is a complete list of materials.

I feel comfortable looking at the topics in this last section. Go to it and click on the title of the lesson we want to learn. Example in the screenshot.

When you have read the information and want to return to the list of lessons, click on the arrow in the browser window.

The Windows lessons contain screenshots and explanations of the latest version of the program, the materials are constantly updated, and the author keeps in touch with his students through comments. The site “neumeka.ru” can be a good assistant in mastering the computer and many popular programs and services.

Other online materials for beginners

Greetings, dear blog visitors. Dmitry Smirnov, author of this blog, is in touch with you as always. In this article I want to tell you about how to learn a computer, actually how to learn to work on a computer and what you need for this!

With the beginning of the 21st century, people have become much more active in using various types of technology. Most devices are extremely easy for a person to master, but as for computers, this is another more complex issue. Children master new computers and gadgets the fastest, and this happens because they don’t fool themselves for a long time by reading various literature. Kids want to touch and press everything in practice, and in the course of such explorations they learn what and how to do. Adults take this issue more seriously; they are afraid to experiment in order to avoid equipment breakdowns and other unpleasant moments. Every adult, and especially an elderly person, wants to learn how to learn to work on a computer quickly and, most importantly, without financial investment. By the way, in the last article I wrote about

The process of learning computer literacy at first glance seems very difficult; older people consider this an unattainable goal for themselves. Opening the manual for this technical device, everyone immediately begins to get scared by the complex and incomprehensible terminology, but it turns out that it is not so scary.

If you examine in detail the supporting literature in the form of an application manual, you will realize that names and terms that are incomprehensible to humans indicate a part of a computer or software. If some term is not clear in the instructions, you can always find a step-by-step guide with detailed explanations in the form of pictures.

When a person has understood the instructions, turned on the computer, he needs to learn how to work on it - type texts, launch various programs, work on the Internet and engage in both creating and storing multimedia files.

A beginner will be able to see the first hints directly on the monitor. Many icons and pictograms, due to their appearance, give a person a specific hint, an exact indication of what is hidden behind them. For example, if an image of a note is viewed in a small picture, a person will guess that he is dealing with a music player, and not with the settings menu. The same settings can be displayed on the wrench icon. This story repeats itself with almost every program on the desktop.

When a person starting to work with a computer has intuitively figured out what is hidden behind which image, it’s time to check it in practice. Here the question arises of how to do this, because with so many buttons you won’t always understand which one you need to press.

The keyboard is a good thing, but in this case it is necessary to do without its participation. That's what a computer mouse is for. To direct the cursor - the arrow - to the desired object, you need to scroll the small wheel located on the mouse between two buttons. By moving the cursor to the object that needs to be opened, you can immediately see on the monitor the name of the object or text indicating its purpose.

In order to open the desired object, you need to double-click on the mouse button located on the right side. After opening the program, many stop there, not knowing how to work with it. But it's actually not that difficult. Almost every program or game has a step-by-step explanation of how to use it.

The main condition for quickly mastering the nuances of computer literacy is to perform all actions independently without outside help. Having learned to work with software, many cannot master printing skills for a very long time. At the beginning it is difficult to even find a letter on the keyboard. To learn this quickly, you don’t need to read any literature or ask anyone.

In order to learn to type, there are online simulators that stimulate a person’s observation skills and are able to concentrate his attention on a specific object or symbol. This is done very quickly and a person, without noticing it, very quickly gets used to the keyboard layout, even despite it he knows where everything is. This way you can easily type with both hands.

Nowadays, there are many online training courses, but in most cases they are all paid. In order not to spend money on training from the Internet, you can download special applications absolutely free. Thanks to such small, simple programs, you can quickly learn to work with relevant software, presentations, text documents and discover other exciting possibilities of the computer mechanism.

Thinking about how to learn to work on a computer, you can come to the conclusion that this is quickly done with the help of screenshots - screenshots of the same computer, which show what and how to do. A person sees a screenshot of the screen and the actions taking place on it, thanks to this he focuses on his computer and tries to do the same. If there is a reason to be afraid that your own actions will not be remembered, you can take a screenshot yourself - this is done by pressing a special button on the keyboard.

Working on a computer only at first glance seems complicated and incomprehensible, but in fact everything is extremely simple and you can get used to it very quickly. The main thing in the learning process is the availability of daily practical exercises, because without them, even the most understandable courses and programs will not be able to help anyone.

The younger generation masters computer technology very quickly thanks to their courage and willingness to experiment - this is exactly what older people lack and becomes a mechanism that slows them down.

Drawing conclusions on the topic of how to learn to work on a computer, we can say the following - rapid learning depends on a person’s assertiveness and his readiness for new experiments. In life, everything almost always seems difficult and unattainable, but when you soberly assess the situation and get closer to the problem, it will turn out to be a funny little thing. It’s the same with a computer - don’t be intimidated by complex terms and a large number of unfamiliar programs; if you open them all one by one and try to work in a couple of days, you can become a computer pro.

Now you know how to learn a computer!

Tips and training materials for those who want to learn a computer from scratch on their own.

Navigation

The 21st century is the century of computer technology. It is difficult to imagine a type of activity that would not require a person to have at least minimal knowledge of a desktop computer and the ability to use a standard set of programs. Even in those areas where previously all work was done only manually and on paper, the main requirement for an employee is the ability to use computer technology.

The current situation can cause a lot of inconvenience to people who have never been lucky enough to encounter anything more technologically advanced than a typewriter. It can be especially difficult for pensioners and people of the older generation, who will be forced to independently learn the basics of computer literacy from scratch, so as not to lose their favorite job.

If you belong to a group of people who do not have basic computer skills and do not have the opportunity to sign up for special training seminars, then do not worry ahead of time. With desire, persistence and some time, you can quickly learn how to operate a computer at the user level. In our article we will tell you how this can be done, where to start and provide you with a set of resources and materials for self-study.

Basic beginner rule

Before moving on to training, you should understand the main rule, the essence of which is that a computer cannot be mastered solely in theory. Even if you re-read a lot of literature and watch a large number of training videos, without practice you still will not achieve the desired result.
Therefore, in order to gain the necessary knowledge, you need to interact with the computer throughout the entire learning process. To do this, you will need to turn it on daily and practice the materials you read or watch. Don't be upset if you don't understand anything at first. Once the learning process begins, this feeling will soon leave you and you will begin to experiment and explore new capabilities and functions of the computer on your own.
At the initial stage, it is recommended to resort to tips from a person who has computer knowledge at the advanced user level. Ask your acquaintances, friends or relatives for help, so that during the process of mastering your PC, they can give you a hint if something doesn’t work out for you. If there are no such people, then training videos can replace them.

What programs and Internet resources should I master on a laptop computer first?

1 . If you have absolutely no computer skills, then the first thing you need to learn is how to turn the computer on and off. If in most cases it is enough to turn on the power button on the case, then to turn off the computer and shut down its work correctly, you need to master the operating system interface and the main menu “ Start" If you turn it off with the power button, it won’t last long.

2 . At the next stage, you will need to master the basics of working with the operating system. Namely, to understand how to open folders, files, launch standard applications like a text editor " Notebook"or graphic editor" Paint" Also, in the process of studying the operating system, you can explore the menu “ Start" And " Control Panel" It is not recommended to change any parameters there, but studying their sections and reading about the settings will be extremely useful.

3 . After mastering the principles of the operating system, you can move on to studying the browser through which you access the Internet. This application is extremely simple and after mastering it, you will be able to visit various sites and take the information you need from them.
As soon as you understand the browser interface, immediately bother studying search engines such as " Yandex" And " Google" Mastering them will help you find the necessary information, both for further training and for other purposes.
After mastering search engines, you should understand the principle of operation of email hosting " Yandex», « Mail.ru », « Gmail” and create a mailbox for yourself on one of them, which will be useful for you both for communicating and exchanging files with your friends, and for registering on various sites and Internet services.

4 . After minimal mastery of the Internet and search engines, you should take care of the security of your computer. First, beware of sites with suspicious content. Advertising sites and sites with adult materials may contain malicious software (viruses) that silently penetrate the user's computer and disrupt its operation. Read about antivirus programs on the Internet, select, download and install one of them on your computer.
5 . The list of basics can be continued endlessly, but mastering the programs and Internet resources described above will help you independently find tutorials on the necessary programs, operating system settings and other computer capabilities.

How to independently learn to work on a computer: training program, self-instruction manual for working on a computer for beginners and retirees

Of course, the information presented above is only an introduction and a set of recommendations for learning computers for beginners. In order to start learning the basics of a computer, you need to get a training manual, where everything is laid out step by step and illustrated.
In educational literature stores and in some computer stores you can find printed versions of tutorials on mastering a computer from scratch. However, on the Internet there are a lot of free, high-quality and understandable tutorials that provide computer literacy lessons with illustrations.

We have taken the liberty of selecting several good self-teaching sites for you. Ask your friends to print out a few initial lessons from these sites for you on paper and start mastering the computer.

prosto-ponyatno.ru– a computer literacy tutorial for beginners with illustrations, which describes in detail computer terminology, the structure of a computer and operating system, the process of working with its interface and mastering the Internet. It is recommended to start learning with this resource.
computerhom.ru– another good tutorial on mastering a computer and popular programs. More suitable for those who have already mastered the browser and know how to navigate websites.
Computer Academy is a channel on the popular video hosting YouTube, where you can find many educational videos on mastering computers and mobile gadgets. This resource is suitable for those who have already mastered the Internet and search engines.

If your work on a computer involves typing large volumes of text, we recommend that you pay attention to the program " Keyboard solo" This utility is a good trainer for increasing your typing speed and an excellent tutorial for mastering touch typing (without looking at the keyboard). The program offers about a hundred tasks of varying difficulty levels. Having completed all of them, you will become a real printing guru.

VIDEO: Computer from scratch. Everything about the computer in 1 hour

On this page, all the lessons on the site are arranged exactly in the order in which we recommend taking them. Unfortunately, at the moment there are gaps in the list of lessons that will definitely be filled. Topics that already have articles on them are links (highlighted in blue with underlining) - follow them and learn! The list does not include news and some articles (for example, on solving computer problems) because They are not useful for training, however, you will receive them if you subscribe to the newsletter.

You can freely write your wishes in the comments, this is most welcome. The proposed topics are included in the plan of articles.

Let's create the best free step-by-step training system together!

Target: create a list of articles on the website, studying which in a certain order, you will feel free when working at the computer.

Important! If you can write an expert article on any of these topics, write to us, articles are paid.

Course: Computer User - Basic Level

What is a netbook
What is an ultrabook
What is a tablet
What is a tablet phone
USB port: what is it and what can be connected through it
How to turn on the computer, what happens at this moment
What is a driver? What is a graphical operating system shell
Computer desktop.
Mouse, cursor, how to use the mouse.
What is a shortcut, file, program, folder.
Basic file types. What is an extension
What is a hard drive and how does it work ( On publication)
Computer hard drive, partitions.
Keyboard. How to work with her. Create a text file.
Start menu, what's in it
What is sleep mode and when to use it
What is standby mode and when to use it
Install the program. The main stages of installing any program. Where it will appear, how to find where it is installed, how to find it in the Start menu.
We are working with the program. Standard program elements: settings, drop-down menu, quick access panel.
Create a shortcut. All ways.
How to view the characteristics of your computer.
Computer screen. Resolution, settings, change the desktop theme.
How to install a device driver. Where to download the driver if it is not installed automatically. ( In progress)
Computer startup. How to disable a program from startup. How to disable autoloading in the program itself. ( In progress)
What is an archive? Working with the archiver program
How to open a video on a computer
How to open an e-book (.pdf .djvu .pdf) ( In progress)
How to open a presentation
How to open a document (.doc, .docx, .fb2)
How to find out what video card I have
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) - what is it?
What is BIOS and what is it for?
How to open.pdf
How to open.mkv
How to open.djvu
On-screen keyboard - what is it and what is it for?
How to change the language on your computer
Windows 10 Hotkeys
How to increase font size on computer

Course: Computer Security

How to set a password on Windows
How to come up with a complex password
How to protect your Google account
What is antivirus
What is a firewall
How to block pop-ups
How to Make File Extensions Visible in Windows
How to protect yourself on the Internet using the WOT extension
Review of Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Course: Computer programs

Punto Switcher
Alarm clock on computer
Program for creating videos from photos

Course: Google Services

Course: Computer User: Intermediate Level

How to create a virtual machine (virtual computer)
How to transfer old photos to computer
How to put a password on a folder
How to clean the Windows registry
How to enter BIOS
How to format a hard drive
How to defragment a hard drive.

Course: Laptop and Netbook User

What is the difference between a laptop and a netbook?
How to choose a laptop
Features of working with a laptop and netbook
Laptop, netbook device
Laptop and netbook keyboard - operating features
How to extend battery life
What to do if your laptop (netbook) gets hot
Computer stands: cooling and not so much.
How to enable WiFi on a laptop

Course: Computer and near-computer devices

is more than an ordinary household appliance. A computer is capable of storing and processing a huge amount of information, which allows it to perform many different tasks. Getting started with a computer begins with turning it on and opens up enormous possibilities that you can realize with its help.

Computers differ in their execution, but once you have prepared it for it, all actions are reduced to pressing one button.

Turning on the computer

Attention! If you have a personal computer, make sure that all devices are properly connected to each other and that the power cord is connected to a working electrical outlet.

To turn on your PC or laptop you need to press the power button « Power." Its location on different computers may differ, but its designation is always the same.

Starting your computer for the first time may take longer than subsequent startups. This is due to loading the initial parameters of the operating system. During this time, the image on the monitor may turn off (flash) several times. You may need to take additional steps to select your time zone or language. All subsequent computer startups will be much faster, the average time is 30-50 seconds.

On modern operating systems, during the first boot you will be asked to create an account, so that during subsequent launches you will be able to log in through identification (entering your login and password). This is required in order to secure the data on your PC.

Interaction with a computer

Your interaction with the computer is carried out using keyboards And mice, or trackpad on laptops. To work with a computer, it is very important to learn how to use these devices. In fact, there is nothing difficult there, and you will get the hang of it in a couple of evenings. A wired keyboard and mouse are usually located on the table, in front of the monitor. The position of the mouse and the purpose of the buttons can be changed for left or right hand. But, you can buy a wireless keyboard and mouse that you can control your computer from your couch.

The mouse is designed to control pointer on the screen and performing actions through buttons. Whenever you move your mouse on your desk, the pointer moves on your virtual desktop screen. When working at a computer, most often you need to hover the mouse cursor over a document (file) and press the left or right mouse button (depending on the specific action).

On laptops, you can connect an external mouse, like on a PC, or you can use touchpad located below the keyboard. It is more convenient to work with an external mouse, but you can do the job just fine without it. Simply move your finger across the touchpad and the cursor will move on the screen. Depending on the laptop model, the trackpad can be with or without buttons. But regardless of this, a brief touch on the touchpad simulates a mouse click.

The keyboard allows you to enter letters, numbers, and symbols into the computer. Text cannot be entered everywhere, but only in special fields, editors, tables, file and folder names, and so on.

Please note that in order to enter text you need to move the mouse cursor to the desired place and click the left mouse button. A vertical line will appear at this location, which is also called the cursor or insertion point.

Basics of working with a computer

After loading the operating system, the desktop opens. This is a virtual space that is represented by a background, shortcuts, menus and other interaction elements. From here you can access your computer's programs and settings.

The desktop icons are called « Icons» and are used for quick access to files and programs on the computer. Program icons are represented by their logo, and file icons usually look like the file types they correspond to. To open a file or run a program using an icon, move the mouse cursor over it and make a quick double-click with the left mouse button.

Depending on your computer manufacturer and system, your desktop may look different. But this should not confuse you, since the principles of working with a computer will be similar.

The menu, accessible from the desktop, provides access to programs and settings of the operating system.

There is also a context-sensitive menu, which is called up with the right mouse button and its contents change depending on where the mouse cursor is when clicked. This menu contains special commands and hotkey combinations.

When you open a program or folder, it will open in its own window. Each window is a separate space and has its own menu and buttons that relate to this program. But all windows have the same window controls (Collapse, Maximize, Close). You can rearrange windowsA on the desktop and switch between them.

These are just the basic computer skills that will get you started today. Next, you need to study in order to understand how the software works and how you can competently organize your work at the computer.