Manly Computer Pals* Tutors’ Duties Manual
*COMPUTERPALS FOR SENIORS – MANLY INC
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Commonly known as Manly Computer Pals
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual 1. Manly Computer Pals Objectives. Our Club has set out its objectives in its Club’s ByLaws and Rules as follows: Aims and objectives (a) The purpose of the Club shall be to assist its members by: (i) enabling them, through mutual help and at minimum cost, to acquire and improve their computer and electronic communication skills; (ii) providing them with facilities pursuant to this aim; (iii) providing a setting for the interchange, in an atmosphere of fellowship and enjoyment, of computer and communications knowledge, skills and ideas; (iv) enabling members to keep up with developments in the use of computers so that they continue to participate in this aspect of modern life, thereby contributing to their selfconfidence and selfesteem; (v) providing regular meetings, activities and training sessions pursuant to attaining the above; (vi) striving at all times to gain and retain the approval of the local community as a worthwhile organisation contributing to the quality of life within the community.
This has also been stated as follows: Manly Computer Pals’ objective is to provide low cost computer tuition to retired persons over 55 years of age. In providing this tuition it must be recognised that the tutor will be teaching persons with a wide range of skills and abilities – some will learn more quickly than others; some may feel overawed by the jargon and the technology – the successful tutor adjusts his/her teaching to suit the individual capabilities of the student so that the student not only learns about computers but, and most importantly, enjoys the learning experience.
In other words, it is our aim to have our members thoroughly enjoy their time with the Manly Computer Pals (MCP), even at the expense of their skills with a computer!
2. Access to the MCP Computer Room 2.1. Starting the Day: Obtain key from Meals on Wheels office Return Key immediately to Meals on Wheels office after opening club room Check and, if necessary, open front and side doors of the Seniors Centre.
2.2. Finishing the Day: Shutdown each computer properly Switch off each power board located on desktop (there are 5 of them!) Switch off air conditioner — stand near air conditioner whilst using remote control and check that the window on the remote control becomes blank Ensure all windows are closed Switch off lights Lock door on leaving
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual 3. Handling Membership Subscriptions and Payments There is a printout of the list of members on the notice board. Members who are not financial cannot be tutored. It is the responsibility of the tutor to ensure their students are financial before commencing a lesson.
3.1. New members • • • •
Please read the forms that the member hands you carefully to ensure that all particulars are correctly completed Check that the cash and/or cheque is correct and print your name to confirm the fact Then complete and sign the perforated receipt —detach it and hand it to the member Place the subscription and cheque/money into an envelope (provided by Club) and place in the brown deposit box at the carpark end of the room.
Note: New members sometimes will “join up” without paying (a) their onetime entrance fee, or (b) their quarter’s subscription. We’re sorry, but they are not members even if they have put their names on the Scheduling Board. Ask them if they believe that they have paid entrance fee and first quarter’s fee. Please deal with them firmly, but politely.
3.2. Members Renewing their Subscription The procedure for handling Subscription Renewals is as follows: •
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If a member does not produce the (previously posted) Renewal Notice, have him/her complete a Renewal Form from the stock in the Computer Room. We need these Forms to check/update the member’s details e.g. postal address, email address phone number etc. We also need the amount being paid to be written on the form to ensure there are no future disputes on the payment(s) made. Please read the forms that the member hands you carefully to ensure that all particulars are correctly completed Check that the cash and/or cheque is correct. Should the member ask for a receipt please send the request to the Treasurer, who will mail a receipt to them. Place the subscription and cheque/money into an envelope (provided by Club) and place in the brown deposit box at the carpark end of the room. Money for training course manuals is to be put in an envelope with the name of the manual required, the payer and the tutor’s name: the envelope is then to be placed in the treasurer’s collection box.
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual 3.3. Lesson & training course booking procedures •
Financial members may book lessons by writing their first and second name and telephone number in pencil in any vacant space on the lesson booking form. Paid up members are allowed one lesson per week and, in addition, they may also register for any special course providing they meet the prerequisites of being fully paid up for the duration of the training course and having the appropriate training manual.
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Note: Certain courses require the students to have gained sufficient proficiency to undertake the course. Information will be given in the newsletter, Manly Mouse, from time to time about course prerequisites.
3.4. Internet connections for Club Members with laptop computers are available •
Internet connections are available via either of the two Ethernet cables to be found on the left hand side of PC1 and the right hand side of the iMac.
3.5. Member’s hardware and software •
While every care is taken, the club can take no responsibility for any loss or damage to hardware or software including, but not limited to, laptops, and cameras and software owned by club members that is used in the club’s premises.
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Members are to be reminded of this ruling.
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual 4. Tutors’ Assumed Computer Skills The skills of Manly Computer Pals tutors are varied both in breadth and in depth. For example, a tutor may have an indepth knowledge of the accounting program MYOB or a fairly basic knowledge of the spreadsheet Excel. Such breadth and depth add to the range of services the club provides to its members. But there are certain computer skills which are prerequisites before a person is appointed as a tutor. These prerequisites are:
4.1. Knowledge of the basic functions of a computer including: • •
Hardware Software – particularly the operating systems: Win XP and Win 7 are the systems on which our club offers training to students
4.2. Knowledge of the Internet including • • •
Browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox Search engines such as Google Emails, Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail etc.
4.3. Knowledge of Basic Computer operational and maintenance functions including: • • • • • •
Windows Explorer default directory structures (My Docs etc.) File and folder creation, saving, deleting and other procedures Backup and restore operations Hard disk clean up processes e.g. defragmentation Installation & removal of programs PC, email and Internet security issues, antivirus, spyware and other malware prevention
5. Specific Skill Areas In addition to tutors having the prerequisite skills listed in Section 2 it is also desirable that a tutor have other specific skills – i.e. some indepth knowledge in specific areas that this club advertises to its members. We ask all tutors to rate themselves on the Tutor Skills Matrix Sheet (see Attachments) so that students can choose a tutor with specific skills in a topic of interest to them. These areas include: • • • • • • • • •
The Internet generally Word processing Spreadsheets Data base Desktop Publishing Genealogy Photo Editing Movie making Greeting card production and so on.
Manly Computer Pals displays this Skills Matrix in the Computer Pals room so that a student can schedule their tuition with the tutor who has the skills in the area they seek.
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual 6. Teaching Skills Many of our tutors have no formal teaching qualifications and so must pick up these skills as they go along. There are obvious drawbacks to this onthejob learning, and other more formal ways include: • • • •
attending tutors’ meetings at which software programs are demonstrated teaching according training manual guidelines using the club’s laid down procedures (e.g. Skills Matrix sheet and Club Hardware/Software recommendations) Attending ASSCA courses
7. Student Skills It is essential that a student’s basic skills be assessed by the tutor upon commencing lessons. This is to ensure that all students have the required standard basics to allow further training and to save the tutor from continually backtracking. To this end, an Introductory Student Checklist is available (see Attachments) which is to be worked through and completed satisfactorily before further teaching is undertaken. The student should check the first column of boxes as and when they feel competent, and the tutor should check the summary box for each group of skills when the tutor agrees with the student’s assessment of their skills. Once completed, it is to be signed off by the tutor and retained by the club member as proof of basic computer skills attainment level.
8. General 8.1. Copyright Issues The Business Software Alliance (BSA) states on the Australian Copyright Law: "An important aspect of copyright legislation is that the wording makes it a criminal offence if a person knows or "ought reasonably to know" that software is infringing copyright”. So that Manly Computerpals keeps its clean record on copyright issues, tutors are reminded that it is illegal to: • • • • • • • •
copy software or its accompanying documentation (e.g. manuals), without the permission of the copyright owner knowingly distribute unauthorised software run a copyrighted software program on two or more computers simultaneously unless the licence agreement specifically allow this (i.e. a multiuser or site licence) make, use or distribute illegal software copies make unauthorised copies of software because a colleague or friend requests it distribute software which has been imported into Australia without permission of the copyright owner withhold knowledge that the criminal law against unauthorised software copying is being breached loan software so that a copy can be made, or to copy software while it is on loan
Other sections of the Act cover music CDs and records, videos, film, books etc. Similar laws, restrictions and penalties apply to infringements in these areas. Each and every tutor has to be aware of copyright laws and has to ensure that his or her students are also aware of copyright issues particularly regarding software programs and as the laws affect Internet downloads of copyright protected files, and duplication of protected CD’s and DVD’s.
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Manly Computer Pals Tutors’ Task Manual
ATTACHMENTS 1. Member Initial Application Form 2. Membership Renewal Form 3. Tutor Skills Matrix 4.
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Introductory Student Checklist Form
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MANLY COMPUTER PALS FOR SENIORS INTRODUCTORY STUDENT CHECKLIST
Membership Application Form
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MANLY COMPUTER PALS FOR SENIORS INTRODUCTORY STUDENT CHECKLIST
Membership Renewal Form
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MANLY COMPUTER PALS FOR SENIORS INTRODUCTORY STUDENT CHECKLIST
Tutors Skills Matrix Form
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MANLY COMPUTER PALS FOR SENIORS INTRODUCTORY STUDENT CHECKLIST DOES YOUR STUDENT: 1: Know how to switch on, and close down, the computer?
2: Understand correct use of the mouse & keyboard? Know how to change mouse properties? Understand “drag and drop”? Clearly understand left and right click functions? Understand the common names for the computer parts and peripherals?
Understand most of the keyboard features?
3: Understand the desktop? • • •
Know how to add and delete icons? Understand Control Panel? Know how to find programs for which there are no icons?
4: Understand the use of Windows Explorer? •
Know how to find files, and use "wildcards"?
5: Know how to use files and folders? Create a new folder? Rename folders? Move files from one folder to another? Save a file to a specific folder? Know how to use the ‘Libraries’ feature in Win 7? Save a file to hard disc, a USB memory key or a CD/DVD? Copy, cut and paste? Know how to delete a file Understand the recycle bin? Know how to recover a file from the recycle bin?
6: Applications Know how to find, and open, a program? Has your student been shown how to download and install programs? programs? the main features of application windows? Understand Know how to resize, shrink, and expand windows? Understand menu bar functions? Know how to use multiple open windows?
7: Security and Backup basics? Aware of the MCP Recommended Software/Hardware items list? Know the recommended minimum security and backup procedures?
8: Can your student use the word processing basics? Change font style and size? Change alignment? Set out a simple document? Correct typing using insert and/or delete? Use the spell check feature?
9: General Has your student been shown Internet basics? Have you discussed the Manly Mouse email/website version? Have you discussed their move to normal tuition? Have you given them their certificate?
NOTES FOR TUTOR : This checklist is designed to be used by both Tutor and student to check progress and ensure that the basic skills have been covered prior to the student passing to normal tuition. As you work with your student, the relevant small boxes should be checked off (this will not necessarily be sequential, but will depend on your personal teaching method). The larger boxes should only be checked when all the relevant small boxes are complete. Progress should be discussed with the student preferably after each lesson, and any necessary assignments using this form as a basic guide STUDENT NAME ………………………..………… TUTOR NAME………………………………………………………..
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