Notes:
Membership applications are accepted at any time.
For a membership application form, (a PDF file) Click Here.
For a course application form, Click Here or workshop application form, Click Here to download a PDF files.

New members are expected to take the Introduction to Computers course, or if they are more advanced, the Word Processing 2 Course.
Those wishing to enter at a higher level are given special consideration.

Course Length:
All courses are run as two hour weekly sessions. That is:
An eight week course is eight, two hour sessions weekly.
A four week course is four, two hour sessions weekly
Workshops are mostly one single two hour session.

Class Times:

Classes usually start at 9.00 am, 11.15 am and 1.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Saturday workshops are usually held from 10.00 am to 12 noon.

Course Materials:
Take home Course Manuals or Outlines and disks (where necessary) with exercises, are provided with each course.

Timetables and Enrolments in Courses and Workshops:
To view timetables and enrolments in courses and workshops, Click here.

Fees:

There is a fee payable for all courses and workshops:

The fee for the first course taken by a new member (usually the Introduction to Computers course) is $30 payable with the Membership Application.

Otherwise, eight week courses cost $30, four week courses cost $20 and workshops cost $5.

Detail of Courses and Workshops:
Set out below is a list of Courses and Workshops.
Further down is an explanation of the Content of Courses, with suggestions as to the order in which they could be taken.

Introduction to Computers (8 weeks) (using WORD 2003 or 2007 – separate classes)

Advanced Scrapbooking (8 weeks) (Taken after other advanced courses.)

Desktop Publishing (DTP1) (8 weeks) (using Publisher - prerequisite WP 2)

Desktop Publishing Ext (8 weeks) (using Publisher - prerequisite DTP1

Email & Internet (8 weeks) (using Outlook Express or Mail & Internet Explorer)

Excel Spreadsheets (8 weeks) (using EXCEL)

Excel Spreadsheets Ext (4 weeks) (using EXCEL)

Genealogy (4 weeks) (using Family Tree Maker)

Photo Editing 1 (4 weeks) (using Picasa and IrfanView)

Photo Editing 2 (8 weeks) (using Photo Elements)

Photo Editing 3 (8 weeks) (using Photo Elements)

PowerPoint (8 weeks) (using PowerPoint)

ProShow Gold Beginners (8 weeks)

ProShow Gold Ext (8 weeks)

Video Capture, Editing and DVD Creation (4 weeks) (using Adobe Premiere and/or Pinnacle)

Word Processing 2 (using WORD 2003 or 2007 – separate classes)

WORKSHOPS:

Two hours each, Fee: $5.00 Enrolments are required.

We usually schedule about 12 workshops per term, rotating the topics so that each one should be available several times per year. The more popular ones are timetabled more frequently.

ACCESS database

Want to make a start with a real database ?

Antivirus & Spyware Precautions

Essential !!

Backing up Files

Making sure you don’t lose important files

Burning CDs & DVDs

How to save your computer files to a CD or DVD disk (Doesn’t include making DVDs for your lounge room player.—see the four week video course.)

Buying a Computer

Want help with decisions about what to buy ?

Capturing video from video tapes or analogue video camera to your computer The first stage in making your own DVDs

Computer Maintenance

Learn how to maintain your computer software to a high standard.

Create Booklet Part 1

Stories - text and pix

Create Booklet Part 2

Class recipe book

Creating Greeting Cards (using Word)

Really personalise your cards

Digital Cameras

Learn about digital still and video cameras, what to buy, how to save your photos to your computer, how to organise them in your computer.

Hardware Development and Repair

Learn how to add or replace hardware bits for your computer.

Assemble your own computer !!

Internet Explorer v8

It is important that you should be using this latest version of Internet Explorer. Come and learn how to.

Managing your Files and Folders in Vista

Learn how to use Vista more effectively

Managing your Files and Folders in XP

Includes sending photos by email

Paint

A simple program for budding artists

Scanning

Bring your old photos; learn to scan them

Skype

Talking to friends and family using the internet

Social Networking

Learn how to use the web to keep in touch with your friends.

Speech Recognition

Want to be able to talk to your computer ?

Tired of using the keyboard ? Come and learn how to do it.

Texting with Cell Phones

Learn how to text with your cell phone.

The Vista Control Panel

Learn how to control your Vista program

Trade Me

A must for those who buy and sell !!

Transferring Audio from old Vinyl records.

We have new equipment that is easy to use and can be borrowed to use at home.

Turn your Stories into a finished book

Learn how to manipulate and reposition text, and add illustrations. Turn your family history, etc into a professional looking result using WORD or Publisher.

Using Media Player

Learn how to rip your music into your computer and make your own Playlists

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PROGRESSION OF COURSES

All new members are expected to take, or have taken, the equivalent of the Introduction to Computers Course. This brings everyone up to a basic level of skill in using their computers.

After that, members’ interests may lie in a number of areas:

If you want to gain further skills in word processing, you can go a long way by taking WP2.

If you want to learn about email and the Internet, we suggest you do the email and Internet course.

Desktop Publishing. This is a skill of wide usefulness for those that want to create documents with interesting layouts, such as Information Sheets, Calendars, Flyers, Certificates, Greeting Cards, and Newsletters. There is an Extension course for those that get hooked.

Photo Editing is a big interest of a lot of members. Learn how to use your digital camera, load your photos onto your computer and then edit them to really produce the result you want. Change that rainy day photo into a sunny one !

We suggest that members first attend the Digital Cameras workshop, then

the Photo Editing 1 and 2 courses.

Many people find it hard to organize their files, so we suggest that they take a File Management Workshop (for windows XP or Vista – separate workshops) as early as possible.

Then there are a number of other courses in which you may be interested:

Spreadsheets

PowerPoint

Family Web Sites

Genealogy

Are you interested in something that is not listed ? Check the Workshops listed above.

If still unsatisfied, write us and tell us what you want !!

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

EIGHT WEEK COURSES:

Desktop Publishing: (DTP1) (8 x 2 Hrs)

This course is based on Microsoft Publisher. Creation of Information Sheets, Calendars, Flyers, Certificates, Greeting Cards, Newsletters, etc, are covered in this course. Pre-requisite WP2.

DTP Extension: (DTP2) (8 x 2 Hrs)

This is an extension of the Desktop Publishing Course. The Course continues to develop skills in the Greeting Cards area and also introduces a great variety of other creations possible with Desktop Publishing.

eMail and Internet: (8 x 2 Hrs)

This course uses Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. It describes the Internet and the World Wide Web and how they work. You will learn about browsers and Internet Service Providers. How to use search engines to find information. You will learn how to navigate around the Web and save Web pages. Learn how to send and receive emails, attach files and organise your emails. You will also learn about viruses, security and Spam.

Pre-requisite: WP1 and preferably some knowledge of file management.

Excel Spreadsheets: (8 x 2 Hrs)

Spreadsheets using Excel: What they are and what can you use them for. You will learn how to enter and edit data and use formulas to do calculations. How to navigate around the spreadsheet and copy and paste and drag and drop data and formulas. Use your spreadsheet to create a database. Learn how to format your spreadsheets with colour, shading and borders. Pre-requisites:

Excel Spreadsheets Ext: (4 x 2 Hrs)

For those who want to do more in Excel.

Family Web Sites: (4 x 2 Hrs)

By setting up a family web site you can make contact with other relatives

you did not even know existed As they surf the web, they may find your site and thus find your email address. A family web site will also help you keep in keep in contact with those of your family who do know about it.This course shows you how to set up a free site and upload files to it. You learn how to create web files using WORD and Publisher. Some understanding of file management when you start the course would be helpful.

Pre-requisites: Some knowledge of file management.

Genealogy: (4 x 2 Hrs)

This course is an introduction to the use of computers in Genealogy. It best suits those who are just starting to work in Genealogy. A tutorial that teaches students how to use the Family Tree Maker program and a look at other programs makes course participants well able to use genealogy programs. Research using the internet and Genealogy databases on the Internet is introduced. A resource CD is provided that includes much reference material and genealogy web sites.

Pre-requisites: Some knowledge of file management preferred.

Introduction to Computers: (8 x 2 Hrs)

This is the introductory course that all new members are expected to take. It starts from the basics of use of mouse and keyboard, etc. Then using Microsoft WORD, it covers creating documents, editing text and saving and retrieving files.

Photo Editing 1 (4 x 2 Hrs)

Make a good start into Photo Editing using the free programs Picasa and IrfanView. This course will take you into basic editing, i.e.resizing, cropping, cutting, and pasting photos etc. Learn how to organise your photos in your computer and find out how to choose the best program for more advanced work.

Photo Editing 2: (8 x 2 Hrs)

Using Adobe Photo Elements. This course will take you into the more advanced techniques such as cloning, red eye removal, layers, etc.

A must for those who really want to get into it !

Photo Editing 3: (8 x 2 Hrs)

For those who really got hooked !!

PowerPoint: (4 x 2 Hrs)

With Powerpoint, you can make slide shows to show off your pictures and photos. Powerpoint is a Microsoft program that allows you to add text and sound to pictures and photographs and then show them in sequence. This is the program that is used in meetings for presentations. If you have some experience in using picture files, you should find this an interesting and not difficult course. Pre-requisites: Some knowledge of how to edit pictures would be of help.

Word Processing 2: (WP2) (8 x 2 Hrs)

Using WORD, this course covers Tabs, Numbering and bulleting, Tables, Autocorrect, Page Numbers, Headers and Footers, Inserting and formatting pictures, Text Boxes, WordArt. Pre-requisite: WP1

Video Capture, Editing and DVD Creation: (4 x 2 Hrs)

For those with digital video cameras using tape, CD, Hard Disk for Memory stick storage who wish to transfer their video to their computers, edit it and create DVD disks.