Making Connections

ICT Computer Training in the Angus Glens

The Making Connections project was been in existence for six years and had raised ICT skills in rural businesses within the Angus Glens communities.

The project offered owners of small and medium size businesses along with their staff the opportunity to learn how to use their computer efficiently, in a familiar environment, with familiar faces around them and at a time and pace that suits themselves.  Most important was that the training was free of charge. 

The Making Connections project, funded by the European Social Fund and managed by Community Learning & Development,  came to the end of its funding in November 2007, and, sadly, has now come to a close, and these classes are no longer available through CL&D. 

However, all is not lost.  Tutorial notes for some of the classes (listed below) remain available, and can be downloaded from the website. 

_{^{Grateful thanks to Jo Brown, formerly of the Getting Started Project, for having compiled the Tutorial Notes for several of these courses.}}

COURSES FORMERLY ON OFFER

The courses below have been designed as far as possible to utilise applications most commonly found within today's work environment.  Where applications are not available in the work place, they are available on Community Hall  and Public Access computers. 

All courses are tailored to each class or individual.  Below you can click on the links to read, download or print our general courses.

Photoshop Elements (6-7 weeks)
Before joining this course it is advised that students complete the Digital Camera and Scanning course.  This course comprises of organizing, tagging and editing photographs.  At the end of the course students make their personal photographs into a slideshow and make a VCD.  This can then be viewed on a television screen using a DVD player.

Basic (5 weeks)
The course is for beginners and is designed to introduce computers and their components.  It deals with the introduction to Windows XP, MS Word Processing and Excel Spreadsheets enabling participants to continue on to one of the other classes.
Download Tutorial Notes

Basic+ (5 weeks)
The course follows on from the Basic course and is designed to give participant more hands-on experience and build on the skills gained in the Basic course.  MS Word Processing and Windows XP are used for this course.
Download Tutorial Notes

Internet & E-mail (3 weeks)
The e-mail course covers basic sending of electronic mail to the more advanced features of the programme such as using the address book, attaching files, forwarding files and file organisation.

The Internet part of this course uses Microsoft Internet Explorer and explains how to use the Browser and Search Engines.
Download Tutorial Notes

DTP (4 weeks)
This course introduces participants to the basics of publishing greetings cards, business cards, calanders, posters and for the more advanced newsletters.  It is hoped by the end of this course participants will have the confidence to create some of their own publicity and marketing material.  MS Publisher is used for this course.

Digital Camera/Scanning (4 weeks)
The Digital Camera and scanning course covers, basic introduction to digital cameras.  This includes capturing photographs with Windows XP and scanners, saving, filing, making a presentation, optimizing file size for emailing/web and a saving to CD.  Windows XP and Photoshop Elements are use on this course.

Website Design/Authoring (7 weeks)
This course covers all the required aspects of creating a website.  From basic design concepts, creating images, optimising their file sizes and importing and assembling them in a web authoring programme.  It also includes the uploading and servicing of a site.  At the end of this course the participant should have an excellent grounding in web authoring to build on.  It should be noted that a reasonable level of computer literacy is required for this course.

Introduction to Power Point (3 weeks)
Microsoft PowerPoint is a powerful tool to create professional looking presentations and slide shows. PowerPoint allows you to construct presentations from scratch or by using the easy to use wizard.  The course includes:  Introduction into Microsoft PowerPoint; Starting Up Microsoft PowerPoint; Creating a Presentation; Opening an existing Presentation; Creating a Blank Presentation; Different PowerPoint Views; Slide Manipulation; Slide Animation; Slide Transitions; View Slide Show; Navigating While in Slideshow; Pack up a presentation for use on another computer. Download Tutorial Notes

Introduction to Database (5 weeks)
This course will use Microsoft Access.  Access is a computerised database program that enables you to store manipulate, manage and retrieve data.  An Access database can be used to store information, just as in a directory.  If you keep a database of your customers in Access you can sort by Post code, print a list of all the customers who haven’t ordered from you in the last six months, and create an order entry form you can use to process phone orders.  You can manage and manipulate data for a variety of purposes.
Download Tutorial Notes

Introduction to Spreadsheets (5 weeks)
This course will use Microsoft Excel.  Excel is an excellent tool for keeping track of data and crunching numbers.  With excel you can set up a budget or create an invoice.  You can use excel as a database program.  You can perform any kind of mathematical calculation, from the simplest to the most complex, and organise data so that it becomes meaningful and useful.
Download Tutorial Notes

_{^{Grateful thanks to Jo Brown, formerly of the Getting Started Project, for having compiled the Tutorial Notes for several of these courses.}}