National Computing Day is being held on 3 October and aims to improve computer literacy for people from all walks of life. Free sessions are being held all over the country to help people get online for the first time, and advisors will be on hand all day to answer your questions about finding a course in your area. You can find out more about the day from the National Computing Day website, but in the meantime, here are some ideas from the NGfL to help get you started on the internet.
learndirect is one of the partners of National Computing Day and is encouraging people to visit their local centre to find out about courses on offer. The learndirect website has a database that you can search to look for the course most suitable for you.
The BBC Learning website has a lot of information that can get you learning a range of subjects. The WebWise section has a free online course that will help you learn about using the internet, and the Ask Bruce section can give you answers to general questions about computers.
freeTRAIN offers a number of free courses in computer skills, starting from the very basics. The tutorials are delivered through short movies, which require a free piece of software called Quicktime (the site contains instructions on this). Topics covered include Outlook Express, Internet Explorer and Windows 98.
This website is aimed at primary school children at Key Stage 2, but it is also suitable for people who aren't familiar with the terms relating to the internet. It is divided into six sections, covering the basics of the internet, guestbooks, web browsers, searching, researching on the internet and the Welcome to the Web challenge.
EduForum offers free tutorials and short courses, mainly aimed at teachers and the workplace, but full of useful information. There is an in-depth introduction to the internet which is useful for slightly more experienced users.
TONIC is an online course on using the internet. It provides a structured overview of topics such as searching, browsing and sending email along with step-by-step, practical guidance. It is free to use, but you must register to access the system. 1 Oct 2003 |
