Mark Rastin

IT Help, Support and Training

Course

Specification

Course Code:

20.02

Course Subject:

ECDL Module 2

Course Title:

Using the Computer and Managing Files

Aims:

Student shall be able to demonstrate knowledge and competence in using the common functions of a personal computer and its operating system.

Introduction:

On completion of the course, the student shall be able to adjust main settings, use the built-in help features, deal with a non-responding application, operate effectively within the desktop environment and work with desktop icons and windows, manage and organise files and directories/folders, and know how to duplicate, move and delete files and directories/folders and compress and extract files. In addition the student shall also understand what a computer virus is and be able to use virus-scanning software and  demonstrate the ability to use simple editing tools and print management facilities available within the operating system.

Objectives

The learner will be able to:

Assessment Criteria

The learner has achieved this objective because he/she can:

1. Control the Computer Environment

1. Start the computer.
   Shut down the computer using an appropriate routine.
   Restart the computer using an appropriate routine.
   Shut down a non-responding application.

2. View the computer’s basic system information: operating system and version number, installed RAM (random access memory).
   Change the computer’s desktop configuration: date & time2, volume settings, desktop display options (colour settings, screen pixel resolution, screen saver options).
   Set, change keyboard language.
   Format removable disk media: diskette, Zip disk.
   Install, uninstall a software application.
   Use keyboard print screen facility and paste contents into a document.
   Use available Help functions.

3. Launch a text editing application. Open, create a file.
   Save the file to a location on a drive.
   Close the text editing application.

2. Operate the Desktop

1. Recognize common desktop icons such as those representing: files, directories/folders, applications, printers, recycle bin/wastebasket.
   Select and move desktop icons.
   Open a file, directory/folder, application from the desktop.
   Create a desktop shortcut icon, desktop menu alias.

2. Identify the different parts of a window: title bar, menu bar, toolbar, status bar, scroll bar.
   Collapse, expand, resize, move, close a window.
   Switch between open windows.

3. Manage Files

1. Understand how an operating system shows drives, folders, files in a hierarchical structure.
   Know that the devices used by an operating system to store files and folders are the hard disk, diskette, CD-ROM, network drives.

2. Navigate to a file, folder on a drive.
   Create a directory/folder and a further subdirectory/ sub-folder.
   Open a window to display directory/folder name, size, location on drive.

3. Recognize common file types: word processing files, spreadsheet files, database files, presentation files, image files, audio files, video files, compressed files, temporary files.
   Count the number of files, files of a particular type, in a folder (including any files in subfolders).
   Change file status: read-only/locked, read-write.
   Sort files by name, size, type, date modified.
   Understand the importance of maintaining correct file extensions when re-naming files.
   Re-name files, directories/folders.

4. Select a file, directory/folder individually or as a group of adjacent, non-adjacent files, directories/folders.
   Duplicate files, directories/folders between directories/folders and between drives.
   Move files, directories/folders between directories/folders and drives.
   Understand why making a ‘backup’ copy of files to a removable storage device is important.

5. Delete files, directories/folders to the recycle bin/wastebasket.
   Restore files, directories/folders from the recycle bin/wastebasket.
   Empty the recycle bin/wastebasket.

6. Use the Find tool to locate a file, directory/folder.
   Search for files by content, date modified, date created, size, wildcards.
   View list of recently used files.

7. Understand what file compression means.
   Compress files in a folder on a drive.
   Extract compressed files from a location on a drive.

4. Understand Viruses

1. Know what a virus is and what the effects of a virus might be.
   Understand some of the ways a virus can be transmitted onto a computer.
   Understand the advantages of a virus-scanning application.
   Understand what ‘disinfecting’ files means.

2. Use a virus scanning application to scan specific drives, folders, files.
   Understand why virus-scanning software needs to be updated regularly.

5. Manage Printing

1. Change the default printer from an installed printer list.
   Install a new printer on the computer.

2. Print a document from a text editing application.
   View a print job’s progress using a desktop print manager.
   Pause, re-start, delete a print job using a desktop print manager.