APP 110 Business Computer Fundamentals
Week 1 Assignment
Week 1 Assignment - Preparing Your Computer for Online Class
Learning Objectives Covered
LO 02.01 - Create an efficient and effective file management system
Career Relevancy
Today, the professional world is run primarily on computers. Whether you work in an office setting with a desktop computer or out in the field with a mobile device, being proficient with managing and organizing your digital files and electronic resources will be a necessary skill that will serve you well. With computers, there is little need to have physical documents and files readily available as much of what used to have to be carried around in the past (such as reference documents, manuals, etc.) are now accessible electronically through a computer or mobile device. However, with so many digital files, documents, and resources that you may need to utilize for your work, being able to use a computer's file management system and tools to organize and access those files has become a critical skill in today's computer-driven business world.
Background
alt="To efficiently participate and engage fully in an online class, you first must have the right equipment and the right software. For example, much of the work in an online class cannot be completed using a smartphone. The university has already given you a tablet-style computer for you to complete your classwork and communicate with your instructor.
Please watch this video on File Management (8:15) before beginning the assignment.
Understand computer files and folders.
Review how to create folders and develop a file organization system for school files.
Identify the best locations in your computer's file system to organize your files.
The goal of this project is to help you to prepare your new computer to efficiently engage and participate in the online class by completing the following 3-part project. Through this assignment, you will:
Set-up Office 365.
Office 365 contains the programs that you will need to complete future class work and to be a productive computer user. These programs include Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. You will set-up Office on your computer so you can begin using it to complete your course assignments.
Discover how to use the Snipping Tool to create screenshots.
Often in online class assignments, you will be asked to demonstrate that you have accomplished a task on your computer. For example, in this project, you will demonstrate that you have successfully installed Office 365, installed Google Chrome, and set up a file management structure with a screenshot. In order to do this, you will use the Snipping Tool to take screenshots and save them to your computer. You will then submit those screenshots to the online course for credit.
Prepare a File Management strategy for school.
File management is critical for online students. Being organized and maintaining a suitable file structure for your course documents will pay off in a variety of ways for you as a student. You will start by setting up a basic File Structure which you will use to organize and store all of your course-related documents and files.
Set-up Office 365
The first step in this assignment is to prepare your computer with the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Doing so will allow you access to the full version of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel which will be used throughout the remaining 3 weeks of this course as well as throughout the rest of your degree program. A couple of important notes for you:
Your tablet already has the mobile and local (full) version of Office installed. While the mobile versions of the Office software may suffice for some assignments, you will also need the full version of the Office 365 applications.
Web version vs. Local version. Since you have access to Office 365, one of the key features is the ability to access and use the online “web version” of the applications. This means you can go to any computer with an internet connection (even one without Office installed) and access your Office 365 applications right in your web browser. You may notice that these web versions of the applications contain the same limited features and functionality as the “mobile version” that came preinstalled on your tablet. When you install the Office software to your tablet, you installed the full “local version” of the applications. We use the term “local” to indicate that the software is installed on your local computer. You will see the terms web and local users to describe things accessible on the web, or on your computer without using the web.
You have access to the Office 365 software in your online Office 365 account (you should have received an email to your university email account containing the product key you will need to use to access the full version of Office 365). You will notice that the applications are titled “Word 2016” “Excel 2016” and “PowerPoint 2016” in tiles on the desktop screen of your tablet. The 2016 versions are the full versions of the Office 365 applications that are installed on your computer.
To begin, locate the Word 2016 tile or title on the alphabetical list of available apps on your desktop (going through the Excel 2016 or PowerPoint 2016 will also provide you the same access to Office 365).
Desktop Tiles Screen.PNG
After you open Word 2016, you will be notified by a prompt screen that you are unable to connect and that you can “Enter a product key instead”. Click on this option and enter the product key code that was supplied to you via email from the school.
Word Product Key Entry.png
Now that you’ve entered your product key, you will be presented with the option to browse through and open documents. Click on the “Blank document” choice located on the top left corner of your document options:
Word Document Choices.PNG
You will then be prompted to enter your email address on the “Sign in” pop up screen. Enter your school issued email address into the blank text field and press “Next”.
Word Sign In Screen.png
To conclude the sign in process, you will enter your password that is associated with your school issued email address and select “Sign in” to access the Office 365 applications.
Word Password Entry.png
Congratulations, assuming no error occurred during the access process, you now have the suite of Office applications ready to use. You will need these programs in the coming weeks of the course and future courses.
Furthermore, you have also successfully prepared your computer so you can properly use it to participate in the online learning experience, complete assigned tasks, and make the most out of your educational experience here at your school.
Deliverables for Part 1:
There is nothing to turn in for part 1 of this assignment. You will turn in a screenshot for parts 2 and 3 of this assignment.
Part 2: Taking Screenshots with the Snipping Tool
A screenshot is a digital image file of what is currently shown on your computer screen. Much the same as if you used your camera to take a picture of your computer screen. Snipping tools allow you to capture your screen by pressing Shift+Command+4. This will allow you to take a picture of your screen without the need for a camera!
For Windows Users
If you are using Windows, the recommended method for taking a screenshot is with the Snipping Tool.SnippingTool.png
The Snipping Tool is a program that comes preinstalled with Windows. With the Snipping tool, you can take a screenshot of your entire screen, just a window or application showing on the screen, or you can use your finger or mouse to draw a rectangle that you want to capture. Drawing a rectangle is the default method when using this tool and will be the most common method you will use to capture just what you need to prove you complete the assignment correctly.
Animation of how to Draw a Rectangle
Click-n-Drag-Animation.gif
NOTE: You will notice that when drawing a rectangle, with your mouse or finger, you are not drawing the entire rectangle (meaning the top, right, bottom and left). Instead, you will start by pressing on one corner of where you want to begin the capture and drag your mouse or finger to the opposite corner of the area you want to capture.
To take a screenshot using the Snipping Tool, you will perform the following steps.
Click on your start menu or press the Windows key on your table or keyboard.
Search for “Snipping Tool” and click the icon to open the program.
APP110 Assignment 1 Snip it.png
In the Snipping Tool window that opens, click on the “New” button. You will notice your computer screen will fade. A faded screen means you are ready to capture the screenshot.
APP110 Assignment 1 Snip it 2.png
Use your finger or mouse cursor and press or left-click and hold on the top left corner of the area you want to capture and begin dragging to the bottom right corner.APP110 Assignment 1 Snip it 3.png
Release your finger or mouse button to finish the capture. You will see that your screenshot will appear in the Snipping Tool window.
APP110 Assignment 1 Snip it 4.png
You now need to save this image; you have two options.
Save the image as an Image file on your computer. Click File > Save As… and then save the image to your documents.
Make sure to use a consistent naming convention that clearly differentiates each file using your last name_week_course_and assignment name. Something like “APP110_last name_week1_assignment_folder_screenshot”, or “APP110_last name_week1_assignment_MS_download_screenshot”
Deliverables for Part 2:
Open the start menu and select Microsoft Word.
When the application loads, click or tap to create a Blank Document.
Confirm "References" and "Mailings" tabs are showing in your ribbon.
Click or tap in the document text area (large white box) and type your first name, last name and today's date.
Take a screenshot of the Word tabs and the text box with your name and date, making sure to include the top portion of the window. See the example submission below; this is what your part 2 screenshot should look like.
Save the image as an Image file on your computer. Click File > Save As… and then save the image to your documents.
Make sure to use a consistent naming convention that clearly differentiates each file using your last name_week_course_and assignment name. Something like “APP110_last name_week1_assignment_folder_screenshot”, or “APP110_last name_week1_assignment_MS_download_screenshot”
Example Submission:
APP110 Assignment 1 Snip it 5.png
Part 3: Preparing For File Management
Your computer utilizes files and folders to store just about anything. Images, documents, settings, programs and applications, and even your operating system (Windows or Mac OS X) are stored in files and folders on your computer. This is called your computer’s “File System”. For Part 2 of this assignment, you learn about the folders that Windows has set aside for you to create a file management structure to keep all of your personal and school-related files organized.
Computer File Systems
The computer file system work similar to an old metal filing cabinet that you might see in an office setting, but with much more flexibility. Typically, with a metal file cabinet, documents and files related to a common topic are placed in a folder and multiple folders are placed in the file drawer. Metal file cabinets are physically limited to how many files can be placed in a single folder and how many folders can be placed in a single drawer. With a computer file system, the files and folders are digital and do not actually take up physical space and therefore are not limited in the same manner as a metal cabinet. In addition to not having a limit on a folder’s capacity, unlike with a file cabinet where you don’t typically place folders inside of other folders, a computer can house many folders inside of folders, inside of a single folder. In fact, you can create any folder structure or hierarchy that fits your specific needs. Below are a couple of examples of file management folder structures that can be created within your computer’s file system and might be used in the real world:
Example 1: Work Project Folders
FIleStructure Example 1.png
Example 2: School Course Folders
FIleStructure Example 2.jpg
Where Can I Create Folders?
The short answer is anywhere. However, each Windows user (“that would be you”) is given five distinct folders which have been specifically set aside for you to create any folder structure that meets your specific needs. Four of the folders are Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos. Inside of each folder, you can create a file structure to organize your pictures, music files, videos, and documents. The fifth folder is your desktop.
To access these folders, you will use the start menu to open the “File Explorer” program. Opening and using the File Explorer application is similar to opening a drawer in the old metal file cabinet and fingering through the folders as you look for the target folder.
File Explorer.png
From within the File Explorer program, you can create, manage, and navigate your own computer’s file structure.
Links to the four folders (Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos) can be found on the left side of the file explorer window under the Libraries heading. You may have to click on the Libraries heading if you do not see them. The desktop folder can be located under the Favorites heading.
FilesLinkScreenshot-1.jpg
Let’s Get Organized
You will use File Explorer to create the simple file structure in the example image above labeled “Example 2: School Course Folders”. Using this folder structure will help you to organize and keep track of your files and electronic document for school and each of your classes. You will be able to continue building more folders into this structure as you continue to enroll in new courses. You might even consider adding weekly folders inside of each course folder to help you further organize your coursework files.
To complete part 3 of this assignment, you will follow the steps below to create the file structure illustrated above. You will then take a screenshot of your newly created folder structure and save it to the APP101 folder.
Open File Explorer (hint, remember to use your start menu)
Navigate to the Documents folder by clicking on Documents on the left side of file explorer.
Look along the top of the File Explorer window and locate the "New Folder" button and tap or click it.
NewFolder.png
Now, look in the main part of the window, you will see the new folder and the title will be highlighted. You are ready to give the folder a name. Using your keyboard, give the folder the name “College Courses”.
Press Enter or tap anywhere on the screen to finish naming the folder.
Congratulations, you created the root folder of your own file management structure which you will use for school. Now, you will navigate to that folder and create sub-folders, one for each of your courses.
In File Explorer, double tap or double-click on the IU Courses folder to enter it. You are now inside of the IU Courses folder.
Tap the New Folder button to create a new folder and title it “LAST NAME APP110”.
Since you are currently inside of the IU Courses folder when you created the APP110 folder, it is a sub-folder of the IU Courses folder.
Navigate into the LAST NAME APP110 folder.
Create 4 new folders, giving each one the title “week 1”, “week 2”, “week 3”, and “week 4”.
You now have a folder structure for your APP110 course and its four weeks of coursework. Files and documents related to the course in general, such as the course syllabus, will be stored directly in the APP110 folder. Files and documents related to individual weeks will be saved to the appropriate weekly folder.
When you register for the next course, CSS105, you will navigate back to the IU Courses folder, go inside and create a new folder titled “CSS105.”
Deliverables for Part 3:
Navigate to the APP110 folder so that you see the 4 weekly folders in the main part of the File Explorer window.
Use the start menu to open Snipping Tool and take a screenshot of the File Explorer window. Your screenshot should look like the example below.
In the Snipping Tool, save the screenshot using one of the 2 methods discussed in Part 2 and save it inside of the “week 1” folder of your APP110 course folder. You will upload the screenshot to the week 1 Assignment..
Example Submission:
Submission Example.jpg
Prompt
Complete the following tasks after you have watched the weekly videos.
Part 1 - No submission requirements for part 1
Part 2
Open the start menu and select Microsoft Word.
When the application loads, click or tap to create a Blank Document.
Confirm "References" and "Mailings" tabs are showing in your ribbon.
Click or tap in the document text area (large white box) and type your first name, last name and today's date.
Take a screenshot of the Word tabs and the text box with your name and date, making sure to include the top portion of the window. See the example submission below; this is what your part 2 screenshot should look like.
Part 3
Create an "IU Courses" folder in 'Documents.' Add an "APP110" sub-folder. Add a "Week 1", "Week 2", "Week 3" and "Week 4" sub-folder to the APP110 folder.
Create and save a snip showing the 6 folders above inside your "Week 1" folder of your APP110 folder. Name the screen shot "APP110_last name_week1_assignment_folder_screenshot".
To submit your work:
Click the Submit Assignment link to submit your work.
When the Submit Assignment link opens, select the Upload File tab.
To upload a file from your computer and submit as your assignment, click the Choose File button.
A pop-up window will appear in your browser.
Click the file title and select the Choose button to upload the file. (Depending on your browser, the button may say Open instead of Choose.) Upload both files (Folder Screenshot and Micorsoft Word Screenshot) to the week 1 assignment
Click the Submit Assignment button to submit your assignment.
After you have submitted your assignment, you should be able to view a confirmation that you submitted your assignment.
