BISCC Useful Informal Training Scheme
                                                            
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Bisccuits provides members with a means to find out what they do know - and what they would like to know.
There are five levels of skills for each of the major procedures -  operating systems,  word processing,  
desktop publishing,   databases,   spreadsheets,   digital images,   internet & email,   PrintShop.   
Family History,   multimedia   and other specific areas rely on skills listed in these  areas.
The skills are general skills only - ie, usually not based on any one particular program - apart from the occasional reference to WordPad. You know which program you use - check that you can perform the listed skills in your program.

If you do not yet own a computer, or have one and don't know how to use it, you are a Cracker Bisccuit and need to enrol in a basic beginners' class!

If you have some experience, you can see whether you are an Arrowroot Bisccuit or a Tim Tam - noting that that you may be say a Chocolate Bisccuit in one area of computing, and a Cream Bisccuit in another! You don't have to be a Tim Tam in every area of expertise - just those that interest you.

If you have considerable experience in any one or more areas,  then you may be a Baker

or even a Chief Baker - just what the rest of the Bisccuits need!

A Master Baker
Is prepared to show members
how to make any biscuit
in any product line

Each Bisccuit level contains action words - the idea is that you check to see if you are able to do whatever follows the action word. There are no tests or exams - you decide what you
can do and what you want to learn to be able to do.
 

Each sub-group of the Club examines its own group members' needs and then examine ways to meet them.

• Operating Systems

  • Arrowroot
    Switch on the computer and monitor
    Go to Start - Programs - Accessories
    Open WordPad
    Close WordPad
    Move the icons around the screen
    put some in the recycle bin
    put them back on the desktop
    Shut down the computer
    
    Shortbread
    Start the computer
    Open WordPad
    write a couple of lines
    save the file; give it a name; give it a location [e.g. My Briefcase]
    Close WordPad
    Open WordPad
    find your saved file
    open it
    type two more lines
    save it
    close WordPad
    
    Chocolate
    Open any other program
    Change the size of the screen
    Minimise
    Maximise
    Close program
    Go to Control Panels
    check date/time
    change the background picture on the desktop
    Put the WordPad file in the recycle bin
    Put it back where it was originally
    Check page setup; A4; landscape; portrait; 100%
    Print the WordPad file
    Check number of copies; which page[s] to print; colour or black
    normal or economy/draft/low resolution
    
    Cream
    View the folders on your hard drive; using Explorer; by double clicking on My Computer
    Change the view; by large or small icon; by list; by detail
    Create a new folder
    Move file created in WordPad to new folder
    Backup  WordPad file to a floppy disk
    
    Tim Tam
    Put the floppy in
    Open the WordPad file
    Close it
    Put the file in the recycle bin
    Empty the recycle bin
    Put in a CD and install a new program
    Create a short cut to it
    Change a printer cartridge

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• Word Processing
  •   Arrowroot
    Open a WP program - WordPad, ClarisWorks, Microsoft Word etc
    Type a letter
    Format paragraphs
    Select text
    Apply different styles to selected text, e.g. bold; underline; italics
    Change font size, font, colour
    Delete unwanted text
     Shortbread
    Align text; left; centre; justified
    Change line spacing
    Apply automatic tab settings
    Check spelling and use the thesaurus
    Chocolate
    Change margins in document
    Change margins in paragraph
    Change margins left
    Change margins right
    Change margins first line
    Set tabs; left; centre; right; decimal
    Insert header and footer
    Insert Automatic page number
    Insert Automatic date
    Insert graphic [clip art], as text and as picture
    Cream
    Change size and shape of graphics
    Apply word wrap around graphics
    Design a letterhead template
    Number paragraphs
    Use find/replace or a glossary
     Tim Tam
    Use a style sheet
    Use an outliner
    Write a book, manual, multipage document
    Set up chapters or sections
    Use  headings and sub-headings
    Use headers and footers in each section
    Write an index
    Write a list of contents

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  Desktop Publishing

  • Arrowroot
    Open a drawing or publishing program (a program for newsletters and posters etc not a specific greetings card type program)
    Insert ; text frames; clip art
    Select frames; change size; shape; colour etc
    Compose a one page poster using; word frames; graphics
    Shortbread
    Change layers of objects
    move to front
    move to back
    make transparent
    Align objects
    Reshape objects
    flip vertically
    flip horizontally
    Compose a one page poster utilising these skills
    Chocolate
    Group objects
    Lock objects
    Adjust fill patterns, gradients, text frames etc
    Compose a one page poster utilising these skills
    Cream
    Apply columns
    Apply frame links for continued text
    Compose a two page newsletter
    Tim Tam
    Design multipage newsletter
    linked frames
    page numbers
    list of contents
    advertisements
    Use a specific publishing program to
    design posters
    greetings cards
    calendars

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• Databases
  • Arrowroot
    Open a database program
    Define text, number and date fields
    first name
    last name
    street
    suburb
    phone
    fees paid
    date joined
    enter data for 10 records
    suburb [any on Bribie]
    date joined [any this year to date]
    Shortbread
    Sort the records by last name
    Find a specific record
    Find several records
    sort them by suburb
    Design a new layout for a columnar layout
    Sort all records by date joined
    Chocolate
    Add  new calculation field -
    show days since joining
    Show all data and total fees paid
    Design a new layout for labels
    View in preview mode
    Cream
    Format suburb field for all suburbs on Bribie
    Format other fields in colour, bold etc
    Add a new summary field - total fees paid
    Add a summary part for same
    Show all data and total fees paid
    Tim Tam
    Design a database to keep a collection, e.g.
    books
    stamps
    home inventory
    membership
    Include all types of fields
    Design at least four layouts
    Print sample lists of all and selected records

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• Spreadsheets
  • Arrowroot
    Open a spreadsheet program
    Enter a text heading
    Enter numeric data in cells
    Perform simple calculations such as multiplication
    Calculate  totals
    Shortbread
    Enter the SUM formula
    Copy  formula to other cells
    Copy text or numeric data to other cells
    Format numeric data, e.g.
    currency
    no decimal points
    Chocolate
    Align data in cells - left, right, centre
    Format cells for colour, borders etc
    Apply Fill Down, Fill Right, Fill Special
    Apply other formulae - e.g., average, percent
    Cream
    Select print area
    Turn off row & column headings
    Draw a chart of selected data
    Modify all the ingredients of the chart
    Tim Tam
    Prepare a practical spreadsheet full page
    e.g., budget, electricity/water usage
    Apply several formulae
    Enter data automatically, e.g. months of year; days of week
    Format the spreadsheet to look professional
    Design a chart to illustrate selected data

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  Digital Images

  • Arrowroot
    Use digital camera to take a digital photograph using
    - flash, flash fill-in,
    Transfer images from Camera to Computer
    Shortbread
    Use a scanner
       adjust settings for resolution (dpi)
       select image size and shape
       to scan an image
       name and save the image
    Chocolate
    Set up a filing system for your digital images
    Store and retrieve images on CD
    Enhance digital images using
       crop
       brightness and contrast
    
    Cream
    Repair minor flaws in digital images
    Resize digital images for use on Web and in emails
    
    Tim Tam
    Compile images into a Photo Album or Slide Show for distribution on CD

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• Internet
  • Arrowroot
    Connect to the internet from the desktop
    Enter a URL for a given website
    Navigate through a website using
    Forward
    Back and
    Scroll bars
    Navigate the internet, using links
    Set a nominated site as homepage
    Shortbread
    Bookmark a website for future reference
    Find a website from Bookmark
    Use a basic search engine to find a particular topic on the internet
    Print information from the internet
    Copy a graphic from the internet to my computer
    Chocolate
    Download a freeware program from the internet
    Use a chat site
    Surf the internet offline
    Copy data from the internet
    Use advanced search techniques to improve effectiveness of searches
    Cream
    Create personal webpage using a wizard
    Add graphics to website
    Use voice communication over the internet
    Protect computer from Internet viruses
    Download music and video files from the internet
    Tim Tam
    Create own webpage using an HTML editor
    Create  own website
    Update own website
    Post  website to the internet using FTP
    Conduct a videoconference over the internet

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• Email
  • Arrowroot
    Register an email address
    Identify and start mailing program
    Tell the difference between an email address and a URL (Web site address)
    Enter an email address without error
    Compose a simple text email
    Send an email
    
    Shortbread
    Access the inbox on mailing program
    Open an email
    Use the reply function to answer an email
    Use the forward function to send an email onto another person
    Use copy (cc) to send an email to more than one person
    Use blind carbon copy (bcc) to send a copy of an email
    Chocolate
    Identify and open an attachment
    Save an attachment to your hard disk
    Send an email to more than one person (without cc function)
    Delete unwanted emails
    Empty email trash folder
    Cream
    Attach a graphic or text file to an email
    Add name to address book
    Use address book to nominate recipients
    Set up a folder for storing emails
    Use folders to store emails
    Use folders to retrieve emails
    Tim Tam
    Use the address book to set up a group email
    Use a voice program to read email
    Set up  anti spam systems to filter unwanted emails
    Adjust the default settings and preferences (options) on mail program
    Set up multiple accounts on your mail program

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• PrintShop
  • Arrowroot
    Open PrintShop (Broderbund)
    Insert clip art
    Select frames; change size; shape; colour etc
    Insert Headline
    Compose a one page poster using; headlines; graphics
    Shortbread
    Insert Text box
    Change text font, size and colour
    Reshape text boxes
    flip vertically
    flip horizontally
    Customize Headlines
    Compose a one page poster utilising these skills
    Chocolate
    Draw shapes
    Adjust fill patterns, gradients, text frames etc
    Compose a one page poster utilising these skills
    Cream
    Use photo workshop to import image from scanner
    -apply special effects
    -crop and orientation
    -brightness & contrast
    -fix flaws in photographs
    Compose and print Calling Cards utilising these skills
    Tim Tam
    Design multipage newsletter or 'accordion booklet'
    Use PrintShop program to
    design posters
    greetings cards
    calendars

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This site was last updated Thursday September 11, 2008