Academic Excellence for Lives of Service and Success

An Educational Initiative of the Zambian Brethren in Christ Church

ZACU Administrative Centre

Nahumba Mission
Choma, Zambia
Phone: 0975516039

Basic Computing
And
Typing Skills
Dr. Dwight Thomas & Mr. Calvor Muchindu

Copyright 2019
by Dwight W. Thomas and Zambian Christian University
All Rights Reserved

Duplication of any portion of this document without written permission is illegal.

Violators will be subject to prosecution.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.1

 ZACU Administrative Centre
Nahumba Mission
Choma, Zambia
Phone: 0975516039

Basic Computing and Typing Skills

Typing Basics
Basic Computing and Typing Skills seeks to help students understand basic computing
and to teach them foundational touch typing skills. The teaching approach is learner-
centered and hands-on in nature. Because the course is highly skilled-based, it will be
offered as a two week intensive course, with two weeks of fulltime face-to-face work.

Outcomes
Regarding computing, by the end of the course, the student will be able to:
· … name the parts of a computer and hook them up correctly,
· … navigate Windows and/or Ubuntu operating systems at a basic level,
· … create and manipulate word processing documents at a basic level,
· … open, save, and close documents,
· …organize documents in such a way that they are easy to retrieve,
· …print a document from the computer to either a virtual printer or a physical printer,

Regarding the internet and email, by the end of the course, the student will be able to:
· … explain the basic nature of the internet and how it functions,
· … explain the primary social media and their purposes,
· … understand email and how it works,
· … login and out of an email account, create and send an email, reply to an email, attach
a document to an email, and download an attachment to a computer

Regarding typing, by the end of the course, the student will be able to:
· …understand and explain the nature of “touch typing”
· … name the two cardinal rules of good typing,
· …describe and demonstrate the correct posture and position for good typing,
· …know from memory all of the keys of the typical typing keyboard,
· …touch type correctly at a minimum speed of 15 words per minute with 80% or greater
accuracy,
· …explain the formatting requirements and produce for the following types of
documents: letters, reports, simple event adverts or invitations.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.2

Materials Provided by Students
This intensive course is for people who have successfully completed grade nine or above.

Students will need the following materials:

 3 pencils, a sharpener, a rubber, 2 pens
 Three A5 196-page notebooks for taking notes
 25 sheets of blank, clean A-4 paper for printing purposes
 Personal laptop

Course Expectations
 Attend classes regularly and arrive on time
 Participate with a willing spirit and an open mind
 Spend significant time studying concepts, terminology and skills
 Help others when asked by the lecturer to do so

ZACU Policies and Code of Conduct

 Code of Conduct
o ZACU students are expected to agree in writing to its Code of Conduct.
o ZACU expects courteous behavior from all of its students. Any student
who fails to do so will be dismissed immediately and any paid fees will not
be refunded.
 Policies:
o ZACU will not make copies of the course materials. Nor will ZACU make
copies for personal purposes. Additional copies of the course materials can
be purchased from the ZACU office for a fee.

Assessment / Grades
 Attendance 20%
 Assignments 20%
 Final written exam 30%
 Final typing exam 30%

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.3

 Computer Basics

 Fundamental computer concepts and terminology

o Binary code, bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes
o Desktop, laptop, tablets, smart phones

 Computer parts
o Central processing unit (CPU):
 mother board – the circuit board on which various components are
mounted
 power supply – provides power to the computer
 drives (hard drives, flash drives, memory cards)
 internal memory (RAM and ROM)
 plug-in boards & slots
 speakers
o Input and output connecting cables and cords
 Power cord
 Video cables: vga, hdmi, dvi
 usb, mini usb, micro usb
 CAT5, Firewire
 Keyboard and mouse
 Audio (in and out)
 Printer cable
 Old-style keyboard cable
 Older cables: serial, parallel, etc.
o Monitors
o Keyboards
o Mouse or mouse pad
 Left click = action or “select”
 Left double click = action (i.e. open a doc or start a program)
 Right click = shows information or options (properties, etc.)
 Left hold = combination task
 Left hold, drag = drag an object
 Left hold, Ctrl, drag = copy to another location
o ‘Peripherals’:
 Printers – for printed output (color or black and white)
 Scanners – for capturing images and sending them to the computer
 Modems, dongles and hotspots – for connecting to the internet
 External CD or DVD drives – for reading and writing CDs or DVDs
 External hard drives
 Flash drives (aka, thumb drives)
 fax machines
o Drivers & their purposes

 Activity: Computer Crossword

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.4

Connecting computer parts – Diagrams and Demonstration

Inside a desktop PC:

Hard Drive PC memory card for PCI slot

USB Flash drive USB memory card adaptor

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.5

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.6
Types of memory cards

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.7

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.8
Types of computer plugs and jacks

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.9

Types of computer plugs and jacks

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.10

+

Activity: Connect desktop computer correctly.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.11

Typing Basics

Posture, Position, etc. – Maintaining the correct typing posture will help you type faster,
more accurately, and for longer periods of time. You should be sitting in a comfortable
chair with your feet on the floor, back straight, arms extended straight ahead (see below).
Your fingers should extend straight ahead with the fingers slightly bent. Typing “flat
fingered” will slow you down. Your wrists should not be touching the keyboard or laptop.
More recently in some work environments, people have found that they can work faster
and longer standing up. To accommodate this working style, furniture companies have
designed special desks which allow users to change the height of the desk to
accommodate either sitting or standing.

 The height of the keyboard is also important. The best height for a computer table
is about 26” above floor level (with a normal chair height of 18”). This height will
vary according to the height of the chair and your body size. If the keyboard is too
high, the typist will be typing at an uncomfortable level and will experience
fatigue. The point is simply that the desk height should permit the typist to
maintain a comfortable arm, wrist and hand position in order to maximize typing
speed and accuracy.

 Two cardinal rules of good touch typing – Obey the two cardinal rules below,
practice regularly, and you will be able to touch type with speed and accuracy
within six months to a year. Be very diligent about these two cardinal rules. You
will be tempted to “cheat” and look at the keyboard; and you might find it
challenging to keep your fingers in home position at first. But, be assured, if you
force yourself to follow these two cardinal rules, the benefits will become evident
within a year’s time. Time spent now in obeying them might slow your work
slightly in the short term, but you will save much more time in the long term if
you obey.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.12

HOME ROW
Keyboard keys: home row, Qwerty, etc. – The home row is the row of keys which begins
with “A” on the left. “F” and “J” keys each have a small raised piece. These are there so
the typist can locate them without looking. Place your left index finger on “F” and your
right index finger on “J” and your hands will be in home position. This is where your
hands should remain whenever you are typing. You should only move away from this
position when necessary.

 Activities: Keyboard memorization and “dry” typing using a paper keyboard and
a physical keyboard (not connected to the computer).

Posture & position

Correct hand position and seating posture are shown below:

Each of your ten fingers has specific keys which it must type. Ideally, you should not
cheat and use the wrong finger for the wrong key. If you have physical limitations, of
course, it is acceptable to substitute a different finger. However, if all of your fingers
function well, use them with the appropriate key of the keyboard. Below are two
diagrams showing key assignments for each finger. Home row is also indicated.
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.13
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.14
Keyboard Layout

Most modern keyboards follow the so-called “Qwerty” layout. There have been some
attempts to redefine keyboards in recent years, but as of now they have not been
successful. You will also find that keyboards have slight variations in the auxiliary keys
(such as delete and “print screen”). It is easy to adjust to these variations, and quite
acceptable to look at the keyboard when using such auxiliary keys. Below is a standard
older PC keyboard with the keys identified.

An older PC keyboard

Activity: Keyboard memorization. Try to memorize the keyboard and write the letters or
functions in pencil in the blank keyboard below:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.15

10:00 – Break

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.16

 Two Cardinal rules

Two
Cardinal Rules
of Correct
Touch Typing
#1 – Keep your fingers
in “home position.”

#2 – Do NOT look at the keyboard.

Keep your eyes
on the page you are typing
or on the screen
if you are typing free form.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.17

Typing Basics 2

Typing and keyboard terms:

 Review of the principles and concepts of “touch typing”

o Body position and posture
o Table height
o Keyboard layout
o Finger positions

 Typing speed – Explanation of “words per minute” (wpm) or “characters per

minute” (cpm). 25 wpm is considered respectable but on the slow side. 50 wpm is
the bottom of professional level typing. 65 wpm and above is consider fast. Some
typists can manage 90 wpm and higher. Whatever your current level, there is no
doubt that you can improve your speed.

 Accuracy – Although speed is important, accuracy is equally important. In fact,

typing slower in order to be accurate will actually save time in the end. The well-
known proverb is certainly true here:

“We go slow in order to go fast.”

Typing fast at the expense of accuracy merely means you will need to take more time
to edit your work. And, in general, editing takes more time than the typing. So, strive
for accuracy. Anything below 80% accuracy is considered poor. Anything above 95%
accuracy is considered excellent. Remember, however, that professional typists often
type at 98 to 100% accuracy.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.18

Fonts and font treatment

 The term “font” refers to the style of the type. There are several basic categories
of fonts:

o Serif (with small tails)

 Times Roman
 Bookman
 Courier New

o Sans-serif (without tails)

 Arial
 Calibri
 Berlin Sans FB

o Script
 Blackadder ITC
 Brush Script MT
 Freestyle Script

o Display or Decorative
 ALGERIAN
 Broadway
 Copperplate Gothic Bold

Treatment of fonts

 Most fonts can be treated in several ways:

 Bold: This is bold.
 Italics: This is italics.
 Bold italics: This is bold and italics.
 Underline: This is underlined.
 Superscript: This is superscript.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.19

Font size

Font size is important and is measure in “points.” The term “points” is an older printing
measurement but is still used to describe modern font size.

 This is 12 point Times Roman.

 This is 14 point Times Roman.
 This is 16 point Times Roman.
 This is 18 point Times Roman.
 This is 24 point Times Roman.
Spacing
Spacing can be thought of in both the linear and vertical dimensions. That is, the space
between the lines can vary (vertical), and the space between characters can vary (linear).

 This can be important, because some spacing is easier to read than others. For
example, double spacing between lines is often helpful when a document must
be edited. This is the reason that academic papers (such as term papers, theses,
etc.) are submitted in double-spaced form. The space between the lines allows
the editor to add marks, comments or corrections between the typed lines.
Below are examples of various line spacings.

 Any paragraph can be spaced at several different spacings. We call

this the “line spacing.” The most common spacings are: single
spacing and double spacing, but most word processors allow other
spacing. This paragraph is single spaced Times Roman, 12 point
type.

 Any paragraph can be spaced at several different spacings. We call

this the “line spacing.” The most common spacings are: single

spacing and double spacing, but most word processors allow other

spacing. This paragraph is double spaced Times Roman, 12 point

type.

 Any paragraph can be spaced at several different spacings. We call

this the “line spacing.” The most common spacings are single spacing
and double spacing, but most word processors allow other spacing.
This paragraph is Times Roman, 12 point type spaced at 1.5 spaces.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.20

Font Width

Different fonts have different widths. Some have fixed widths for every character (e.g.,
Courier), but most have variable widths whereby letters like “i” or “l” are narrower than
“m” or “w.” You will notice that the two sentences below are almost identical insofar as
the text, but physically the first example is longer. The reason is simply that the first font
(Courier) is a fixed width font, while the second (Times) is a variable width font.

 Here is a sentence using a fixed font (Courier)

Here is a sentence using a variable font (Times)

The character width accounts for the difference in the length of the two lines above. The
number of characters in each line is almost exactly the same.

Below are some other examples which indicate spacing and style differences. Each
example technically uses the same font size. Notice the difference in length and the
difference in the type styles.

 Arial:
The cows have escaped the kraal and are eating the maize.

 Bradley Hand
The cows have escaped the kraal and are eating the maize.

 Bookman Old
The cows have escaped the kraal and are eating the maize.

 Britannic Bold
The cows have escaped the kraal and are eating the maize.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.21

Justification

The term “justification” refers to the position and arrangement of lines of text. Two basic
types of justification exist: ragged or full. The first (ragged) has three variations: “flush
left,” “flush right,” and “centered.” Said another way,

 Text can be ragged or full justification.

 Ragged text can be “flush left,” “flush right,” or centered

Below are examples of each type of justification.

This is flush left, ragged right: This is flush right, ragged left:

Just as body, though one, has many Just as body, though one, has many
parts, but all its many parts form one parts, but all its many parts form one
body, so it is with Christ. For we were body, so it is with Christ. For we were
all baptized by one Spirit so as to form all baptized by one Spirit so as to form
one Body. one Body.

This is centered, ragged left and right: This is full justification:

Just as body, though one, has Just as body, though one, has many
many parts, but all its many parts form parts, but all its many parts form one
one body, so it is with Christ. body, so it is with Christ. For we were
For we were all baptized by one Spirit all baptized by one Spirit so as to form
so as to form one Body. one Body.

 Each form of justification serves a different purpose and various documents

generally favor different justification. Academic papers, for example, are almost
always typed as flush left, ragged right. Published books, however, usually appear
fully justified. Adverts and invitations will often use centered texts for the sake of
appearance. Letters are generally flush left, ragged right.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.22

Tab and indent

 The “tab key” is very useful. It jumps the text by a pre-determined amount of
space. This space can be adjusted in most word processors. Do NOT try to imitate
tabs by using the space bar. Because different fonts have different widths, the
result will look uneven and unprofessional.
 Indent is a term which means to “push” a line or a section in from the margins. It
is customary to indent the first line of paragraphs. It is possible to indent from the
left or from the right.

 Enter (or return) – The “enter” or “return” key simply ends a line or paragraph
and forces the text to the next line.

 Shift, Caps and caps lock – Two “shift keys” are located on the left and the right
of the keyboard. There are two so that typists can capitalize letters with either
hand.

o The left shift key is used with letters on the right side;
o the right shift key is used with letters on the left side.
o The “caps lock” key forces every key stroke to be capital. “Caps” is simply
an abbreviation for “capital.” This key can be useful when you need to
type a long word or phrase in caps.

 Delete and backspace – Many keyboards have both a “delete” key and a
“backspace” key. They function similarly.

o The delete key deletes whatever is in front of the cursor or whatever text is
selected.

o The backspace key deletes whatever is behind the cursor or whatever text
is selected.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.23

Page formatting terms and concepts

 When typing a document, you have a wide variety of choices. Knowing your
options will help you produce nicer and more professional looking documents.

 Page size can be varied. A4 is the most common “page size” in Zambia and the
UK. So-called “Letter” size is commonly used in the United States.

 Margins can be varied.

o If a document is going to be stapled, it is best to have equal “margins” on
the left and right. A one inch margin is typical for many documents.
o However, when you intend to staple a document into a booklet, it is best to
have a wider margin on the left (perhaps 1-1/2”) and a smaller margin on
the right (perhaps 1”).

 Page numbers are especially helpful if your document is more than 2 or 3 pages
long. “Page numbers” can be at the top or bottom, and can be centered, flush left,
or flush right.

 Headers and footers – Most word processors have a feature which will add a
“header” at the top or a “footer” at the bottom of the document. This can be
helpful to indicate what the document is about, especially in a multi-section
document. It also allows the addition of other helpful information such as file
name or date.

 Paragraph spacing
o It is often helpful to have a little extra space between paragraphs to make
reading easier. We refer to this as “paragraph spacing.” Some word
processors can be set to automatically insert space after every paragraph.

 Headings and Subheadings

o Often, you will want to use “headings” to indicate the beginning of an
important section. You can center the heading and use bold type or
underlined type to highlight the beginning of the section.
o “Subheadings” can be created by using bold (upper-lower) flush left. This
distinguishes it from the main heading.
o “Sub-subheadings” might use light face italics. Below is an illustration:

This is a Heading Using Bold Face and Underlined

This is a Subheading

This is a Sub-subheading

ACTIVITY: More “dry” practice / make simple document stands from cardboard
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.24
Computer Basics, Part 2

 Operating systems: Windows, Apple, Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.)

o The “operating system” is the computing platform upon which all other
programs function. There are three primary operating systems:
 Windows (produced by Microsoft)
 Apple OS (produced by Apple)
 Linux (a free, “open source” operating system)
o The basic features of each operating system are pretty much the same, but
the exact locations differ.

 The “open source” philosophy

o “Open source” is a worldwide movement to provide free computing
resources to everyone. The community supporting this idea believes that
large companies (such as Microsoft and Apple) are taking advantage of
people by charging unreasonable fees for their products. In response,
people have created free operating systems and software.

 Piracy and copyright

o “Piracy” and “copyright” infringement is a big problem in Zambia today.
An alarmingly high percentage of computers use pirated software and
operating systems. Many Zambian users are not even aware that their
computers have stolen software installed. ZACU takes this issue seriously
and intends to only use legal copies of operating systems and software.
Relatedly, ZACU will utilize open source software whenever possible in
order to avoid stealing "intellectual property”.

 Locations/Features/Functions of operating systems: All operating systems have

similar basic locations, features and functions:
o The “desktop” is the home screen and includes pull-down menus, program
icons, folders, wallpaper, etc.
 “Pull-down menus” help users find programs and other computer
resources. Windows, Apple and Linux are each slightly different,
but the essential idea is the same for all of them.
 The word “icon” refers to a graphic symbol which represents a
program or some other computer function. Icons are usually
designed in such a way that users can readily know what the
function is. “Program icons” can be clicked or double clicked to
activate the program. “Folder icons” can be double clicked to open
the folder.
 “Wallpaper” refers to the background image of the desktop. This
can be changed to suit the user’s tastes. Try “right clicking” the
desktop to see what features you can change.
 Other features include the “settings,” “task bar,” “start menu,”
and “control panel.”
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.25
 o Features:
 Screen “brightness” can be adjusted to a desired level.
 The screen “resolution” can be adjusted to make icons large or
smaller.
 System “sound” can also be adjusted to taste.
 Icons can be moved and arranged in any location on the desktop.
This allows you to organize your desktop in a manner which suits
you.

o “Settings” – Every operating system has a “settings” function which

allows users to change settings and find various features. In the case of
Windows, for example, the settings control panel allows users to “install”
or “uninstall” a program and remove it from the computer.

Below is my Windows desktop. Notice that I have customized the desktop background
with a picture Shimonoseki, Japan, where my wife and I lived for three years.

ACTIVITY: experiment with locations and features and write notes in your notebook to
remember their locations.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.26

 Software
Sorts of software

 “Commercial” – These are products which usually have a high cost (often more
than 1000 kwacha per program per computer), with the intent that they will
deliver high value. Sometimes that is true; sometimes not. There are thousands of
software companies producing a wide variety of software.
 “Shareware” – These are products which require a smaller amount of money
(usually about 300 kwacha). Many are quite useful and stable. Some, however, are
not fully developed or come with attached “spyware” which tracks your computer
activities.
 “Freeware” or “open source” – These are completely free. Like shareware, many
are useful, but often they have advertising embedded or spyware which tracks
your computer activities. It is best to read reviews about these products before
downloading them.

Types of software and their uses

o Office Suites
 “Office Suites” are software packages with a package of program
modules: word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation,
graphics, publication
 ZACU uses two basic office suites:
 Libre (an open-source Linux package)
 Microsoft Office (a commercial package)

Both packages have similar modules with similar features.

 Computer utility software

o Internet and web design
 Ipswitch ftp (file transfer software)
 Browsers: Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
 Email clients: Thunderbird, Outlook
o Printer helpers
 Virtual printers (i.e., pdf creators): Bullzip, SweetPDF, Foxit

 Financial software – A wide variety of “financial software” is available to help

manage financial affairs. Some are so-called “standalone” while more recent
software is sometimes internet or “cloud-based.” Many institutions simply use
spreadsheets to manage their accounts (e.g., Choma Secondary). We will study
spreadsheets later.

o Here are several standalone Bookkeeping and Accounting programs

 Quicken
 GNU cash
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.27
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.28
 Anti-virus protection and optimization software – “Anti-virus” programs protect
your computer against viruses which can damage the computer or data. Users
should update their virus software and “scan” their computers at least once a
week. “Optimization software” can improve your computer’s speed and
efficiency by deleting unused files or disabling programs which run “in the
background.”

o Below are some of the available software programs:

 Anti-virus: AVG, Avira, Avast, Samdav, Bitdefender
 Cleanup: Disk Cleaner, Little Registry Cleanup

o Additionally, users should “backup” data regularly in order to have it in

case your computer is “infected” or “crashes.” A so-called computer
crash can corrupt your data and leave you with nothing left. Backing up
your data on an external device (flash drive, hard drive, CD or DVD will
preserve your data in case of a crash.

 “Computer viruses” take a variety of forms. They general get on

your computer through someone else’s flash drive, or they are
attached to some program you might have installed. Some of the
main types are listed below:

 Malware – “Malware” gets its name from the word,

“malicious,” which means “to try and create harm.” These
viruses are designed to go after your data, your system settings
and your files. The worst of them are capable of corrupting or
destroying files. If this happens with your operating system,
the computer might fail to function at all.

 Spyware – As its name suggests, “spyware” trys to follow

your computer actions. Some sorts simply follow your
browsing habits. They often do this in order to know what
kinds of things you might want to buy. The companies then
sell your email address to other companies who can target you
as a customer.

 Adware – “Adware” is not generally malicious, but it can be

annoying. It actively advertises while you are doing other
operations (browsing in particular).

o A good anti-virus program can protect you against these viruses and clean
up your computer if they somehow infect it.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.29

 Media software is available for a variety of purposes:
o Audio players, recorders, mixers and editors – Audio “players” simply
play audio files. Most such programs have limitations on which sorts of
files they can play, so you might need several of these in order to play
different file types. Audio “recorders” can be used to record directly from
the computer or can be used with external recording equipment such as
microphones and mixers. Many of the audio programs come with built-in
“mixers” which allow users to balance input levels on the computer.
Indeed, most professional recording studios in the West now use
computers for much of their work. They either mixer directly on the
computer, or they use computers to control their mixers. Audio “editors”
enable users to manipulate and edit audio files, boosting the volume,
cutting sections out, fading in and fading out, etc. Below are several
examples of such programs.
 Players: Aria Player, Windows Media Player
 Recorder/Editors: Audacity, Goldwave, Wavepad

o Video recording and editing – Programs for video are available in much
the same types as audio. Some are simply players, some will record, and
some are editors. Another category of programs (for both audio and video)
converts files from one format to another. This is especially important for
video because of the various “proprietary” file types(i.e., files which can
only be used by a particular program). If you have a good converter, you
will be able to play almost any video file. Below are several examples of
such programs.

 Player/Editors: VLC video suite, Easy Video Maker,

Windows Movie Maker
 Video converters: WinAVI video converter, Freemake, VCL

o Photograph manipulation and storage – Like audio and video, there are
many programs for storage and/or manipulation of photograps. Many
programs allow a variety of editing options, including: cropping, color
adjustment, dust removal, digital manipulation (e.g., posterization), etc.
Often, they can help you organize your photographs as well. Many printers
are “bundled” with such programs and can be installed when you install
the printer driver.

 Photoshop, Microsoft Office (image module), Gallery, Various

printer-related programs

 Graphics, draw, architectural, and CAD (computer-aided design) – In addition to

the media software listed above, some software can help with various design
tasks. So-called “draw programs” simply help users to create drawings of
various sorts. Older programs depended on the computer mouse, but many recent
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.30
 ones can be operated using a touch-sensitive screen, allowing users to treat it
almost as if they were drawing by hand. “Architectural programs” are designed
to help users create plans for buildings or construction sites. They often include
so-called virtual 3D features, allowing users to see the final result in a simulated
3D image. “CAD programs” (or “Computer-aided design” programs) are
similar to architectural, but are generally used for engineering purposes, allowing
users to design objects such as machine parts, furniture, building parts, etc. Below
are examples of such programs.

o Draw programs allow the user to “draw” pictures or designs.

 Paint, Draw (Libre)
o Architectural software can create floor plans and render 3-dimensional
(3D) images of buildings.
 Sweet Home 3D
o CAD programs


 Games – A wide variety of game software is available. Some is paid commercial

software and some is shareware or freeware. Simply put, these programs are for
entertainment. However, to be fair, some also have educational value in that they
stimulate and sharpen users’ minds, encourage creativity, and impart factual
information (e.g., checkers, Empire and Minecraft).

o Board, card and puzzle games

 Grand Master Chess, checkers
 Spider Solataire
 Elvin Mist, Snoopy Snails

o Action, building and entertainment games

 Minecraft, Big Farm, Empire
 City racing

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.31

Educational Software

Educators can choose from many different programs to enhance their teaching. Test-
makers, puzzle-makers, grade-keepers, and encyclopedias are just a few of the available
programs. Some resources require “online” access, but many things are available
“offline” and can be used anywhere.

 Info software
o Kiwix Wikipedia
o Dictionary and Thesaurus

 Teacher helpers
o Anki Flash cards, Cue Card
o Quizmaker, Grade Maker,
o Eclipse Crossword, Word Search Creator

 Student learning aids and games

o Typing: Bruce’s typing wizard, Kavaro, Rapid Typing, Typing Trainer

ACTIVITY: Discussion of activities which might utilize computers and software

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.32

 Typing, Part 1
Home Row Exercise

 Exercise 1:  Exercise 2:
asdfg hjkl; ah had lag slag
asdfg hjkl; ah had lag slag
;lkjh gfdsa ah had
asdfg hjkl; ah had
;lkjh gfdsa lag slag
;lkjh gfdsa

 Exercise 3:  Exercise 4:
hash flash ask has dash gash lash dash gash lash dash
hash flash ask has gash lash dash gash lash
hash hash flash ask hash

 Exercise 5:  Exercise 6:
lad sash flag fall gall hall lass
lad sash flag fall gall hall lass
lad sash flag fall gall hall lass fall
lad sash flag lad sash

 Exercise 7:  Exercise 8:
glass alfalfa adds sad shall salad
glass alfalfa adds sad shall salad
glass alfalfa adds glass alfalfa sad shall salad
sad shall salad sad shall

 Exercise 9:  Exercise 10:

ash glad alas all flask half
ash glad alas all flask half
ash glad alas ash glad alas ash glad all flask half all flask half all flask
alas half

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.33

Writing Formats

Briefly examine formats of these documents, noting the primary features for each.

 Letter (formal and informal)

 Addressee and Address
 Salutation (e.g., “Dear Dr. Thomas,”)
 Body
 Closing (e.g, “Respectfully”)
 Class paper (research paper)
 Title page: includes the title, the date, the course name and number,
the name of the lecturer, the name of student
 Body: includes the relevant material with necessary citations
 References or endnotes (as prescribed by the lecturer)
 Report
 Heading (with reporting body’s name); date
 Body of report
 Closing: “Respectfully submitted”
 Invitation
 Greeting/Invitation
 Event, Place, Time
 R.S.V.P. or other conditions
 Notes (optional)
 Advert
 Product or Event
 Cost
 Contact information
 Other relevant details (think about your target audience)
 Speech/sermon outline
 Title
 Theme verse or slogan (e.g., “I want to talk to you today about…”)
 Bold or larger type headings making it easier to read quickly
 Closing points should be clear
 Expected times along the left is a good idea.
 Budget
 Budget name & Date of budget production
 Department or organization
 Time frame for the budget
 Brief summary of budget priorities
 Categories of the budget with numbers
 “Prepared by…”

Activities: Handwrite a letter in correct format (for later typing).

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.34

Computer Review

ACTIVITY

 Identify all the parts of the computer.

 Turn computer on/off safely
 Practice mouse use. Move the mouse around the screen, selecting various icons.
 Practice left-click and right-click. Practice left hold-drag.
 Explore the pull-down menus.
 Open and close a program.
 Find and write a list of the programs on your computer.
 Check out the pull-down menus and any other hidden features.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.35

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.36
Computers, continued

Organizing your material on the computer – If you organize your work carefully, it will
make retrieval of information much easier and more efficient. The way you name files
will also make a difference in your ability to find things easily.

 Naming your documents – Use descriptive file names in order to identify them
easily without opening them. It is also useful to develop a method for naming
which includes either the date or the version of the file. For example, I often end
the file name with my most recent editing date: ThomasBook-20170815. This
quickly allows me to see that the file is my book, version August 15th, 2017.
Save documents to the correct folder (Do NOT save them in “My Documents”) –
If you organize folders within folders, you will find it easier to retrieve documents
later, especially once you have hundreds or thousands or documents.
 Files and file extensions – Computer file names are followed by a period (full
stop). The letters after the period indicate what sort of file the document is. Each
program uses different “file extensions” to identify the type of document. These
help the computer know which program to open in order to “open” and “read” a
particular file. Do not change the file extension. If you do so, the computer will
not recognize the file and will not be able to open it. The most common file
extensions are shown below:

Extension Program/Type/Use
.txt Generic text file
.odt Libre text file (Writer)
.ods Libre spreadsheet file (Calc)
.odb Libre database file (Base)
.odp Libre presentation file (Impress)
.odg Libre drawing file (Draw)
.doc old Microsoft Word file
.docx more recent Microsoft Word file
.xls Microsoft Excel file
.ppt Microsoft Powerpoint file
.pdf PDF proprietary graphics file
.htm / .html Web file (with special code)
.jpg Jpeg graphics or photo file
.tiff TIFF graphics file
.wav / .aiff Uncompressed audio
.au / .pcm Uncompressed audio
.flac / .alac Lossless compressed
.mpg Compressed audio
.wma Windows media audio
.flv Flash video file
.vob Based on MPEG
.avi Widely used
.mpeg Widely used
.wmv Windows video file
.mov Quicktime video
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.37
Folder organization (‘Explore’)

 Put folders inside folders inside folders.

 Have a 1data folder for your primary folder. It will make backup easier. Within
1data, choose an organizational system with categories that make retrieval easy.
My system for organizing folders might give you some ideas. You will see that I
labeled each folder with a number followed by a hyphen. I did this in order to
force the folders to be organized sequential the way I like them:
o 0 = General, personal and family stuff
o 1 = International stuff
o 2 = Church stuff (congregational and denominational)
o 3 = Messiah College stuff (course materials and records)
o 4 = Music stuff (copies of songs; original compositions)
o 5 = My research (documents, field notes, etc.)
o 6 = Backups for computer backup files
o 7 = Documents related to websites, computer and utilities
o 8 = Financial stuff (personal and otherwise)
o 9 = Miscellaneous Stuff
o Below = various temporary files

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.38

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.39
Backing up your work

It is extremely important to “backup” your work in some form outside the computer. If
your computer crashes, having an external backup will save you weeks or months of time.
The backup can be to a flash drive, a hard drive or some other data storage device (such
as an SD memory card). Do regular backups (at least once a week).

Saving your work to a flash drive

A so-called “flash drive” or “thumb drive” is a USB storage device which can plug into
your computer. They can be useful for backing up data or for moving data from one
computer to another. Be careful, however, flash drives are a primary carrier of computer
viruses in Zambia. Be sure to “scan” or “clean” them before using them on your
computer.

Working from a flash drive versus working from computer drive

Some users prefer to use flash drives as their primary working medium. They store all of
their work files on a flash drive, allowing them to use different computers at different
locations by merely carrying their flash drive around. This is fine, but if you operate this
way, be sure to: 1) back your flash drive up regularly, and 2) scan it regularly to be sure
you have not unknowingly acquired a computer virus.

 To transfer files from a computer to a flash or visa versa, follow these steps:
o Plug your flash drive into the computer.
o Open it (you might need to navigate to the computer drive to this).
o Left-hold the folder or file you wish to transfer and “drag” it to the flash
or the computer (depending on which direction you are moving).

Special keys

 Special keys give multi-functionality to the computer keyboard

o “F keys” or “function keys” are used for a variety of functions. Most
function keys are defined by the particular computer, but a few are
universal
 In general, for example, F1 = help
o Ctrl key – The “control key” (“Ctrl”) is located near the space bar at the
bottom of the keyboard. It is normally associated with a variety of so-
called “shortcuts.”
o Alt key – The “Alt key” is similar to the control key and often helps users
quickly navigate programs. For example, in Word, the Alt key activates
the menus, allowing the user to select the desired feature.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.40

Computer Shortcuts: and explanation of how they work and their purposes

Combining special keys with alpha-numeric keys give a wide range of shortcuts for
various computer operations. For example, the control key (Ctrl) can be used with letters
of the alphabet for common operations such as save, print, copy, etc.

o Ctrl-c = copy o Ctrl-s = save

o Ctrl-p = print o Ctrl-v = paste
Computer “shortcuts” are simply one-, two-, or three-key combinations which execute a
particular function. Most of these functions can be executed in other ways, too, but
shortcuts are MUCH more convenient. Take the time to learn the basic ones and you will
not regret it. There is variation in the function of various shortcuts from program to
program, but many of the primary ones are universally used. In some programs, users can
define their own shortcut keys. This can be especially useful in making these programs
more user-friendly and making you more efficient.

The primary shortcut keys:

Ctrl-a Select all. In word processors, this shortcut selects all of the text in a
document.
Ctrl-b Bold. In word processors, this shortcut turns selected text into bold.
Ctrl-c Copy.
Ctrl-d Delete.
Ctrl-e Center text. In word processors, this shortcut centers selected text.
Ctrl-f Find.
Ctrl-g Go to.
Ctrl-h Search.
Ctrl-i Italics. In word processors, this shortcut puts selected text in italics.
Ctrl-j Full justify.
Ctrl-k Link. In word processors, this shortcut creates a live link to the internet.
Ctrl-l Flush left
Ctrl-m Indent.
Ctrl-n New.
Ctrl-o Open.
Ctrl-p Print.
Ctrl-q Quit.
Ctrl-r Flush right.
Ctrl-s Save.
Ctrl-t
Ctrl-u Underline.
Ctrl-v Paste.
Ctrl-w Close document or window.
Ctrl-x Cut. In word processors, this shortcut saves selected text while deleting
it from its current location.
Ctrl-y Redo the last action.
Ctrl-z Undo the last action.

ACTIVITY: memorize the computer short-cuts and know their purposes

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.41

Typing, continued

Qwerty Exercise
Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
qwert yuiop qwert yuiop till quail tight yell;
poiuy trewq poiuy trewq will those feat lake
qwert yuiop qwert hash till quail tight yell; will

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
wire this flay queue; usher wake yaw tide;
there rail sale gypsy is wire quash their light rash that
this flay queue; there usher wake yaw tide;

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
slit guide tale rage; tale trash slide day;
the depth quest your these take urge wages wake
slit guide tale rage; typist tale trash slide day;

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
play rest jaw quail; typed sure peep sill;
why fell its well peat ogre rate quell paw yap
two play rest jaw quail; why use typed sure peep sill;

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

if do pit dug wary; go her with hit;
quaff law stop lair gate fight tug quill day saw
here if do pit dug wary; yippee go her with hit; fight tug

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.42

Editing and co-editing your work

 Good writing and production of written materials requires careful “editing.” You
should work hard to be sure that your work has very few errors. The place to
begin is to edit your own work, both while you are typing it and after you finish.

 A second helpful thing to do is to ask someone to read your work and provide
feedback and input. It is easy to miss something, and having a second set of eyes
look over your work is very useful.

 Modern word processors also have ways to help you with editing. They have
built-in dictionaries that know when a word is spelled wrong. They also know
when your grammar is incorrect. Here are some ways to use word processors to
help proofread:
o A misspelled word will appear with a red line under it.
o Wrong grammar will appear with a green line under it.
o Use the built-in “spell check” to search incorrectly spelled words.
o Use the built-in thesaurus to check for other words in order to make your
writing more interesting.
o Use the “word count” feature to monitor how many words are in a
particular document. Some institutions require a minimum of words and
this feature can help you know how many words you have.

Reports

 Sections of a good report

o Heading (with reporting body’s name); date
o Body of report
o Closing: “Respectfully submitted”

 Heading
o Reporting body’s name (e.g., “2017 Report of the Educational
Committee”)
o Name of the body to which the report is being given
o Date of the report

 Body of report
o Subheadings can be helpful to guide the reader
o Keep the reporting to the point.
o Closing: “Respectfully submitted” (date is optional if it is also at the
beginning of the report).

ACTIVITY: Handwrite a report. Correctly type the report.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.43

Organizing Your Work

As stated above, organizing your work carefully helps you retrieve materials quickly and
reliably rather than wasting time search through hundreds of documents to find the one
you want. The key to this is to design your own system of folder organization and be
diligent about placing files and documents in their appropriate location. It is really no
different than administrative organization in a school or a business. Computers allow
users to “nest” folders inside each other, resulting in folders inside folders insider folders.
This can help you categorize where everything should go. There are many ways you
might organize. In a previous lesson, I showed my own organization, but you might want
to develop your own. Below is an example of “nesting” folders in order to organize work.

 0-General folder
 1-Personal folder
o Family pictures
 2016
 2017
- April@Zambia
- May@Japan
- June@Sikalongo
- July@Nahumba
o Family history
 Thomas family
 Martin family
o Travel documents
 Thomas Dwight
 Thomas Carolyn
 Thomas Matthew
 2-Work folder
o Professional materials
 Vita, Degrees & Certifications
 Promotional photos
 Business cards, etc.
o Current projects
 ZACU
 Sikalongo Bible Institute
o Old projects

 Create two folders on your desktop.

 Name one folder 1data.
 Name the other folder zacu2019.
 Move the zacu2019 folder into the 1data folder.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.44

Word Processing, continued
Open your word processing program and create a new document.

 Adjust the paper size and margins. This can be done in Libre Writer or in Word.
 Type words from your letter (from previous lesson) into the document. You may
look at the keyboard for this assignment.
 Practice shortcuts on the words in the document: bold (Ctrl-b), italics (Ctrl-i),
underline (Ctrl-u), flush left (Ctrl-l), flush right (Ctrl-r), center (Ctrl-e).

In Microsoft Word, left click the “Page layout” “tab,” then left click the “Margins”
feature from the menu. Continue to choose the margins you want.
Choose “Margins” from the
Set margins by selecting the
choices on the menu.
“Page layout” tab.

You will see a “pull-down menu” under “Margins." Select a pre-set margin or
customize your own:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.45

In Libre Writer, the process is similar. The “Format” pull-down menu allows many
different changes in settings. Margins can be set by selecting “Page” from the pull-down
menu.

After selecting Page, a “dialog box” will appear which gives various page settings: paper
size (format), Margins, Layout settings, etc. It is here that you also set “Portrait” versus
“Landscape” (or, vertical versus horizontal orientations). Notice also that the “tabs” at
the top of the dialog box: Organizer, Page, Area, Transparency, Header, Footer, Borders,
Columns, and Footnotes. Each tab will give you a variety of formatting choices.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.46

Save your document:

 Save (Ctrl-s) to an appropriate folder on the computer.

Both Libre and Word save in similar ways and both use the Ctrl-s command as a
shortcut. After keying Ctrl-s, Word brings up a dialog box which allows you to
save the document to any folder you wish. Notice, too, that you can change the
name to whatever you want by left clicking in the “File name” box.

Libre Writer functions in a nearly identical fashion:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.47

After having saved a document the first time, Ctrl-s will “save over” the previous
version. But, you can use the “save as” function to easily save your document under a
new name. This is wise as a way of “backing up” your work. Save subsequent versions
using a system which seems easy for you. For example, you might initially name the file:
zacuTyping-v1. By using “save as” you can preserve the zacuTyping-v1 while save a new
version named: zacuTyping-v2.

In Word, you will find the “save as” command under the File tab:

In Libre Writer, you will also find the “save as” command under the File menu:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.48

Copy (Ctrl-c) and paste (Ctrl-v) document from one folder to another folder.

 The “copy” command (Ctrl-c) will work for words, characters, images, files and
even folders. Its companion is the “paste” command (Ctrl-v). After copying
something, you simply navigate to the location where you want to paste it, and
key Ctrl-v in order to paste the item in the new location. It will remain at the old
location as well because you “copied” it.
 For example, select a portion of your text:

 Then, copy it (Ctrl-c), move your cursor, and paste it at another location in the
document. These commands work identically in Libre Writer and Microsoft
Word.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.49

Practice other shortcuts such as bold, italics, underline, flush right, flush left, and center.
Remember these and other functions appear on the “function ribbon” at the top of Libre
Writer and Microsoft Word.

Libre Writer function ribbon

Italics

Bold Underline Left, Center, Right and Full justification

Font size
Font selection

Microsoft Word function ribbon

Font selection Font size Left, Center, Right and Full justification

Underline
Bold
Italics

Printing and Outputting your documents

After creating a document, you will naturally want to “output it.” Output take the form of
“hard copy” (physical) form or “soft copy” (electronic).

 To print a hard copy version of your work, select the print function. You can do
this from the File menu or with the shortcut, Ctrl-p. After keying in Ctrl-p, a new
screen or dialog box will appear which gives you a variety of choices.

 Below is the dialog box for Libre Writer. Notice that the use can choose which
printer to use, which pages to print and how many copies to print. In this dialog
box, if you choose to do more than one copy, the “Collate” feature will become
bold (meaning it is activated). This feature allows you to automatically print the
document with the pages in the correct sequence. This is especially helpful for
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.50
 long documents (such as this module), where you might have 20+ pages. Failing
to use this feature would force to “hand collate” all the sets of the document.

You can also output a soft copy (electronic). There are several ways to do this. Most soft
copy output is produce in so-called “pdf format.” PDF is a special file type which cannot
be edited. It is also quite easy to attach to emails and copy to flash drives. Some software
has a built-in “pdf printer,” however you also output to a “virtual printer” such as
Bullzip. Look at the dialog box above and you will notice one printer is named “Bullzip
PDF Printer.” Selecting this printer would produce an electronic version of your
document which can be saved to computer or to a flash drive. For my recent book, the
editor sent final “proofs” of the chapters in PDF form for me to review and make
corrections.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.51

Microsoft Word functions similarly, although recent versions of Word take the user to a
different screen rather than using a dialog box. Word’s printer screen appears below. In
order to select the printer, left click on the downward triangle to view the various printer
options. As you can see, users can print all pages, some pages, set the number of copies,
and collate,

Here are the printers on my system as they appear in Word:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.52

World wide web and Internet fundamentals (terms, concepts, possibilities)

The “internet” (also known as the “world wide web”) is a connection of thousands of
computers around the world which are linked by satellite signals, land lines and cellular
signals permitting the transfer of computer data from one computer to another (eventually
reaching into private homes).

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.53

Locations and content

 “Domains” (e.g., www.zambiancu.org)

 Web addresses (e.g. www.zambiancu.org/zacumoodle)
 Web sites – the entirety of a particular organization’s web pages
 Web page – a single internet content window (which users can often “scroll”
down to view additional content)
Domain name and web address

Web “browsers”– the software program which assists users to view internet content. A
number of different browsers exist. All of them function similarly but are aimed at
particular devices and have unique strengths. The most common are: Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome, Microsoft Explorer, Apple Safari and Opera.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.54

Types of web sites you should know about

 Search engines – “Search engine” sites allow users to type something in the
“search box” and search the entire internet for it. The best known search engine is
Google (www.google.com)
 Informational websites – These sites are sometimes called information “portals”
because they have a variety of informational links. One of the best known is
Yahoo (www.yahoo.com).
 University and College websites – Every major institution of higher learning has a
website where they highlight their school’s activities and achievements. Examples
include: Messiah College, UNZA, Yale, University of Tokyo, etc.
 Research websites – A variety of websites exist which can aid students and
researchers in their scholarly work. Some provide downloadable digital
information; others merely provide information. Several of the best known are:
Worldcat, Google Scholar, Gutenberg Project
 News websites – Global news companies maintain websites which have daily
updates of global and local news. The BBC, for example, has a website which
gives good information about global events (www.bbc.com). Zambia has several
news websites which feature national news from Zambia.
 Corporate websites – Most large corporations have websites where users can find
information about their products or services. Companies such as Coca Cola,
Toyota, Microsoft, and South African Airways all have highly-developed websites
with lots of information.
 NGO websites – Most non-profits agencies also have websites where people can
learn about their activities, get involved, and donate money. Examples would
include: World Vision, Brethren in Christ USA, UNICEF
 Government websites – Every country’s government has an embassy or consulate
website dedicated to providing information about the country. Visa requirements
and immigration policies can be found on these websites.
 Blogs – Private or institutional websites which highlight the activities of a
particular individual or entity. For example, some pastors and academics maintain
“blogs” in order to post their opinions on various things.
 Social media websites – Facebook is the best known of these websites, but there
are others: Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, Linkedin, Flickr, Skype, and
Google Plus. Each social media website has advantages over the others. Skype,
for example, is one way some people stay connected over the internet. It is
possible to “audio Skype” (almost like a phone call) or “video Skype” (talking to
someone else while seeing them on the screen). For example, my son Skypes from
Australia to the United States to stay in touch with friends and associates.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.55

Webpages are designed in such a way as to help users navigate to information or services
in the easiest possible way. Below are some of the typical design features of websites:

 Usually, a “masthead” appears at the top showing the organization or company

 The most important feature of webpages are the “links.” Users can left click a link
and their browser will direct them to another web page or service. Words can be
links, but images can also be links. Move the cursor over around the page and you
will see it change from and arrow to a “pointer finger.” When the cursor appears
as a pointer finger, you will know that you have discovered a link. The arrows
below indicate links on this webpage.

ACTIVITY: Browse the internet via one of the above browsers.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.56

Proof-reading and correcting your work

Correcting your work is extremely important. Everyone makes mistakes, so take time to
check your work before presenting it to someone else.

“Proof-reading” is the process of reading your work after typing to find errors in order to
correct them. Many publishing companies employ full time “proof readers” to check
their publications before they print them. Proof reading involves: checking spelling,
grammar, punctuation and formatting

Professional proof readers use a series of common markings to make corrections easier
and faster. Many university professors use the same markings when grading student
papers. Below are a few of the common markings used for proofreading.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.57

Examination of an academic “class paper” – Anyone who attends university will need to
write and prepare academic papers. Although the format differs slightly in various
institutions, disciplines or countries, many of the elements are the same. Be sure to check
with your lecturer or the institutional guidelines for exact details. Here are the basic
sections of an academic paper:

 Title page
o Paper title
o Class or institution
o Professor
o Date
o Author

 Introduction
o Aim of the paper (or the problem to be addressed), thesis, etc.
o Review of the literature (i.e., a summary of previous research)
o Methodology, approach or background

 Body of the paper

o Organized in some logical fashion
o In some disciplines, this will include the “findings”

 Conclusion
o Recommendations or observations

 References or Bibliography
o Organized alphabetically by last name
o Format must follow the form given by the lecturer, institution or journal.

 Endnotes (some institutions or disciplines require footnotes)

o Activities: Handwrite a short class paper (for later typing). The topic of this
paper should be a description of the place where you grew up (village,
neighborhood, etc.). Include the names of people who are part of the community
and interesting details about the place.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.58

 Word processing, continued

Creating columns, changing the column width, forcing the next column
Using “columns” is a great way to consolidate more information on one page, thus saving
paper and making information immediately seen by readers. The columns feature can be
found on the page layout menu in both Libre Writer and Microsoft Word. I created
columns just for this region in order to compare the Libre and Microsoft processes for
creating columns. The “column width” can be changed to suit your needs. A shortcut
exists in Word to force text to the next column. It is: Ctrl+Shirt+Enter.

Microsoft Word columns Libre Writer columns

Inserting headers or footers, adding text to them

It is sometimes useful to add a “header” or a “footer” to a document. I frequently do this
when I am writing a long document in order to add page numbers and document name.
You will notice a footer at the bottom of this page which indicates the course title and the
page number. The feature is under “insert” in both Word and Libre Office and the
commands and features are nearly identical.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.59

Inserting graphics, changing their size, cropping them.
You will notice many graphics in this document. They were created and modified using
the “insert graphics” feature. The easiest way to insert a graphic is simply to copy it into
memory and then paste it into your document. For example,

 Find a graphic on the internet.

 Right click and copy it.
 Go to your document.
 Paste it where you want it.
 Modify it as necessary (“crop” it or enlarge or reduce it).

Inserting a table, changing column widths, and putting information into the table.
“Tables” are grids with text boxes arranged in columns and rows. Below is an example of
a table with six columns and three rows.

After having inserting such a table, users can easily add information to each “cell” (i.e.,
the term we use for each box). If the column widths must changed, it is easily done by
“dragging” the column lines to the desired location. So, for example, we might want to
have a table with a column for LastName, FirstName, Gender, Age, Class and Telephone.
We would want the column widths to vary according to the category.

LastName FirstName Ge Ag Class Telephone

n e

Text in each cell can be centered, flush left, flush right, bold, italics, underlined, etc. The
size and font can also be changed.

ACTIVITIES:

 Open your word processor.

 Create a new document. Set the correct page size and margins.
 Try to do all of the processes above: columns, headers, footers, graphics,
table.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.60

Basic email terms and concepts

 “Email clients” are software programs which help users organize and send
emails. Thurderbird is a freeware email client which can monitor multiple email
accounts, allowing you to send and receive thousands of emails.

 “Email account” and “email address” refer to the the account to which emails
are sent and the electronic “address” which identifies that account.

Email addresses usually take the following form:

[email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
So, for example, the ZACU Vice Chancellor’s email address is:
[email protected]

 ZACU’s domain is www.zambiancu.org

All ZACU students will be issued official email addresses.
Student email addresses, for example, might look like this:
[email protected]

Various commercial companies offer email accounts for free. The best known of these
are: “Google” and “Yahoo,” but there are others. Remember, of course, that company
policies and features change over time, so the current features might not be available in
the future, and companies might begin to charge a fee for their use. On the other hand,
one can take advantage of free features while they are available.

 The most common email features include the following:

o “Write” or “compose” (to create the email)
o “Reply” (to reply to the sender of an email)
o “Reply all” (to reply to all those who were included in an email)
o “Forward” (to send the email to someone else for review)
o “Delete” (to delete the email from the account)

 Sending and Receiving Email – Once you have established an email account, the
email process involves the following:
o Open your web browser.
o Enter the correct web address into the web address box.
o You must first “Login” to your account from a “login page.” using your
“account ID” and your “email password”
o Begin to write (or “compose”) an email.
o Send it.
o When you are finished, you can “Log out.”

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.61

 o I have created a Gmail account for this course.
 The login is zacu.gena101
 The password is gena-101

The login screen looks like this:

The email account screen looks like this:

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.62

All email accounts have basically the same features. You must simply search to find
where they are. This can take some time, but with diligence, you will find all the features.

Below is an email I wrote to myself. It shows the Gmail icons with the various features.
Arrows indicate the features
Trash or Delete Pull-down for
more options
Return to previous action

Reply to sender

Pull-down for
other reply options

On the left side of the Gmail email screen, you will see the following:

Pull-down for
other Gmail
modules (calendar
and contacts)

Composer or Write
an email

Inbox you’re your

incoming mail

Inbox you’re your

incoming mail

Notice also the words “Inbox,” “Sent Mail,” and “Drafts.” The Inbox contains your
newly-received email. The Sent Mail contains emails you have sent to others. The Drafts
folder contains emails you have begun but did not finish. You can resume composing
these drafts at any time and send them at a later time.

Other email clients (Yahoo, etc.) have similar functions with slightly different procedures.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.63

Plagiarism and Citations

“Plagiarism” is the act of stealing someone else’s ideas, words or other “intellectual
property” and presenting them (in writing or otherwise) as your own. In the academic
world, this is considered to be a VERY serious offense. In most universities, this alone is
grounds for failing a class. Routinely doing this would lead to expulsion from the best
educational institutions. Most academic institutions will not tolerate plagiarism and will
treat offenders accordingly. Be ready to be expelled if you plagiarize.

“Citations” acknowledge where writers have gotten their material and avoid accusations
of plagiarism. Citations can take several different forms depending on the discipline one
is pursuing. However, the essence is always the same:

When you use someone else’s words, put “quotation marks” around the text. For
example, you might write the following:

In his article, Dr. Thomas wrote: “Contemporary worship music among the
Tonga people in the Southern Province is being influence by Western popular
trends.”

After such a quotation, you must include information indicating the source. One of the
most common ways to do this is with “footnotes” or “endnotes.” Most word processors
will enter these automatically for you. For example, with the quotation above, it would
look like this:

In his article, Dr. Thomas wrote: “Contemporary worship music among the
Tonga people in the Southern Province is being influence by Western popular
trends.”1

(Note the “superscript” number after the quotation and the footnote at the bottom of this
page.)

In addition to this sort of citation, many books include “Bibliographies” at the end of the
book which list all of the sources used in the book. They are usually arranged
alphabetically by last name and include the basic information: author’s name, book title,
publication location, publisher, date. There are several universally-accepted formats used
around the world.

Below is a typical bibliographic entry for the humanities:

Thomas, Dwight W. Blest Be the Tie That Binds: Studies in Global Brethren in
Christ Faith and Culture. Grantham: Brethren in Christ Historical Society, 2017.

1
Dwight W. Thomas, “Inyimbo Zyabakristo: Chitonga Hymnal of the Zambian Brethren in Christ” in Blest
Be the Tie That Binds: Studies in Global Brethren in Christ Faith and Culture (Grantham, PA: Brethren in
Christ Historical Society, 2017), pp.133-162.
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.64
Invitations & Certificates
You might want to produce an invitation or a certificate. Both of these use similar
techniques and features of word processors.

 They commonly use a decorative font with other fonts.

 They often have a decorative border
 They often include graphics which must be inserted.

_________________________________

You are cordially invited to attend

the wedding of

Michelo Munsaka
and
Chipo Mpaka
on
st
21 May, 2018

The wedding ceremony will be held at

Riverside Brethren in Christ Church
in Choma

The reception will be held at

Zambian Christian University
Administrative Center
Nahumba Mission

Bring this invitation to the reception for entrance.

Like other tasks, invitations can be easily produced using either Libre Writer or Microsoft
Word. Above is an example of a wedding invitation. Appropriate graphics can be added
to make a professional-looking invitation.

ACTIVITY: Handwrite an invitation or certificate and type it in a word processor.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.65

Spreadsheets
“Spreadsheets” are extremely useful for calculating a variety of operations. The central
ideas of a spreadsheet are simple:

 A grid which includes columns and rows, thus creating boxes.

 Boxes which are called “cells” into which plain text, “real numbers” or
“formulas” can be entered.
 A wide variety of mathematical formulas and functions which permit the user to
do complicated mathematical operations.
 Sheets which can link to each other, thus permitting interconnecting operations
and the production of report pages for printing.

Both Libre and Microsoft office suites include a spreadsheet module.

The Libre spreadsheet is called “Calc” and the Microsoft is called “Excel”

Libre Calc looks like this:

Notice that the columns are identified with letters while the rows use numerals. Thus, a
particular cell would be identified by the column followed by the row: B12

 The most basic formula is: =sum(cell+cell)

So, to add cell B12 to cell C14 and place the result in celle A1,
you put the cursor in cell A1 and type: =sum(B12+C14)
Now, whatever values appear in B12 and C14 will be added and entered into A1.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.66

The result might look like this:

Notice that the numeral 24 appears in B12 and 67 appears in C14. They have been added
together by the spreadsheet formula in A1, resulting in the number 91.

A more complicated table might show the costs for a Youth event, where there is food,
transport, housing, equipment rental and speaker honorarium.

Notice the formula is” =SUM(B3:B7)

This indicates that the spreadsheet should add the numbers cells from B3 to B7 together.

ACTIVITY: Create a spreadsheet; enter a simple addition table

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.67

Anti-virus software explanation and procedures

As mentioned above, computer “viruses” can damage your computer or your files. “Anti-
virus software” finds these viruses and deletes them, thus saving your data. There are a
number of types of virus. You do not need to understand all of these, but you should
know how to use anti-virus software. The companies mentioned above produce reliable
anti-virus protection and you can use any of these on your computer.

AVG is one of many good anti-virus software programs. The software interface looks like
this:

In order to be effective, anti-virus must be “updated” regularly because new viruses are
being created every day. Notice that the window above is saying that the program is “out
of date” and should be updated. If you do not spend much time online, you can update
weekly. If you are a “heavy user,” you should update “virus definitions” daily. Most
programs will do this automatically when you are online. Remember, however, that these
updates are costing you money in data transfer. Some programs permit “offline” updating
which saves money.

Additionally, you must “scan” your computer regularly so the anti-virus software can
discover and eliminate viruses hiding on your computer. Every program has a button
somewhere which activates a scan. You can also set you anti-virus up so that it scans on a
regular schedule.

ACTIVITY: Scan your computer; scan and clean a flash drive

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.68

 Typing, continued

The Shift Key

The “shift keys” are essential for any finished typing project. Conventional English
grammar begins every sentence with a capital letter. Proper names, such as Zambia or
Kaunda also demand capital letters. Producing such capital letters requires the use of the
Shift Key. While the little finger of one hand holds down the shift key, the other hand
types the desired letter. This means that the typist switches shift keys from right to left
depending on which letter is to be capitalized. Practice the following:

 Thomas = right shift key + the “t” key followed by the rest of the word
 Zambia = left shift key + the “z” key followed by the rest of the word
 Practice typing your name and the names of your friends.
 Some mixed sentences:
o The Lord spoke to Paul while he was on the road to Emmaus.
o Religious leaders accused Jesus Chris in Jerusalem, resulting in his
crucifixion at Golgotha.

Bruce’s Typing Wizard is an open source typing program which can help improve your
typing speed and accuracy. The main window of the program looks like this:

As you can see, you can practice with typing lessons, typing practice or with a typing
game. The typing practice will calculate your typing speed and let you know how fast you
are.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.69

Typing Adverts

As you are aware, adverts are important for letting people know what we are doing or
informing them about the services we offer. Word processors can produce interesting
adverts in color or in black and white. Naturally, you should include the basic
information:

 Event name, product or service offered.

 Information about it (where, when, who will be there)
 Cost
 Contact information

Supporting graphics: “clip art,” photographs, decorative fonts – There is a wide variety
of free clip art on the internet. It is not difficult to find images which you can include in
adverts or other documents.

 For example, imagine the ZACU wants to offer another short-term intensive
course in November in music. We would begin by asking key questions. Potential
students would want to know:
o Who is eligible to enroll in the course?
o What will I learn?
o Who is the lecturer?
o Where will it be?
o What is the cost? Is there an application fee?
o When will it begin and end?
o What items must I bring?

 We would also want to be sure that key information about ZACU is included:
o The ZACU logo
o ZACU phone number and name of the contact person.

 We would search for appropriate music-related graphics to enhance the advert:

o Someone singing
o Notated music
o Decorative versions of musical terminology

ACTIVITY: Handwrite an advert and then produce it in Libre Writer or Microsoft Word.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.70

 Spreadsheets, continued

Computing (spreadsheet #2): A few more-advanced features

 Many different (and complex) formulas

 Multiple “sheets”
 Quasi-reports
 Graphs

o Many different (and complex) formulas exist

 =SUM(x+y) is the most basic, but many variations exist
=SUM(x+y)/SUM(a*c)
 Multiple functions:
 AVGERAGE (averages a range of cells)
 IF, OR, AND
 SIN and COS
 INTRATE, PMT, YIELD
o Multiple Sheets
 Spreadsheets can have multiple “sheets.” This allows users to link
those sheets together, making large-scale analysis possible. Choma
Secondary, for example, uses multiple sheets to organize its classes.
The composite results are calculated and shown final report sheets.
o “Reports”
 Although technically not a “report” in the database sense,
spreadsheets can be manipulated to produces quasi-reports which draw
information from many different sheets and summarize them on a final
sheet which can be thought of as a report.
o Graphs
 Spreadsheets can also produce a variety of graphs to help people
understand the data represented in the spreadsheet.
 For example, an administrator might compile attendance figures from
all classes, and compare them by using a graph.

14:30 – Break
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.71
15:00 – Session 4: Review and Q&A

 Library
o Review and Q&A

Budgets

o Elements:
o Using spreadsheets to assist the process

Tab & characters

 The “tab key” is especially useful for several common purposes.

o First, it simply jumps ahead on the page (screed) by a pre-determined
amount. You can set the default amount and you can set different tab
settings for different purposes. The tabs can easily be reset in the ruler at
the top of the window. Tabs can be set as left-tab, center-tab, or right-tab.
Notice how the use of different tabs in the example below enables the
creation of a nicely-spaced document.

Name Grade Teacher

Mutinta Munsaka 8 Mr. Silekingombe

Gift Mulenga 7 Mrs. Chibinga
Thomas Soda 2 Mr. Chulubantu

 Second, a tab is often used to indent the beginning of a paragraph.

 Third, it jumps between cells of spreadsheets or tables, allowing the typist to

move quickly around the page.

 Fourth, in conjunction with the “Alt-key,” tab can toggle between open windows
or programs. This is a very useful time-saving shortcut.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.72

Outlines

Anyone who speaks or prepares agendas or committee minutes must know how to
produce an outline. Modern word processors help make this an easy task. You can
produce the outline using a variety of combinations of numbers and/or bullets and other
symbols. You will notice, for example, that this entire document utilizes various types of
bullets in a staggered manner. Although much of the text is in prose form, the
presentation of the material is influenced by outline processes.

 It is very common in Zambian settings to produce minutes or reports and other

such documents using tiered numbering. Below is an example which was created
using Libre Writer.

ASSIGNMENTS: write an outline / enter a budget in the spreadsheet

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.73

 Glossary of Computer and Typing Terminology

Access –Microsoft’s database program

Anti-Virus – A type of program which protects computers against malicious attacks from
malware or other such scripts.
Apple - Company which produces the second most common operating system in the
world. They also produce a very popular cell phone.
Backup – The process of saving one’s data in a format which can be retrieved at a later
time should the computer crash or be stolen. This can be done on an external
drive, a flash, a memory card, or to some virtual storage location.
Base – Libre’s database program
Bit – Smallest unit of measurement for computing.
Byte – A unit of measurement for the commuter. It consists of 1000 bits.
Calc – Libre’s spreadsheet program

Casps Lock – Key which locks the keys into capital letters. It “toggles” back and forth
CAT5 – A high-speed data cable used to connect computers to other devices.
Cell – Small rectangular boxes in spreasheets into which users can put real numbers or
formulas.
Chip – Internal electronic part which "drives" the computer. It is sometimes referred to as
"the processor."
Click – The action which initiates a direct response from a computer (such as starting a
program, opening a file, or selecting an item on the screen).
Computer Desktop – The primary screen view on a computer which represents the
organization of one’s programs and data.
Control Panel – The control panel is the primary location for changing settings and
adjusting various computer devices.
Copy – An action which allows users to duplicate text or files in computer memory. Once
in memory, it can be “pasted” into another location.
Cursor – The small pointer (or other icon) which can be moved around the screen to
select or activate files or programs.
Cut – Operation in word processing which allows users to copy a word or phrase and
delete it at the same time.
Database – A program category which allows users to enter data and search, sort and
relate the data in a variety of ways. Microsoft’s database program is called
“Access.” Libre’s is simply called “Base.”

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.74

Delete – This action permits users to delete a file, icon or text. Items which have been
deleted are place in the “trash bin” where they can be permanently discarded
when desired.
Desktop Computer – A stationary computer which is not portable and is often found in
offices.
Download – copying programs or files from the internet to one’s computer
Drag – This operation is accomplished by "left-holding" and then moving the mouse with
the right hand.

Draw – Libre’s draw program

Driver – A programmatic file which provides computers with the necessary information
to operate hardware devices such as printers, scanners, hard drives, etc.
Without installing the correct driver for a particular printer, a user will not be
able to print to that printer.
ESC – The escape key helps users “escape” from a particular circumstance.

Excel – Microsoft’s spreadsheet software

Extension – The 3-character suffix following the dot in a file name.
Flash – A storage device which can be "plugged into" a computer via a USB connection.
Folder – A virtual filing folder into which users can place documents or other computer
files for later retrieval.
Freeware – Computer programs which can be used at no cost at all. All kinds are
available. Libre Office (which includes word processing, spreadsheet,
presentation, and database modules) is one such program.
GB – Abbreviation for gigabyte.
Gigabyte – A measure used for representing the storage capacity of hard drives and other
memory devices. It is equivalent to 1000 megabytes.

Hard Drive – A device which stores data such as files and programs. They can be internal
or external. The size is usually measured in gigabytes. Currently, anything less
than 300 gigabytes is considered too small.
HDMI - A rather new video input connection which is capable of higher quality signals
than the earlier VGA connection. It stands for High Definition Media Input.
Icons – The small images representing various computer functions, programs, etc.
Impress – Libre’s presentation program
Kilobyte – 1000 bytes. Abbreviation is KB
Laptop – A portable small format computer which can fit easily on one’s lap.
Libre – An open source office suite which includes word processor, spreadsheet,
database, presentation, and draw programs
Megabyte – Abbreviated MB, this is 1,000,000 bytes or 1000 KB
Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.75
Microsoft – The dominant company producing the Window operating system and office
software (Microsoft Office)
Monitor – The display device which is used to show the software programs and desktop
screen.
Mouse – A computer device which allows users to move the cursor around the screen.
The mouse incorporates two click buttons (left-click and right-click), which
permit users to initiate actions or find out information.
Open source – software which is free and available for downloading to anyone. An active
community of supporters exists which promotes open source software.
Operating system – The foundational software upon which all other software operates.
Microsoft Windows is the best-known operating systems. Others include the
Apple OS and Linux.
Powerpoint – Microsoft’s presentation software
Presentation software – Software which permits users to create “slides” which can be
projected for purposes of instruction, church or otherwise. Microsoft’s
program is called “Powerpoint.” Libre’s is “Impress.”
Print – The action of printing a document. The shortcut is: Ctrl-P
QWERTY – The key arrangement traditionally found on most computer keyboards,
before computers it was used for many decades as the keyboard arrangement
for typewriters.
Restore Point – In Windows, this point can be created whereby the computer will
“remember” the exact setup and data from a specific point in time. It is an
important tool for protecting one’s computer programs and data.
Save – Feature which allows users to save documents under a specific name and location.
Saving a document “overwrites” the earlier version with any newly-added
editing. The shortcut is: Ctrl-S
Save as – Feature which allows users to save an existing document under a different
name, while still preserving the earlier version.
Shift – Two keys (one on either side of the keyboard) which change a letter to capital
when the shift key is depressed while typing the appropriate key.

Spreadsheet – A software category which features a grid of “cells” and helps users
calculate numbers by using real numbers and formulas. “Excel” is Microsoft’s
spreadsheet program; “Calc” is Libre’s spreadsheet program.
Start menu – In Microsoft Windows, this icon is usually located in the corner. Left-
clicking the icon takes users to a screen which allows them to choose
programs.
Tab – A key which forces text in a word processing document to jump ahead by a pre-set
number of spaces.
Task bar – This appears on the side or top of the screen and includes program and system
icons.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.76

Terabyte – Abbreviated TB, it is equivalent to 1000 gigabytes.
Toggle – To alternate back and forth.
Trash bin – The location where deleted files are put after deletion. Items in the trash bin
can be permanently deleted when desired. They can also be “restored” to their
former location if so desired.
Upload – copying programs or files from one’s computer to another location via the
internet
USB – A type of cable ending which is often used to connect the computer to other
devices. USB cables now come in normal, mini, and micro sizes.
Virus – Refers to a number of computer “infections” which can damage computer data or
collect private information without the users knowledge.
Wipe – The erasing of data from a hard drive, flash drive or memory card.
Word – Microsoft’s word processing program
Writer – Libre’s word processing program
WYSIWYG – Stands for “what you see is what you get” and indicates that the image on
the computer screen is an exact representation of what will appear when a document is
printed.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.77

Typing Exercises
for Beginners by
Dr. Dwight W. Thomas, Ph.D.

Copyright 2017 Dwight W. Thomas

All Rights Reserved.
It is illegal to copy this document without written permission
from the author or from Zambian Christian University.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.78

 Typing Exercises – Home Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
asdfg hjkl; asdfg hjkl; ah had lag add dad slag sad fad
;lkjh gfdsa ;lkjh gfdsa lad had lag slag ah fad had dad
gfdsa hjkl; gfdsa hjkl; gad sad had dash lash add
adsfdg ;kljkh adsfdg ;kljkh ah had lag add dad slag fad

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
hash flash ask has dash gash lash
ask has hash flash lash dash gash
hash ask flash hash gash lash dash
hash flash ask has dash gash lash

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
lad sash flag fall gall hall lass
sash flag lad fall gall hall lass
flag lad sash fall gall hall fall
lad sash flag fall gall hall lass

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
glass adds alfalfa sad shall salad
alfalfa adds glass shall salad sad
glass alfalfa adds salad sad shall
glass adds alfalfa sad shall salad

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

ash glad alas all flask half
glad alas ash flask half all
alas ash glad half all flask
ash glad alas all flask half

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.79

 Typing Exercises – Querty Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
qwert yuiop poiuy trewq qewret piouiy qewret piouiy
qwert yuiop poiuy trewq qwepoi treyui qwepoi treyui
qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qpwoeiruty tyrueiwoqp
trewq yuiop trewq yuiop qetpiy wruo qetyip wruo
yuiop trewq yuiop trewq

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
quip try wet trip tip pot rot tree
wet trip quip try rot tree tip pot
quip trip try wet pot tree tip rot
quip try wet trip ip pot rot tree

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
yet pie tow up it tot to you it quit were
tow it up yet pie tot it quit were to you
pie tow up yet it tot you were to quit it
yet pie tow up it tot were you to quit it

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
put up rip tree write it try true power to up it
write it up rip tree put up power to try it true
rip it up put write tree power it up true to try it
put up rip tree write it try power to true it up

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

you wrote or quit to rope peter root it up to put wet rope
or quit to rope you wrote root it up to put peter wet rope
wrote you rope or to quit wet peter rope it up to put root
you wrote or quit to rope peter root it up to put wet rope

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.80

 Typing Exercises – Querty Row + Home Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
qwert yuiop poiuy trewq till quail tight yell
qwert yuiop poiuy trewq will those feat lake hash
qwert poiuy qwert poiuy those lake feat will hash
trewq yuiop trewq yuiop hash those quail feat hash
yuiop trewq yuiop trewq

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
wire this flay queue; usher the wake to the yaw tide;
there gypsy sale rail is this wire quash their quail at the light rash;
flay the queue to this lake that usher wake yaw tide;
hash the wire for this gypsy
Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
slit guide tale rage; the depth quest your tale trash slide day; take urge wages wake
these slit guide tale rage; typist tale trash slide day;

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
play rest jaw quail; why fell its well peat typed sure peep sill; ogre rate quell paw
two play rest jaw quail; why yap use typed sure peep sill;

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

if do pit dug wary; quaff law stop lair gate go her with hit; fight tug quill day saw
here if do pit dug wary; yippee go her with hit; fight tug

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.81

 Typing Exercises – ZXCVB Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
zxcvb nm,./ zxcvb nm,./ zcbn,/ xvm. zcbn,/ xvm.
/.,mn bvcxz /.,mn bvcxz z/x.c,vmbn bnvmc,x.z/
zxcvb nm,./ zxcvb

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
zmb bbc nbc cbn nnn vvv ccc ,,, zzz /// xxx …
nbc cbn zmb bbc ,,, zzz /// xxx … nnn vvv ccc
zmb cbn bbc nbc nnn /// xxx … vvv ccc ,,, zzz
zmb bbc nbc cbn nnn vvv ccc ,,, zzz /// xxx …

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
bnbn c,c, z/z/ cmcm mxxx /// mbb czz cv zm xxxc.
z/z/ cmcm mxxx bnbn c,c, cv zm /// mbb czz xxxc.
bnbn mxxx c,c, z/z/ cmcm cv /// mbb czz zm xxxc.
bnbn c,c, z/z/ cmcm mxxx /// mbb czz cv zm xxxc.

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
zc zm zx zn zv zb. cx cbb nbc bbc mcn zmm
zx zn zc zm zv zb. mcn cx cbb nbc bbc zmm
zc zb zm zx zn zv. nbc bbc cx cbb mcn zmm
zc zm zx zn zv zb. cx cbb nbc bbc mcn zmm

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.82

 Typing Exercises – ZXCVB Row + Home Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
mad ham lamb dam lad nag; glad flag madam chad sham,
lamb dam mad ham lad nag; madam glad flag chad sham
dam lad nag mad ham lamb; chad sham glad flag madam,
mad ham lamb dam lad nag; glad flag madam chad sham,

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
clam black flack back knack / a black van can fan a lad.
flack back clam black knack / a lad can fan a black van.
back knack clam black flack / can a lad fan a black van.
clam black flack back knack / can a black van fan a lad.

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
dad has a bad can and a sax. a glad madam had a mad dad.
can dad man a can and a bad sax a glad dad has a glad madam.
a dad and a man had a lax sax. mack a jazz sax and glad madam.
a bad sax can ham a sad dad. a lad had a flask and a can.

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
glad man jazz man glad man / a black man can fan a jazz sax;
madam black class madam / can a jazz sax ban a mad dad.
sad class had a lamb and a van / hand a jazz sax a black can;
a black man can fan a jazz sax. and a class van as land.

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

land a man, and ban a lad, alas, a lass and a lad can fall sad.
and flask a glad jazz madam. a lad can fall sad; and a lass mad.
a man, a madam, a van, and a can; can a lass clad black jazz sax
can ban a black jazz sax. a lad, alas, can fan cash.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.83

 Typing Exercises – ZXCVB Row + Home + Qwerty Rows
Commonly-used words

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
the, the, the book. a a a / an an an / and and and
this, this, this man. is, is, is / are, are, are
that, that, that woman. was, was, was / were, were, were
There, there, there are; another, another, another.
these, these, these were; can a man serve two masters
the this that there these a woman can have a class
this is the day the lord has made.

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
it it it / is is is to to to / out out out
if if if / in in in no no no / yes yes yes
into into into / its its its he he he / she she she
up up up up / down down down they they they / we we we
right right / left left us us us / them them them

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
have have have when when when
had had had what what what
has has has why why why
has this man had a van who who who
that woman has a jazz sax. where where where
can the boy have two saxes which which which
the men shall have tea. how how how

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
see / saw / seen boy boys boy / girl girls girl
do did does done man men man;
eat ate eaten eating woman women woman;
go went gone going child children child.
make / made / making Teacher, teachers, teacher;
cook cooked cooking Student, students, student.
work worked working pastor, pastors, pastor;
run / ran / running farm / farmed / farming / farmer

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.84

 Typing Exercises
ZXCVB Row + Home + Qwerty Rows + Shift key
Short Sentences for easy practice

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
There was once a rabbit. Use correct spelling when typing a paper.
He was very smart.
He had friend. If your grammar or spelling are
She was a small girl. not correct, your grade will suffer.
Her name was Mutinta.
One day, the rabbit ran away. Take time to correct your work.
And the little girl was very sad. In the end, you will do better.

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
Good typing is very important. There are two cardinal rules for good touch
It critical for students and teachers. typing.

Without good typing, your work will go First, stay in home position.
slower.
Second avoid looking at the keyboard.
With good typing, you will finish
everything faster.

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
The Lord is my shepherd. Great is the Lord.
I shall not want. He is greatly to be praised.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. God reigns in majesty in heaven.
He leads me beside still waters. Let everyone serve the Lord.
He restores my soul. Bow down before him.
Worship him with all your heart.

Exercise 7: Shift symbols Exercise 8:

??? / >>> / <<< / ::: Did you see that cow?
:<>? / :<>? / :<>? Was the girl at the school?
Why did you not sing?
Are you going to Choma today?
How often do you go home?

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.85

 Typing Exercises
ZXCVB Row + Home + Qwerty Rows + Shift key
Short Sentences for easy practice #2

Exercise 1: School Exercise 2: Zambia

Cholwe is my best friend. Zambia has many great people.
Chilobe went to school today. Victoria Falls is beautiful.
Is Mr. Mudenda a good teacher? Is Choma is a busy place?
Our school team won the game. Kenneth Kaunda struggled hard.
Do you have exams tomorrow? The Zambezi is a long river.
My results are due next month. Kariba Dam produces electricity.

Exercise 3: Church Exercise 4: Business

Our pastor serves the church well. How much does this cost?
The youth choir sings on Sunday. I would like to buy some maize.
We put a new roof on our church. This shirt has some damage.
Should the offering be higher? Can you deliver this today?
When will the service begin? The school needs more envelopes.
We recently go new benches. Please service this vehicle soon.
Is that your new deacon? May we have the check, please?

Exercise 5: Village and Family Exercise 6: Music

The chickens look healthy. That song was really nice.
How many cattle do you have? How often do you practice?
Where is your Mother? Please sing another hymn.
Your garden looks great. I love Inyimbo Zyabakristo.
We have four children. Your drummer did great job.
Did you harvest a lot of maize? The women will sing next.
I see you have begun to plant. Can the keyboard play softer?

Exercise 5: Travel Exercise 6: Food

When does the bus leave? Nshima and fish is my favorite.
Transport has become too costly. Does Spar sell chicken and chips?
How long does it take to Choma? Ground nuts are available now.
Our car broke down near Batoka. The oranges are ripe and ready.
The road to Chikanta is very bad. Cook that meat well.
The bridge at Kalomo collapsed. Where can we find good bread?

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.86

 Typing Exercises – Numbers Row

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
12345 67890 / 12345 67890 0974 573 043 / 0977 322 012
09876 54321 / 09876 54321 2017, 2020 , 1994 , 1906
135 086 2479 / 135 086 2479
111, 222, 333, 444, 555 a1 b2 c3 d4 e5 f6 g7 h8 i9 j0
666, 777, 888, 999, 000 k11 l12 m13 n14 o15 p16
12d. 14x. 15j. 88s. 99b. q17 r18 s19 t20 u21 v22 w23
x24 y25 z26

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
A1 S2 D3 F4 G5 H6 J7 K8 L9 ;0 9l 8k 7j 8th August 2017
6h 5g 4f 3d 2s 1a 25th December 2016
15th April 2018

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
Chapter 23, page 36 Our address is 435 Main Street.
You can find it on page 79. We are at 3rd Avenue, Lusaka.
Look at chapter 12, page 58. Send it to box 3598.
There are 923 students at school. The postal code is 630013.
Did you ask for 456 books?

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
If 25 students study 7 hours, how many 9 time 3 equals 18
total hours did they all study? 24 divided by 6 is 4
88 plus 11 is 99

Exercise 9: Exercise 10:

Go to room 35 in building 7. 3,428 people attended the rally.
The book is number 386.24 Zambia has 10 provinces.
The number is 5193.002 There are 35 chieftancies.
You paid 1,500 kwacha. We have 26 head of cattle.
Tution will be be 6,500 kwacha. I sold 122 chickens to Spar.
The books cost 2,000 kwacha. We need 97 bags of maize.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.87

 Typing Exercises
Numbers Row with Shift

Exercise 1: Exercise 2:
!@# $% ^&*()_+ ;;; ::: ;;; :::
+_)(*&^ %$#@! ‘‘‘‘ ““““ ‘‘‘‘ ““““
!@# $% ^&*()_+ //// ???? //// ????
+_)(*&^ %$#@! pppp [[[[ ]]]]
PPPP {{{{ }}}}
9999 ((((
0000 ))))
---- ____
==== ++++

Exercise 3: Exercise 4:
I’ll be there. #15 @ $56.80 = 17%, 15*(12+3)=15
Don’t worry. ^2, 2‐ !=4‐2
Can’t you going to town? if($totalqty=0)
“One Zambia One Nation” if(document.images)
23 < 44 but 89 is > than 15 sum=(D4*E14)
This is Rev. Nseemani’s home. 85% of our students graduate.
BIC (Brethren in Christ) You are in Room #3.
“He was a [very] slow runner.” Wow! What a great picture!
"You did’nt order anything?"

Exercise 5: Exercise 6:
[email protected] Munsaka & Mudenda, LTD
[email protected] Muleya & Matapo Incorporated
[email protected]

Exercise 7: Exercise 8:
Your name: _____________ >>> for n in [1, 2, 3]: print n;
Dr. Wanda Thuma-McDermond %d x 7 = %d % (j,j*7)
I want _____ books. if (index >= size) throw new
This (*) is an asterisk. ArrayIndexOutOfBounds
23 + 45 equals 68. if(chair $where){ #we got there } else {
#not }

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.88

 Typing Exercises – Short Phrase

Exercise 1: Exercise 2: Exercise 3: Exercise 4:

a boy our home their school these people
a girl our town their fields these songs
the woman our church our dog those roads
the man your car our chickens those leaders
my friend your book his fence which way
my son your food his maize which side
his wife his bike that tree what time
his daughter his bag that building what paper
that student his pigs an apple
that driver her skirt an orange
this teacher her hair my belt
this farmer her choir my hat
Exercise 1b: Exercise 2b:
a young boy our first home
a smart girl our home town
the old woman our biggest church
the strong man your red car
my new friend your own book
my first son your best food
his young wife his old bike
his last daughter his big bag
that lazy student his five pigs
that good driver her blue skirt
this excellent teacher her nice hair
this trained farmer her talented choir
Exercise 3b: Exercise 4b:
their high school these young people
their maize fields these slow songs
our little dog those bad roads
our young chickens those skilled leaders
his garden fence which way
his fresh maize which side
that guava tree what time
that brick building what paper
an apple pie
an orange drink
my leather belt
my brown hat

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.89

 Typing Exercises
Short Sentences from the Alphabet

Exercise 1: A-C Exercise 2: D-F

Lots of apples are available. Can Donald drive to Dambwa?
Actually, all the boys are around. Daring drama digs deeper.
Beware of bees in your barn. Every event earns enough.
Smell before you buy the bread. Entertaining energy enters us.
Can Choma cows climb trees? Flee from failure forever.
It is crazy to contemplate crime. Fry the filling fish on the fire.

Exercise 3: G-I Exercise 3: J-L

Goats love grass and grain. Jazz in Japan is just jumping.
Give a gift to the gracious girl. Jacob and Jane are joining us.
How heavy is his hammer? Kaunda keenly knew Kalomo.
Has Howard had a heart attack? Mr. Katengo killed the snake.
I imagine I will invite Innocent. Let the Lusaka ladies leave late.
Innovate rather than imitate. Lead the Livingstone little ones.

Exercise 3: M-O Exercise 3: P-R

Maybe my Mother can mend it. Prayerful pleas promptly prevail.
Mr. Makwamba makes money. Play a pleasant tune on the piano.
Might Macha Mission manage it? Quails are quite quick.
The Nyumbu name is new to me. Quit squeezing the quiet squid.
It is never nice to needle nuns. Read the rules before the rally.
Open our outside oven, please. Remember no right turn on red.
Were other options overlooked?

Exercise 3: S-V Exercise 3: W-Z

She sang slowly at Sikalongo. When will the warnings weaken?
Shall Susan show Sam the song? Whatever do the women want?
Taonga told Thuma to make tea. An extra sax would be excellent.
That terrible tumble cut my toe. Except for exams, I like school.
Uttering useless understatements. Your yearning might yet yield.
Unless others upset us, we win. Yes, we use yeast every year.
Various versions violate veracity. Zambians zip and zoom around.
Every valley has vibrant views. Zambezi rapids test crazy zealots.

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.90

 Typing Exercises – Excerpts for practice

EARLY DAYS Words

Among the “factory hands” at the Blantyre Cotton Works, situated on the
beautiful river Clyde, a little above Glasgow, was a lad who entered as
“piecer” when about ten year old, and at the age of nineteen was still there,
having advanced through the intermediate stages to the full dignity of a
cotton-spinner!
53
Davie, as his companions called him, was silent and thoughtful, even when
a boy ; and as he grew up to manhood he became more so, yet was he not
sullen or morose; ever ready to do a good turn for any one, civil and obliging,
he was generally liked, although he shared but little in the sports and
pastimes of the lads with whom he worked at first, or in the amusements of
the weavers, male and female, in whose society he afterwards had to pass his
hours of labour, which were from six in the morning till eight at night, with
short intervals for breakfast and dinner.

This, with most young people, would have given little time for mental
improvement; but the thirst for knowledge was strong in Davie, and he
managed to lay in a good store of information, by stealing hours from the 109
night, and letting no odd moments pass by unimproved.

From a biography of David Livingstone: Adams, H. G. David Livingstone:

The Weaver Boy Who Became A Missionary. London: Henry Frowde, 1879.

47

You can calculate your speed by timing yourself with your phone. Simply divide the
number of words by the number of minutes. For now, round off your time to the tenth of a
minute (i.e., 6” = one tenth of a minute). So,

1.2 minutes by your phone calculator = 2 min. and 20 sec. = 1.3 minutes (by %)
Hence, divide 47 words by 1.3 = 36 words per minute

Basic Computing and Typing Skills, p.91