The Internet is a web of billions of computers around the world sharing information and providing services. Here we discuss ways to ensure that we can use the Internet safely and effectively.

Contents:


Internet Safety

  • Description: This course looks at how to protect your computer and your accounts on the Internet. Things to check on your computer include: regular installation of updates, the Windows firewall and virus scanners. We will discuss malware of various types, viruses and Internet scams. Passwords are extremely important and we will discuss how to create a strong one. Participants will learn how to handle multiple passwords. Finally there will be discussion of steps to take if you are hacked.
  • Audience: Users with a basic comfort level with the Windows interface. A Windows Basics course may be helpful before taking this one.
  • Duration: 4 hours in total

Online Shopping Safely

  • Description: Buying online is fast and convenient, with a few clicks of the mouse you can have items arrive at your door. As with all things, it is wise to be a bit cautious. We will look at Internet Safety in general and then provide guidelines to shop online with confidence.
  • Audience: Users with a basic comfort level with web browsers.
  • Duration: 2 hours in total

Introduction to the Internet, Web Browsers and Email

  • Description: Your computer is connected to a network of billions of other computers around the world. You can communicate via email, shop for a huge variety of things and find many different services. This is about using web browsers and web applications to help you navigate this electronic world. Banking, shopping and ordering supper can all be done from your couch. Setting up and using an email account on a cloud service such as GMail will be covered.
  • Audience: People comfortable with the keyboard and mouse.
  • Duration: 4 hours in total

Web Browsers on Windows 10

  • Description: Web browsers are programs (apps) that allow us to retrieve information from the Internet. The browser allows us to request information and then presents it to us as a nicely formatted way that is generally pretty easy to read. We will discuss the tasks that all web browsers allow us to do and then we will go over some of the detail differences between popular browsers such as Chrome, Edge and Firefox on desktop computers. We will compare with Safari on iOS devices if there is time.
  • Audience: People comfortable with the keyboard and mouse.
  • Duration: 2 hours in total

Email basics

  • Description: Email remains widely used as a means of communication in the connected world. There are many sources of email accounts, and lots of applications to use as email clients. This session covers concepts common to all email providers and clients, with some focus on Google’s email service, GMail.
  • Audience: People comfortable with basic computer use.
  • Duration: 4 hours in total

Browsing Safely with Edge on Windows 10

  • Description: The Edge web browser comes with Windows 10 and is intended to replace Internet Explorer. Edge promises better security than Internet Explorer and other browsers available. We will cover how to use Edge’s reading tools, the ability to write notes on web pages, and Cortana, which is built in. We will discuss Edge’s browser extensions and how to get them, and how to use InPrivate browsing when you don’t want stored cookies, history, or temporary files. If you are using Windows 10 but haven’t tried Edge yet, this session is for you.
  • Audience: Users with a basic comfort with the Windows 10 interface.
  • Duration: 2 hours in total