Course Descriptions

Byte Back is a non-profit organization assisting organizations and individuals who are serving unemployed and/or underemployed adults or at-risk youth and who are interested in providing computer-training services.

Classes are delivered in a classroom setting with a workstation for every student facing forward. The teacher's workstation facing the students is connected to a large monitor. Teacher demonstrations are easily viewed by students and repeated at their own workstations. Courses are given in detailed lesson plans arranged with an outline of objectives, in-class exercises, resource files, handouts, and a lesson-by-lesson checklist of skills attained through the course. Resources: Byte Back provides class assistant coaches in support of teachers and open labs for student practice. Courses are enriched by a typing tutorial, mouse games, and on-line resources.

Learn Basic Skills

Keyboarding and Mouse Practice
Learn to use the Byte Back Typing Tutorial, and identify other online typing tutorials. Master the mouse through computer games and mouse exercises.

Personal Computing for Beginners (formerly Windows 1 and Windows 2)
For very beginners, teaches use of Microsoft's PC operating system. Objectives include learning the parts of the computer, mouse basics, using menus, creating and managing files and folders, using a typing tutorial, editing text, saving files understanding memory and storage basics, Internet search and electronic mailing.

E-mail and Internet
History, overview, and definition of the Internet and World Wide Web; browsers and what they do; obtaining and using e-mail, sending and opening and saving attachments, using search engines, safety issues.

Word 1
With typing speed of 20 words/minute word processing using Microsoft Word. Objectives include computer file management, understanding file types, using formatting tools, spell checking, basic editing, drawing toolbar, appending files, using templates. introduction to Auto Text, using tables, bulleted and numbered lists.

Word 2
Intermediate Microsoft Word objectives include using styles, working with the split screen, producing a table of contents, creating an index, working with pictures, diagrams and charts, mail merge, collaborating with others, understanding and creating forms.

Excel 1
Introduces spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel. Skill objectives include understanding cell addresses, understanding the different cursors and parts of the spreadsheet, using formulas, and simple functions.

Excel 2
Teaches intermediate skill objectives including how to make a "what if" scenario, how to prepare a list for a graph and using the chart wizard, filtering lists, entering data and formatting on multiple sheets.

PowerPoint
This presentation software is a component of the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Projects large screen images to illustrate speeches. Can incorporate pictures, graphs, moving text, animated images and special effects. Prerequisite: Word 1.

PC Hardware Basics, PC Hardware 2, and PC Hardware 3
PC troubleshooting and safety issues. Install components, understand Bios, Memory, hard disk partitioning. Install operating systems. Simple PC networks. Bring your PC for exploration, upgrading and repairs.

Advanced Classes

Access
Introduces database using wizards, building your own data base, forms, reports, and queries. Prerequisites: Windows 2, Excel 1 or some knowledge of data base concepts.

HTML 1
Hypertext Markup Language is a script used to construct web pages. HTML 1 teaches bare bones construction of a web page, how to change fonts, colors, and lists, and use tables to control the placement of elements on the page. Prerequisite: Typing, knowledge of computer file management (Computing for Beginners course), knowledge of word processing, or placement test.

HTML 2 Projects
Independent project guidance with instruction in controlling the placement of web page content, forms, and cascading style sheets (CSS). Prerequisites: HTML 1 or qualifying exam.

IMPACT Youth Curriculum

Introduction to Microsoft Products and Computer Technologies (IMPACT) is the new youth curriculum, currently in development at Byte Back. It has been piloted once and will continue to be modified and improved. At present, IMPACT includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Internet Explorer (focus on E-mail and Search), and keyboarding.