Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy New Year.

I will return on 10 January with another Cert II in IT course. There are still plenty of vacancies, so call reception on (03) 5329 1500 or visit our website http://www.bestcd.org.au/ or our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bestcd for more information.

I have just started to tweet on Twitter as well, I hope I can keep it up, try out @bestcdcomputer to follow.

Here is a video about Christmas Lights, imagine the electricity bill for December!




Graham

another one bites the dust

Well 2010 is nearly over. The Cert II IT class finished last week and there are just a couple of small classes to go and its all over red rover.

2011 is looking very busy indeed with Cert II IT and Cert III Business filling most of the classes between January and March. Normal classes will resume in April around the Easter and Anzac Day holidays. A Cert III in IT might start in late May.

Have a great Christmas everyone and have a safe start to the new year.

Follow what is happening in computer training on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bestcd and on Twitter @bestcdcomputer

Graham

Cert II IT Drawing to a Close

The Cert II IT class that has been running the last couple of weeks is drawing to close at the end of this week.

While the numbers have dropped steadily over the course, those who remained have been fun to work with. They seem to have enjoyed themselves too.

They have shown me quite a few new things along the way which is great. Today we spent time making phone calls and answering calls for a restaurant.

They have each made their own blog and have been keeping them up to date along the way.

Class on Blogging Today

I have a class on Blogging running today.

Over the weekend I set up page on facebook for the computer training room.

Here is the link to it below. If you have a FaceBook account please click the "LIKE" button at the top of the screen

Have a look at the "Earth Sandwich" and the "Then Me Now Me" page while you are at it

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEST-Community-Development/100239663380112

Online Training

Online Training is available from BESTCD for the following courses:

• Intro to Word 2007
• Intermediate Word 2007
• Advanced Word 2007
• Intro to Excel 2007
• Intermediate Excel 2007
• Advanced Excel 2007
• Intro to Access 2007
• Intro to PowerPoint 2007
• Intro to Publisher 2007

If you are unable to get to our Ballarat training room

If you can not make it on the days the courses you want to do are running

If you are looking to do the course immediately

If you are not able to sit in a training room for a full day due to injury

Then these courses might be perfect for you.

You will need to have a copy of the software on your computer and access to a broadband Internet connection

Once you have enrolled in an online course an email is sent to your inbox with some files attached for use during the course and a link to the website where your course is stored. Each course has twelve lessons. Each lesson starts with a video where I demonstrate how to complete the activity/skill for that lesson. After watching the video there is a task outlined on the webpage for you to complete using one of the files sent with the introductory email.

On completing the lesson you are encouraged to return the file to me as an email attachment for me to correct. If you complete all twelve activities and return them to me then I will send a certificate out to you.

Here is a typical video, it is from the Intro to Word course.

Cert II IT is up and running

The Cert II IT class started this week. There are five keen participants and another starting in a week.
Quality not Quantity!
They all finished the first unit on Monday, Operate a Personal Computer, and have made a flying start to Computing packages.
They will have an account of there own in a week's time and will use it to post their impressions of the course online.

Summer School halfway mark

Well the Cert II IT class and the general classes scheduled for January and February have reached the halfway mark.

The groups have been great to work with and the Cert II class in particular is really going well. They have cruised through the units to date and are getting the general skills needed to work on PCs. Regular repetition of activities have helped them to gain confidence. The atmosphere is more confident and relaxed also.

We are working with cameras and phones this week and they should really enjoy that too.

One on one training has been popular already this year as well as the online classes.

Dim Dim meeting this Friday

2010 has started! What happened to the holidays?

Well I'm back in harness and the computer classes have started in busy mode. All the normal classes from last year are being offered plus a couple of new ones.

The online courses in Office 2007 are going to be a special focus this year and time is being set aside most Friday afternoons for participants to chat with me and each other at a special Dim Dim session. This should be very interesting and a bit of a steep learning curve for all involved, including me.

The Cert II IT class that stated this week on the 11 January is nearly full. The participants are very keen and despite the oppressive weather for the first couple of days they have remained focused and cheerful. They will be making their own Blogs next week and posting photos of the group and the room.

The first BBQ for the year is scheduled for this Friday and I hope to take a few snaps there and post them as well.

The BEST Computer Club in conjunction with Clean Up Australia (Ballarat) has started a special program to recycle dry cell batteries. A special bin has been placed outside the door to the computer training room at 28 Victoria Street and it can be accessed between 8:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday. Anyone reading this Blog is welcome to make use of it.

Graham