Tools2Create course offered in January

A small-but-select group of San Mateo seniors have signed up for a class that will turn them into savvy, social media members of the San Mateo Senior Computer Club.  


"Tools2Create" is an online course that walks participants through a number of the top web 2.0 tools (including blogs) and also addresses issues and new vocabulary such as "digital literacy" and digital citizenship.

MAY 2011 Computer Club Topic: SKYPE

May 2011. Since When Has 1 and 1 Equaled the Whole World ?
 

After a seven year gestation, SKYPE is a secret no longer. You and 560 million users of SKYPE can make phone and video calls at almost no cost everywhere. And now you can do this with a connection between computers.

Situation.  

Phone companies worry about putting copper wires everywhere: like on the corner of your block and throughout your house all the while making you pay for it. But the new generation, uses WiFi with aplomb. Turn on the wireless and the whole house is connected. This generation jump is the basis for your relief: make a call (it could be voice or video) anywhere at a very low cost...many times it is free. Although there are other similar services, none have expanded their base worldwide nor have they established their infrastructure of hardware and software to become the leader in VOIP (voice-over-Internet Protocol) for the masses.   

Some New Words, How It Is Done, What It Looks Like, When To Spend Money, Why do it?

·        VOIP. Wireless. Internet. Computer. Webcam.  

·        A demonstration – how to install.

·        Now everyone knows the color of your immies.

·        What’s this about money?

SKYPE (what it looks like, how it is done, why use it):

SKYPE tutorials:

·        Say it visually = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1mflr-kQlk

·        How to ... (7.5 minute tutorial)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pr7KnS54zg&feature=related

Other good links:

·        10 Ways seniors can use Skype http://blog.brightstarcare.com/bid/22716/10-Ways-Seniors-Can-Use-Skype

·        Skype news – embedding Skype in TVs to make it more accessible to seniors:https://www.aarpglobalnetwork.org/netzine/Industry%20News/SeniorLivingNews/Health%20and%20Beauty%20for%20seniors/Pages/Skypeprovidescommunicationandhealthservicesforelderly19897475.aspx

What do you have to do:

1.    Get an email address.

2.    Connect to the Internet.

3.    A webcam, a laptop with a camera or a tablet with a camera.

4.    Microphone, speaker or a microphone/speaker on the same laptop.

5.    Go to http://www.SKYPE.com; Get a login and password; Download SKYPE to your computer or laptop.

6.    Setup the software.

7.    Look for your relatives or friends and ask them to join the connection.

Why do it?  Why SKYPE?

1. Stay in touch with home-bound friends and relatives.  Holiday virtual visits. Save travel time and costs by substituting some “virtual” visits.
2. Enjoy dinner or conversation with distant friends.  Stay connected.
3. Watch a TV show or baseball game together, with your Skype-connected friend by your side.
4. Share a computer screen and discuss plans, edits, or changes to a document in real-time, rather than sending documents or e-mails back and forth.
5. How do YOU use SKYPE?

Tech "Care Package" 2-minute Videos

Google has created more than 50 short (2-minute) videos with step-by-step instructions on all sorts of technology topics, ranging from how to "cut and paste" to how to create a blog.  

The site is set up so children can e-mail a specific tech "care package" to their parents or grandparents. See TeachParentsTech.org


Sample video: how to "copy and paste" a paragraph.

SkillfulSenior - A Typing Tutorial for Seniors

A Los Angeles Unified School District teacher librarian recommended a free, online touch typing tutorial by Sense-Lang. There are tutorials and games. It is available in 17 languages. This should be useful for San Mateo's diverse community.

Sense-Lang also includes a typing tutorial especially for older adults called Skillful Seniors.

There is a practice session on using a MOUSE.
There is another practice for using ARROWS.
Start with ERGONOMICS lesson to meet the instructor... enjoy!

Discovery Learning - Tutorial

We often hear how people "get lost in time when online". Do you like the rhyme?

It is true that we often "stumble upon" interesting items and follow links to more details or additional websites. Discovery Learning is another name for that. In these, the reader learns about a topic such as new technology tools for persons with disabilities or communicating in the 21st century, but they use their own interests and passions to learn MORE about the technology tools that are relevant to them.

Here are a few discovery learning tutorials that you can explore:

• Discovering Assistive Technology: This tutorial is brought to you by the California School Library Association and TransAccess, a community-based organization that provides persons with disabilities access to computer adaptive technology and career transition services so that they can achieve their desired education and employment, and improve their quality of life.

• Learning Web 2.0: Librarians at the College of San Mateo offer this introductory tutorial on blogs, wikis, image creation, news feeds, and more -- at no cost -- enjoy!