Going Back to Earn Your High School Diploma? Do You Have the Necessary Computer Skills?

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Many working adults realize the benefit of returning to school to continue education. This article discusses skills that are sometimes taken for granted by today's educational system -computer skills.
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Do You Have the Necessary Computer Skills for your High School Diploma

We depend on computer and often use them everyday, yet aside from the routine computer functions we are all familiar with, the rest of the computer world is one big mystery. Still, you are probably aware of the importance of getting a good education-career advancement, more income or learning a new skill or trade. Well, it is very difficult to get that education without first polishing some rusty computer skills or starting from scratch and learning entirely new programs. When taking online home-study courses, computer skills aren't just helpful they are essential. As about.com states, you should break the solution to your computer dilemma into three steps:

1) Find out just what you need to know about computers.

2) If you don't have a computer, arrange regular access to a computer in order to learn and practice.

3) Locate sources of computer support.

Figuring out what you need to know may seem like an impossible task. Start simple. Really simple. Can you identify all the external parts and some internal parts of a computer? Which part is the monitor? What does the modem do? If you are beyond this level then answer me this: What does 256 Mb RAM mean? What is a DVD R/W drive? What about 2.1 GHz? These latter set of questions are necessary when buying a computer.

After the hardware basics, you need to move into the software basics. Can you turn your machine 'on' and 'off'? Can you open a computer program? Are you able to manage files and folders? These basic skills for navigating your computer are essential for future computer needs, such as writing a paper, creating a flow chart or creating a presentation.

You can get the answers for your computer questions in several ways. About.com suggests the following ways to learn about your machine:

- Computer coach

- Computer courses

- Help files

- Built-in tutorials

- Free online tutorials

- Computer books

Computer coaches don't have to be computer wizards. They simply need to be able to answer the basic questions you have friendly and efficiently. An important point about computer coaches is that they need to let you do the work. Don't let them 'show then go.' They need to guide you through the process and if you have any questions then they can thoroughly answer them for you.

If you are already in school, add a computer course or two - considering you aren't already spread too thin with your other classes. Otherwise, consult your local community college, technical institute or learning center for costs, class times, etc.

'Help Files' and 'Built-in Tutorials' are probably already on your system. Help files are located in all programs under the heading titled 'Help.' Built-in tutorials have been added into most, if not all, computer programs. These tutorials allow you to visually see what command does what.

Online tutorials require an Internet connection and appropriate Internet searching skills, but when you find them they can be very helpful. Check to make sure they are free, though.

Computer books are a low tech effective method for finding the answers to your questions and you can borrow these books from the library.

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