ECDL Part 1

Is this course for you?

The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) is becoming one of the most widely recognised 'generic' qualifications, and is intended to represent a broad level of PC competence.

The Reeltime ECDL courses have been developed specifically around the skills required by the ECDL syllabus and are an ideal way to prepare for the ECDL examination.

This course covers ECDL Module 1 - Basic Concepts of IT and Module 2 - Using the Computer and Managing Files. It is based on Windows 98 or Windows 2000.

The course includes basic primer material, so it is suitable for PC novices as well as students with some previous PC experience. The course includes the following elements:

Lesson 1: Getting started 1 Lesson 10: Format diskettes and make backups
Lesson 2: Getting started 1 Lesson 11: Get Help
Lesson 3: Getting started 2 Lesson 12: Work with application windows
Lesson 4: Getting started 3 Lesson 13: Use a text editing application
Lesson 5: Control icons and windows Lesson 14: Print management
Lesson 6: Work with folders and files Lesson 15: Create a shortcut (desktop menu alias)
Lesson 7: Create and organise windows Lesson 16: Searching
Lesson 8: Copy, move and delete 1 Lesson 17: Basic concepts of IT
Lesson 9: Copy, move and delete 2
Pre-defined curricula What you will need to enrol

Lesson 1: Getting started 1 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Recognise the main parts of the PC
  • Understand some of the key do's and don'ts of using a PC
  • Use the Reeltime College Playbar to control the lesson
This lesson is a primer - which explains some key computer concepts and also shows you how to control the Playbar, which puts you in control of the interactive parts of the course. More of ECDL Module 1 (Basic Concepts of Information Technology) is covered in the last lesson in the course. It's easier to understand the concepts when you have seen them in action!.

Lesson 2: Getting started 1 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use the mouse
  • Understand the Windows desktop
  • Find the Windows taskbar
  • Display a ToolTip
  • Open the Start menu
  • Shut down the computer properly
  • Restart the computer
This lesson starts ECDL Module 2: Using the Computer and Managing Files. We've based the lessons on Microsoft Windows 98, which is one of the most common systems for working with computers. Once you have learned about Windows, you will be able to work on most personal computers. All programs designed to work with Windows have many features in common, so you will have a good basis for understanding any Windows program.

Lesson 3: Getting started 2 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Control the Taskbar options
  • Control the Folder options
  • View Date and Time and Volume settings
  • Recognise desktop icons
  • View the computers basic system information
The desktop is the starting point for working with Windows so it is important to control how it is organised. You saw in the previous lesson how to use the taskbar to shut down and restart the computer. In this lesson we move on and look at using the taskbar and organising the desktop so you can find the items you want to use.

Lesson 4: Getting started 3 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Change the mouse settings
  • Screen background Display options
  • Use Wallpaper options
  • Use Patterns
  • Change the Appearance
  • Use the Screen Saver
  • Monitor Display settings
  • Use fonts
As you work with Windows, you will develop your own preferences about how you want it to behave and what it should look like. In this lesson, we look at how to control the desktop display settings where you can change features such as background options, screen settings and screen saver settings.

Lesson 5: Control icons and windows top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Arrange icons on the desktop
  • Switch off AutoArrange
  • Select an icon
  • Move an icon with the mouse
  • Open a window from the shortcut menu
  • Recognise standard windows features
  • Minimise a window
  • Resize and maximise a window
  • Close a window with the X button
  • Double-click to open a window
  • Resize a window
  • Use the Scroll bar
  • Move a window
  • Close a window with the shortcut menu
  • Move an icon with the shortcut menu
The basic way to organise your work is with a window, in which you keep icons. Each icon represents different types of information. In this lesson we look at how to recognise different types of icons and how to organise you work by controlling where open windows appear on the desktop. All windows have standard features and we look at how to recognise and use them in this lesson.

Lesson 6: Work with folders and files top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Recognise the icons for the resources on your computer
  • Understand the basic directory and folder structure on a computer
  • View folder attributes
  • Control folder options
  • Recognise types of files
  • Display the Details for a window
  • Recognise different types of files using Details view
  • View the attributes for a file
  • Change the views for a window
  • Show directory tree
In this lesson we look at working with folders. We start with the icons which represent your computer resources (the disk drives, the CD drive and so on). We see how to control the amount of information you get about each icon (just the icon, or details about it). It is also important to understand the underlying structure of files and folders on your computer system.

Lesson 7: Create and organise windows top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Create a folder
  • Select a folder
  • Rename a folder
  • Open a window with the Return key
  • Create a subfolder
  • Switch between windows
  • View the Desktop
  • Restore all windows
  • Cascade windows
  • Recognise which window is active
  • Delete a folder
  • s
In this lesson we look at creating your own folders and subfolders and how to organise them on the desktop so you can easily see the contents. Of course, when you no longer need a folder you can delete it and we look at that in this lesson.

Lesson 8: Copy, move and delete 1 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use one window to open folders
  • Display the toolbar button controls
  • Select a file to copy
  • Copy a file within the same folder
  • Paste a file into another folder
  • Cut a file from a folder
  • Paste a cut item into another folder
  • Undo an action
  • Cut, Copy and Paste with the shortcut menu
  • Delete files from a folder.
As you add more icons to folders and subfolders, you will probably want to change how they are organised. You do that with the standard Windows cut, copy and paste features. Windows offers you different methods of achieving a result. In this lesson we look at how to copy, move and delete items using the standard windows Toolbar buttons.

Lesson 9: Copy, move and delete 2 top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Move items with the mouse
  • Select adjacent icons
  • Copy more than one file
  • Move items to the Recycle Bin
  • Review the contents of the Recycle Bin
  • View a folder as a Web page
  • Change all folders
In the previous lesson we looked at how to copy delete and move single items. In this lesson we move on and look at how to select adjacent and non-adjacent files, and copy and delete them. Deleted items are moved to the Recycle Bin, so we look at the all important method of restoring items you may have deleted by mistake.

Lesson 10: Format diskettes and make backups top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Format a diskette
  • Make backup copies of a file on a diskette
  • Rename a file
  • Understand how to make a Startup Disk
Most floppy disks, also called diskettes, are normally formatted when you buy them. Formatting is the process of preparing the diskette so that you can store information on it. Mostly you will be storing your work on the computer's hard disk. However, it is a good idea to make backup copies of important work on a separate diskette as your 'insurance policy', should anything go wrong with your master copy.

Lesson 11: Get Help top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Display ToolTips for a taskbar button
  • Get Help at a dialog box
  • Open the Windows help application
  • Navigate around by clicking on book icons
  • Change the width of the Contents panel
  • Select the Help Index
  • Look up information for a topic
  • Use the Help window buttons
  • Find information on a topic
  • Use the Options menu to print a topic
If you have worked through the first lessons of this course, you have probably realised that although Windows is simple to use, there is a great deal to learn about, especially if you are starting from scratch. Windows is very flexible and there are usually several different ways to achieve a result. Luckily you do not have to memorise everything, because Windows has its own built-in help information. In this lesson, we look at the Windows Help system, how to use it and how to find information about specific topics.

Lesson 12: Work with application windows top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Launch an application window
  • Enlarge and reduce and application window
  • Display different parts of an application window
  • Recognise the text insertion point
  • Resize and scale an application window
  • Move an application window
  • Move between windows
  • Close an applications window.
When you do real work with Windows, you will be using application programs to create information which you file on your computer. One of the most widely used applications are text editors. Some have limited features, others are more sophisticated and generally called word processing programs. All Windows programs have standard features in common so, once you have an understanding of how to use one program, you will be able to use similar features on another. In this lesson we look at how to launch the WordPad application and recognise the different parts of the application window. As with folder windows, you can take control over their size and position and what items they display.

Lesson 13: Use a text editing application top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Launch a text editing application and create a file
  • Key in text
  • Move the insertion point
  • Use the scroll bar
  • Understand dialog box features
  • Select a location for the file
  • Different types of file format
  • Close the editing application
You need to know how to launch a text editing application and create a file. The information you key in is initially stored in the computer's memory. For a more permanent copy you need to save it on disk, either on your computers internal hard disk, or on a removable diskette. In this lesson we look at the process of creating and editing text and saving it on disk.

Lesson 14: Print management top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Open a document to print
  • Print from an installed printer
  • Change the default printer from an installed printer list
  • View the printer properties
  • Print a range of pages
  • Print multiple copies of a document
  • View a print job's progress
  • Cancel a print job
A text editing application allows you to create and edit files and save them on disk. When you have them exactly as you want, you can print a copy on paper. In this lesson we look at different ways of printing a document and how to view a print job's progress from a desktop print manager.

Lesson 15: Create a shortcut (desktop menu alias) top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Create a shortcut to a program
  • Use a shortcut to a program
  • Create a shortcut to a file
  • Use a shortcut to a file
  • Delete a shortcut
We have seen that Windows is supplied with a useful text editor called WordPad, which you can launch from one of the Start sub-menus. A quicker way is to create a shortcut icon on the Desktop to make it easy to launch WordPad (or any of your other favourite programs). These shortcuts are sometimes referred to as desktop menu aliases. In this lesson we look at how to create shortcuts to applications and files.

Lesson 16: Searching top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use Find to locate a file
  • Include subfolders in the search
  • Open a document from its icon with the menu
  • Search by date
  • Search by file or folder type
  • Search for a file of a specified size
  • Search for text in a document
  • Open a file by double clicking on its icon
We have seen how to navigate around your computer resources and display the files in different parts of the system. That is fine as long as you remember where you saved a file. But what if you can't find a file? Or don't remember what you called it? Windows has its own Find feature, which can help you locate files by name, date created, and even by contents and we look at that in this lesson.

Lesson 17: Basic concepts of IT top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Find and open the electronic book
  • Display information on a page
  • Use the links to display the information for a lesson
  • Close the Browser window
This lesson is rather different from the rest of the course. It covers the whole ECDL module 1: Basic Concepts of Information Technology. The key word here is concepts, unlike the rest of the course where we concentrate on hands-on skills. The interactive parts of this lesson show you how to use the electronic reference material that takes you through the curriculum for this module. Do not try to memorise it all in one go! You will find it much better to keep coming back to this lesson; the concepts will make much more sense when you have worked through the other lessons in this course. The assignment is where you work through the reference material for this module.

Pre-defined curricula

Like all courses at the Reeltime College this course comes supplied with a number of predefined curricula designed to help you go straight to the subjects you're most interested in. Curricula supplied with this course include:

  1. Standard curriculum (all lessons)
  2. Module 1: Basic Concepts of IT
  3. Module 2: Using the Computer etc
  4. 2.1 Getting Started
  5. 2.2 Desktop Environment
  6. 2.3 Organising Files
  7. 2.4 Simple Editing
  8. 2.5 Print Management
  10. Personal curriculum (designed by you)

What will I need to enrol?

This is what you need to get the most from the course:

  1. A Pentium-class PC with Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or XP.
  2. Sound card and loudspeakers or headphones
  3. A CD-ROM drive (or DVD drive) either on the PC or accessible over a local network.
  4. Approximately 10 Mb spare disk capacity. If you have another 30 Mb spare, you can choose to copy introduction movies onto the hard disk.
  5. If you download the course handbook, you'll need approximately 2 Mb spare for the download.
  6. The course assumes you have a copy of the target software (Windows 98 or Windows 2000) correctly installed on your computer. If not, you'll be able to watch the movie segments, but not complete the hands-on segments.

You can enrol on the course by using the Reeltime software, which also allows you to preview the course content off-line. For more information, go to the How to join Reeltime College  page.

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