Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
Topic A: Classroom setup
All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course. It includes minimum requirements for the students’ personal computers, setup information for the first time you teach the class, and setup information for each time that you teach after the first time you set up the classroom.
Hardware requirements
Each student’s personal computer should have:
· A processor with 1 gigahertz (GHz) clock speed or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2
· 1 GB RAM for 32-bit; 2 GB RAM for 64-bit
· Hard-disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit; 20 GB for 64-bit
· Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
· Monitor set to at least 1024´768; at least 1366´768 to use Snap
Most newer computers will work well for this class. If you are in doubt, you can download the Upgrade Assistance free from Microsoft to evaluate your PC.
Software requirements
You will need the following software:
· Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro; most, but not all, of the course will also work with a Windows RT device.
Network requirements
The following network components and connectivity are also required for this course:
· Internet access, for the following purposes:
– Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs
– Creating a Microsoft account for each student
– Signing into Windows 8, using communication apps, using online account features, and getting and installing apps from the Windows Store, learning Internet Explorer 10
First-time setup instructions
The first time you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Install Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro according to the software manufacturer’s instructions.
Note: You can also use Windows RT devices, although this course was written using a Windows 8 PC, so students’ screens might look different and some functionality will be different or missing. Windows RT is for devices with ARM processors, and it allows for installing apps only from the Store, not for installing legacy x86 software on the desktop. It also does not allow free access to the entire file system.
2 Each student needs a Microsoft account. You can do this in at least two ways:
a Create an account for each student beforehand, and use these to install Windows 8. You can create account at www.live.com or from within Windows 8 as you install it. Be put a card by each student computer with their username and password.
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b Install Windows 8 with a local account. Have students log in and use the desktop browser to create their own accounts at www.live.com. After they create an account, have them open the Users category in PC settings and choose Switch to a Microsoft account.
3 Note that some activities involve using a browser to access the Microsoft account online and other web pages. Be aware the internet sites change often and might have change since this was written. Be sure to test activities that use internet content prior to class and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Setup instructions for every class
To ensure that the course keys as it is supposed to, at the start of every class you should reload the student computers as described in the previous steps.
If you don’t have the CD that came with this manual, you can download the PowerPoint presentations for this course. Here’s what you do:
1 Connect to www.axzopress.com.
2 Under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training.
3 Browse the subject categories to locate your course. Then click the course title to display a list of available downloads. (You can also access these downloads through our Catalog listings.)
4 Click the link(s) for downloading the PowerPoint presentations, and follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
Topic B: Frequently asked questions
There are no frequently asked questions for this course at this time.
Topic C: Course notes
There are no notes for this course at this time.
Topic D: Additional information
There is no additional information for this course at this time.