Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
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 keyboard and a mouse
· Pentium 3 or higher processor
· 512 MB RAM or more
· 2 GB hard disk space
· Monitor set to 1024´768 or higher resolution
· A sound card and speakers
Software requirements
You will need the following software:
· Windows XP, Home or Professional
· Internet Explorer 7
· A printer driver (An actual printer is not required, but students will not be able to complete printing activities in Unit 2 unless a driver is installed.)
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 from www.windowsupdate.com
· Completing activities in Unit 5
· Downloading the Student Data files from www.courseilt.com (if necessary)
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 XP on an NTFS partition according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If the student machines have Internet access, and they are behind a software or hardware firewall, install the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com.
Note: You can also use Windows 2000 or Windows Vista, although the screen shots in this course were taken using Windows XP, so students’ screens might look somewhat different.
2 From the Control Panel, open the Display Properties dialog box and apply the following settings:
· Theme — Windows XP
· Screen resolution — 1024 by 768 pixels
· Color quality — High (24 bit) or higher
3 Install a printer driver for an HP LaserJet 6L. A physical printer is not required.
4 Install Internet Explorer 7 according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. Run a default installation. If you are using Windows Vista, this browser will be installed with the operating system. Start Internet Explorer. If you see the welcome screen, accept the default search engine and set any other settings you need, and then click Save Settings at the bottom of the page. Choose Tools, Phishing Filter, Turn Off Automatic Website Checking (unless it’s already off). Set the same home page for all students.
Note on program downloads
Activity A-2 and the independent practice activity in Unit 5 call for students to download and install programs that are several megabytes each. If it will take too long to download these at your training center, you should download the installation files and share them on a network drive. You can show students how to start the download, and then have them cancel and get the program from your shared drive.
If you use Windows Vista for this class, Media Player 11 will already be installed, and you should plan to download and install a different program.
Setup instructions for every class
Every time you teach this course (including the first time); you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer. If necessary, reset any defaults that have been changed in previous classes. Remove any favorites the students have added and unsubscribe to any RSS feeds that students subscribed to. Clear all browsing history data by clicking Tools, Delete Browsing History, and clicking Delete all.
Downloading the PowerPoint presentations
If you don’t have the CD that came with this manual, you can download the PowerPoint presentations from the Course ILT Web site. Here’s what you do:
1 Connect to www.courseilt.com/instructor_tools.html.
2 Click the link for Microsoft Internet Explorer to display a page of course listings, and then click the link for Internet Explorer 7: Basic.
3 Click the link for downloading the Presentation files, 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.