| Open Learning | Courses | St@rt | Programme |

UK Online

UKonlinecentres website

UK Online is a government initiative to enable people to gain access to computers and Information Technology to enable them to become more informed and more able to function in an increasingly technological society. Sidings UK Online Centre currently offers FREE access and instruction in an informal, friendly amosphere.

Hardware

Our dedicated Computer Training Room has space for up to twelve people. We give access and instruction on Desktop and Laptop computers, Scanner and Digital Camera, with output on quality Monochrome and Colour Laser Printers. Teaching is aided and enhanced with the use of an interactive whiteboard.

Software

We currently have the full Microsoft Office 2007 Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Publisher plus the excellent Free Open Office suite of applications which provide compatibility with Microsoft Office. We have Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 for Digital Imaging. Internet access is using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox browsers . Email is possible through an Internet mail service like Yahoo, GMail or Hotmail or you may be able to access your personal mail if your ISP provides a webmail service. If you are experienced in Web Authoring we have Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX and the Free NVu web authoring software. We also have simple typing tutor applications you can use to practice your keyboard skills.

Our weekly programme includes Open Learning sessions and structured courses.

Open Learning sessions

The Drop In sessions allow anyone from the absolute beginner to the experienced, independent user to access the computers and achieve their potential, developing skills useful for life and employment or just for fun. Beginners usually follow the St@rt Course and receive instruction from experienced teacher/trainers and volunteer Support Workers.

MyGuide

MyGuide is an online resource which provides tutorials for beginners and improvers to guide them through the process of getting online and using the internet safely and profitably. Tutorials include Using: the web, digital photography, public services and Understanding: music online, family history, green savings, social networking, money management and many more.

Tutors at Sidings will be helping you get started with MyGuide.

For the Beginner

If you are an absolute beginner there is a structured course to help you use the mouse and keyboard, control the computer and get to the point where very soon you will be able to work on the computer independently (See St@rt). You'll soon be accessing the Internet and emailing your friends and family all over the world. And don't worry! There's always someone here to help.

For the Improver

We have the complete Microsoft Office suite you can use to study ECDL with interactive CD ROM or printed resources, use our digital camera, scanner and image manipulation software, Photoshop Elements 7. You are only limited by your imagination.

St@rt

St@rt stands for Sidings Technology @t Room Temperature. It is a structured but informal course for the absolute beginner. It aims to provide the novice with enough of the basics of using computers that they can feel confident with simple word processing and using the Internet. Those completing the course receive a St@rt Certificate celebrating the achievement of the first milestone on the road to Computer Literacy.

Courses Summer Term 2010

Digital Imaging with Photoshop Elements for beginners

Monday Mornings 2 hrs: 10am-12pm continuing from Spring Term until 24^th May.

Course Outline

1. Run and use the Photoshop Elements application.
2. Use brushes to create images from scratch.
3. Fix some of the more common problems with digital and scanned photos.
4. Use crop to reduce the image or add borders.
5. Enhance images with lighting and colour options.
6. Use layers to combine images.
7. Explore selection techniques.
8. Transfer images from digital camera to computer.
9. Scan printed images into Photoshop Elements
10. Straighten images and correct verticals, horizontals and perspective errors.
11. Add different coloured borders and feathered effects.
12. Adjust the focus (sharpness & blurring) of different parts of images.
13. Build montages with different images and layers.
14. Much more...

Contact Geoff to apply.

Other Courses

Sidings' Teacher/Trainer runs courses on a variety of topics depending on interest and demand.

Courses have so far included:

• St@rt courses for absolute beginners
• Basic and Intermediate Word Processing
• Basic and Intermediate Spreadsheets
• Desktop Publishing
• Presentations with Powerpoint
• Access Database for Beginners
• Databases in Excel and Access
• Web Authoring with HTML & CSS using Dreamweaver
• Digital Imaging with Adobe Photoshop Elements

If you would like to learn about something not listed here, please ask. Speak to Geoff and we'll see what we can do.