Whitwick & District U3A - Computing Group - Previous sessions
For convenience, this page provides a list of topics covered in previous sessions. They are listed by the relevant group viz. Group 1, Group 2 and Refreshers. Notes from most of these sessions are available in the members area.
Group 1
2008
Oct 15th - Finding your way
Nov 19th - Word processing
Dec 17th - Picture manipulation, including digital cameras
2009
Jan 21st - Computer security
Feb 18th - Spreadsheets
Mar 18th - Browsing, e-mail, search engines etc.
Apr 15th - What you can get for Free
May 13th - Access databases
June 17th - More on Excel
Sept 16th - What's inside
Oct 21st - Backing up
Nov 18th - Question and (hopefully) answer
Dec 16th - Yet more Excel
2010
Jan 20th - Mainly Security
Feb 17th - Scanning, more on email & word processing
Mar 17th - Audio & video capture preview
Apr 21st - Miscellaneous thoughts
May 19th - Your PC as you like it
Jun 16th - Audio transfer / capture
Sept 15th - Audio continued
Oct 20th - Web feeds, Windows 7
Group 2
2009
Sept 9th - Files & folders
Oct 14th - Word processing
Nov 11th - Picture manipulation, including digital cameras
Dec 9th - Computer security - postponed to Feb.
2010
Jan 13th - Session Cancelled due to weather
Feb 10th - Computer security
Mar 10th - Word processing 2 & intro to spreadsheets
Apr 14th - Browsing, e-mail, search engines etc
May 12th - Spreadsheets
June 9th - Free stuff
Sept 8th - PC housekeeping part 1
Oct 13th - postponed until Nov
Nov 10th - PC housekeeping part 2
2011
May 18th - Cleaning up your PC
Jun 15th - Backing up your data
Jul 20th - How files are kept, copying etc.
Aug 24th - e-mail, more than the basics
Sep 21st - General Word Processing
Oct 19th - Security, threats and how to deal with them
Nov 16th - Handling Video
2012
Feb 15th - Spreadsheets for calculating e.g. bank balance
Mar 21st - Spreadsheets as a database e.g. mailing list
Apr 14th - Desktop Publishing, small items e.g. badges and flyers
May 16th - Desktop Publishing, multi-page items e.g. newsletters
Jun 20th - Your Questions and (hopefully) Answers
Jul 18th - Free software
Sep 19th - How a website works
Oct 17th - Using Powerpoint
Nov 21st - What's inside
Dec 12th - Using a scanner & tidying the results
2013
Jan 16th - Using a scanner & tidying the results - Repeat of Dec 2012 session
Feb 20th - More Desktop Publishing - Badges & Booklets
Mar 20th - Security revisited - You use Update and AV software, now what?
May 29th - Using the Control Panel
Jun 16th - Your Questions and (hopefully) Answers
Jul 17th - Relational Databases using Access as an example
Aug 21st - Aspects of Windows you (probably) didn't know existed
Sep 17th - Mail Merge in Word and Publisher
Oct 15th - Setting up a network
Nov 19th - Browsers, differences and capabilities
Dec 18th - Creating a website, part 1
2014
Feb 6th - Creating a website, part 2
Mar 6th - Windows 8, a first look - notes issued
Apr 3rd - Using Search Engines - notes issued
May 1st - Personalising Windows and Programs - Set them up for the way you want
to work.
Jun 6th - The workings of the internet
Jul 3rd - Some techniques in Word
Aug 7th - Some uses of Excel
Sep 4th - What's in Windows 8.1
Oct 2nd - Email revisited
Nov 6th - Cleaning up your PC
Dec4th - Questions and Answers
2015
Jan 8th - Email revisited (repeat of Oct 2014)
Feb 5th - Jargon - what some of the acronyms and expressions stand for, and
what they might mean to you
Mar 5th - Browsers and Search engines
Apr 9th - Resolving some quirks of Windows (well hopefully
so!)
May 7th - A short look at Linux - an alternative to both
Windows and Apple, and possibly a candidate for PCs currently running XP. What
is it, how to get it, using it.
Jun 4th - Excel for simple sums
Jul 2nd - Charts and graphs in Excel
Aug 6th - Excel as a database (also used for the subsequent Word Mail Merge
session)
Sep 3rd - Some things in Word
Oct 1st - Some more things in Word including Mail Merge
Nov 5th - Introduction to Windows 10
Dec 3rd - Some techniques for Family History
2016
Jan 7th - Some computer techniques applied to Family History (repeat of Dec
2015)
Feb 4th - Yet more on Word, including borders
Mar 3rd - Using PowerPoint
Apr 7th - Recovery
May 5th - Recovery - Repeat of April session
Jun 2nd - Free Software
Sep 1st - Windows 10, Anniversary update
Oct 6th - Peering into Windows, a look at some of the built-in features
Nov 3rd - Jargon and shortcuts - an attempt to unravel some of the jargon associated
with computing and a look at some shortcuts.
Dec 1st - More Windows 10 - examining some of the features, and a chance to
share your own discoveries or hiccups.
2017
Jan 4th - Browsers - looking at the differences between browsers and search
engines, how to control cookies, browsing history etc.
Feb 1st - Cleaning & Speeding - some ideas on how to clean up your PC and
what you might do to speed it up
Mar 1st - Questions and Answers - a chance to tap into other peoples' experience
and, hopefully, solve a few problems.
Apr 5th - Return to Basics - an opportunity to look at some of the more basic
functions e.g. burning a CD/DVD, tidying up folders.
May 3rd - Housekeeping - following on from February's session this time various
tools such as Ccleaner will be explored.
Jun 7th - Privacy on the Internet - This session will differ somewhat in that
as well as looking at some measures that can be taken to improve your privacy,
it will also look at areas where it is worth being aware that there is little
or nothing that can be done.
Jul 5th - Backing up - It is some time since we looked at this, and Windows
10 offers more options than previous versions of Windows.
Oct 4th - Bits & Pieces. A look at a variety of short topics that do not
merit a full session to themselves. Included will be items on: several aspects
of Windows 10 Updates, new advice on passwords, using the Quick Access toolbar
in Microsoft Office programs, and a quick way to check for active viruses.
Nov 1st - Housekeeping - this time making use of Glary Utilities.
2018
Feb 7th - From old PC to new - A look at some ways of transferring data, setting
up old programs on the new PC, and how to safely dispose of the old machine.
Mar 7th - From old PC to new - A repeat of the Feb session.
Apr 4th -Windows 10- some odds and ends - finding how and where some things
have changed.
May 2nd - A look at aspects of Mail Merge, including labels and envelopes, in
Word.
Jun 6th - A look at aspects of Mail, including ways to access it, some possible
problem areas, and avoiding spam and phishing attacks.
Jul 4th - Questions and answers. A chance to ask about what is confusing you
with the aim of getting an answer (we hope!).
Sep 5th - Various aspects of computer security.
Nov 7th - Publisher. We will start by looking at some of the differences between
using Word and Publisher to help understand when to use one or the other. As
well as some of the basic methods of using Publisher we will also briefly look
at free software alternatives.
Dec 5th - Windows 10. Although Windows 10 has been out for 3 years, it still
causes quite a lot of confusion. This session hopes to reduce this by looking
at various changes and trying to answer some of your questions.
2019
Jan 9th - Windows 10 - Repeat of Dec session. Although Windows 10 has been
out for 3 years, it still causes quite a lot of confusion. This session hopes
to reduce this by looking at various changes and trying to answer some of your
questions.
Feb 6th - Protecting your privacy. A look at some of the steps you can take
to reduce exposure of personal information online.
Mar 6th - More Windows 10. A look at some other aspects of Windows 10 including
ways of backing up.
Apr 3rd - Repeat of March session. A look at some other aspects of Windows 10
including ways of backing up.
May 1st - A look at two separate topics, Browsers and use of the Cloud.
Jun 5th - A look at various shortcuts that might may things a bit easier and
ways of personalising Windows 10 so that it is more to your taste.
Sep 4th - Questions and Answers (we hope!).
Oct 2nd - Protecting your internet connection. Whether you just have a laptop
or you have many devices in the house, there are various things that might put
you at risk. We will look at how your internet connection works and hence why
certain precautions are helpful.
Nov 6th - Word and free alternatives. A look at some items that may have escaped
your notice, but which might be of use.
Dec 4th - Aspects of email. How to spot a dodgy email, why are emails going
to spam and similar puzzles.
2020
Feb 5th - A look at ways to capture Audio or Video from online sources.
Mar 4th - Data recovery. Is there something you have left on an old PC or hard-disk,
or perhaps mistakenly deleted?
Via Teams
15th April - Spreadsheets, the basics.
29th April - Spreadsheets part 2.
13th May - Spreadsheets as a database.
27th May - Spreadsheets, presentational aspects.
Via Zoom
Oct 7th - Privacy issues. A look at various things from Licence Agreements to
what browsers and search engines can learn about you.
Oct 21st - Organising files. Do you keep losing items on your PC? Some background
of what Windows does, and how to take charge.
Nov 4th - Word, some odds and ends. A look at some of the slightly less common
features that lurk in Word.
Nov 18th - Cleaning up your PC. Just like anything else, your PC will benefit
from a clear-out, but what can you do safely?
Dec 2nd - Capturing website information. There can be many times when you would
like a more permanent record of something found on a website, so how can you
do it, and is it legal.
2021
Via Zoom
Jan 27th Windows desktop, what you can change, and what you can do. Video available
here
Feb 10th Email, especially spam, both unwanted and incorrectly identified. Videos
available here
Feb 24th Disposing of old equipment - safely! Video available here
Mar 3rd Microsoft store - and some unexpected effects.
Mar 24th Producing simple diagrams in Word or Writer. While there are many dedicated
programs for creating diagrams, sometimes Word or Writer are sufficient and
have the advantage that most other people already have one or other of these
programs - thereby making sharing easier. Video available here
Apr 7th 'What's inside'. We will will be looking at the items that make up your
computer, what they are for, and see how they relate to a computer's specification.
Video available here
Apr 21st Understanding your Router. What does it do, and what you may want to
change. Video available here
Sep 8th Recent changes relevant to browsers, malware and Windows 11.
Nov 10th Questions and answers
Notes
Notes, and samples where relevant, for the various completed sessions are available in pdf format in the members area here
Contact
John Heal at 
Please note that as an anti-spam measure e-mail addresses on this site are NOT links, but should be manually copied