Women make first foray into technology in computer class at R.H. ...

Canada is a long way to travel ? but not by email.

That idea brought Sara Hanson to the R.H. Johnson Library earlier this week to try out a beginning computer class targeted toward women.

?? ?My daughter insists I get on the computer so we can write to each other,? the Sun City West woman said. ?I?d love to be able to reply to her emails. I don?t know computer language, but I do know you have to get regular practice to know what you?re doing.?

Testing that theory, Hanson was one of a dozen women for the premier class offering Monday in the library?s Data Resource Center (DRC). With just 10 computers available, a couple of participants doubled up with partners. The DRC already has a waiting list for those wishing to attend a future class.

The class originated after Library Director Jane Kauzlaric and Claudia Sherrill, who oversees DRC operations, compared notes and discovered a lot of female library patrons sought help for computer tasks ranging from locating library titles to filling out online job applications.

?As technology progresses, more and more of our references are going online,? Kauzlaric told the group. ?This includes general information, along with banking, obtaining online boarding passes, paying bills and accessing library materials and, of course, emailing news and photos to your children and grandchildren.?

?Today?s session is simply to get you familiar with some of the computer terms and understand how to do a few basic tasks,? class instructor Sherrill added.

Sherrill explained some of the basic computer components, taking the class through the steps of accessing the Internet and various search engines along with opening a Microsoft Word file to create a document.

As the women began to open internet applications such as Google, library volunteers Ruth Grob and Cindy Larson circulated through the resource center, answering questions from class participants and helping them to locate keyboard functions.

Grob believes the beginner-level class is a good idea.

?A lot of these women have typed in their lives,? she noted, ?but, when there?s no ?print? key on the computer, you need to learn how to use a computer.?

Larson has seen ?an enormous leap in age groups? using computers in the past two years she has volunteered at the library.toolbar.?

?We?re getting younger people now, and even the older people are coming in with more advanced requests,? she said. ?Some will come in with a website address written down and ask, ?Can you help me find this?? Others are bringing in iPads and Kindles their kids have given them.

?People do come in for assistance on the computer and, when they start, we may not see them every week, every month,? Larson continued. ?But you can?t come in for one lesson. That would be like taking one piano lesson or one flute lesson and expecting to know how to play.?

As the lesson concluded, Sun City West resident Jo Podeszwa lingered to chat with Sherrill, whom she claimed inspired her to take the class.

?I liked that this was slow-paced, that Claudia explained what the mouse is rather than just saying, ?Click on your mouse,?? Podeszwa said. ?It was perfect for beginners. With computers, there?s always room to learn.?

The DRC offers a variety of classes to the community as needs are identified, including one-on-one sessions with trained volunteers. Stop by the center to learn more.

Source: http://scwaz.com/?p=107930

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