| Get Up to Speed |
- If you are not already computer literate, your college experience will enable you to
become computer-savvy.
- Make good use of the free computer labs on campus
- Take a beginning computer class to start learning the basic skills.
- Find part-time work that involves computers, so you can make money while you learn
valuable skills.
- Learn by doing. Push the limits.
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| Explore the Internet |
| E-Mail |
- SDSU provides you with a free e-mail account
- You can join a full-range commercial service for about $20 a month.
- Some instructors may require discussions online using a class listserve.
- Some instructors welcome questions and communicate regularly with students via e-mail.
- With your own e-mail account you can send private mail, participate in listserves, visit
Web sites, and download a variety of resources available on the Net
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| World Wide Web |
- Enables the user to search through a “web” of connected sites.
- The quantity of information available can be daunting.
- Searching for information and visiting sites can take a tremendous amount of time.
- It has some of the most current professional research information that you can review
- The Web also contains a lot of junk, out of date information, and it does not currently
have quality control procedures to insure validity of information and its sources
- Make it a habit to examine the information about the maintenance of each Web site.
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|
Word
Processing
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| Pros |
Cons |
- You can make changes without retyping most of your work
- You can select different fonts
- You can employ a spell and grammar check, and word count
- Incorporates headers and footers easily
|
- If you don’t save often, you could lose your work
- Spell checkers don’t substitute for good proofreading
- Can encourage procrastination as first drafts look very professional
- Easy to plagerize
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| Use Computers in Other Ways to Reach Your Goals |
| Research Databases |
housed in the library, they use key words, years or authors to direct you to specific
articles in the professional literature. |
| Graphics and Presentation Software |
Lets you express yourself visually: copy and design images, create animations, develop
charts and graphs, and develop computer-driven presentations (like this one!) |
| Spreadsheet Programs |
perform calculations on numeric data, such as marketing analyses, business plans, and
financial projections. |
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| Avoid Computer Addiction |
| The Compelling Opportunity to Explore the World |
- Surfing on the Net can take you in many directions.
- Healthy curiosity can lead to hours on the computer.
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| The Obsessive Attraction of Computer Games |
- The thrill of good performance is rewarding.
- Easy to say “just one more time” to see if you can better your score.
- Hours slip by as you gradually refine your game skill and lose your real social
connections.
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| The Seduction of Electronic Relationships |
- An online relationship can feel profound even though it is only words.
- The absence of physical cues may allow you to connect to others in a novel way.
- Without the other elements of real life intruding, such exchanges can lead to deeper
emotional involvement.
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