No professional can currently ignore an effective use of IT tools to support daily business. However, learning them to use without knowing the model they are based on makes it difficult to pass the elementary level and keep up to date with the continuous rapid updates of the tools.
This course aims to provide the basics of word processing and spreadsheets, distinguishing concepts from the demonstration of how they can be put into practice using a particular software system.
For this purpose, the concepts are presented disregarding, as far as possible, how they are implemented by specific applications and examples of use are used in different applications to allow comparison and facilitate abstraction.
Applications of spreadsheet with reference to economic and financial problems. Writing texts with editing software. Presentations with dedicated software
Using the material made available to become familiar with the tools and tackle some simple exercises, at the end of the course, the student will be able to
Familiarity with computer use could help, but it is not required.
The course will be delivered using online lessons and online exercises, self-assessment quizzes to help students focus the study. Those material and activities will be available at any time from the beginning of the semester and the students will be able to participate at any time.
Moreover, there will be synchronous labs, in which the teacher will interact with the students to facilitate the overcoming of the main practical difficulties in applying independently of the techniques learned.
The course will be held remotely through the Teams (code c1oyrk4) and Aulaweb (https://2020.aulaweb.unige.it/course/view.php?id=3801) platforms.
Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Elena Lagomarsino elena.lagomarsino@unige.it, the Department's disability liaison.
The course is divided into four macro-topics: a first part with general content, a second dedicated to word processing systems, a third dedicated to spreadsheets, and a fourth dedicated to presentation programs. Each macro argument is in turn subdivided into arguments.
General part: applications and operating system, differences and interactions
Word processing: types of applications for word processing, basic concepts of word processing, character formatting and paragraphs; Tabs and alignment; lists and numbered lists; Formatting documents, margins, headers, and footers; tables; styles; templates; Inserting special content: images, figures, symbols and formulas
Spreadsheets: Introduction to Spreadsheets; Inserting and formatting values (numbers, currencies, percentages, and dates); Operations and functions on values, relative and absolute references in Microsoft Excel and their use in formulas; Association of names to values or ranges; Automatic generation, import and export of data; Generation and manipulation of graphics; Sorting, focusing and filters. Pivot
Presentation programs: presentation principles and techniques; introduction to presentation programs; presentation structure; slide structure; animations
No textbook is required: the needed material will be freely available online.
Ricevimento: On request by email
As no traditional lessons will be held, students can autonomously start their self-learning at any time after the semester beginning
The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy
The exam will be a test consisting of multiple-choice questions delivered on a digital platform. The questions concern the basic concepts and, to a greater extent, the use of applications. To answer, the students will need to have acquired a reasonable practical mastery of the same.
The quiz will be in Italian, and no other examination methods are available for international students.
The test questions are of two different types:
The answers to the generic questions require less time and aim at verifying that the student has acquired sufficient knowledge of computer tools. Those for operational questions need more time, because they must carry out exercises to find the answers, and are intended to ascertain that the candidate knows how to use the applications in practice and did not limit their preparation to studying functionalities at a general level.
Communications concerning the course and examinations will mainly take place using AulaWeb or mail.
