Computers helping community groups

as published by The Guardian - Dec 22, 2008

Seniors College of P.E.I. board member David Mabon, left, Seniors College student Roberta Hubley, Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan and Industry Canada Community Development Officer Tim Wartman, right, take a look at some of the computers recently donated to the Seniors College at the ISN Wireless facility in Montague through the Computers for Communities P.E.I. Initiative.


Not-for-profit community groups and charitable organizations across the Island can now receive refurbished computers, free of charge, thanks to a partnership between Industry Canada and the Provincial Treasury.

Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan recently visited the Seniors College in Montague to see first-hand how the Computers for Communities Initiative (P.E.I.) is helping Island community groups stay connected.

This initiative falls under the umbrella of the Computers for Schools (CFS) program, a national partnership between Industry Canada and non-profit licensees across Canada.

Surplus computers, which have been donated by the public and private sectors, are refurbished and given to schools, libraries and non-profit learning organizations throughout the country. Industry Canada is contributing $129,940 towards the Computers for Schools program in P.E.I. for 2008/09.

Schools require Pentium 4 level computers, but CFS also receives many Pentium III level computers and wants to find good use for them.

The Computers for Communities (P.E.I.) Initiative will make sure these make their way to not-for-profit community organizations.
Provincial Treasury employees are administering the program on P.E.I.

“Gaining a full classroom of computers allowed Seniors College to expand our programming into Montague,” said Seniors College president Ian Scott. “We were able to respond to requests from Islanders wishing the opportunity to gain new skills in a supportive and very accessible environment. Whether at a basic or more advanced skill level, our programs have been very popular. This program quickly put much needed computers into a community situation where, coupled with an excellent teacher in Pat Hayes, they are making a real difference.”

To qualify for the CFC (P.E.I.) Initiative, a community group or charitable organization must have not-for-profit status, which may be provincially or federally granted. Computers for Schools was co-founded in 1993 by Industry Canada and the TelecomPioneers. Over 931,000 computers have been distributed across Canada.

The Philosophical Roots of Seniors College of PEI

Seniors College of PEI, although having a unique history growing out of research at UPEI, is also part of a world wide movement known in many places as the The Université du 3ième âge - a concept that has circled the globe and flourished since it first developed in Toulouse, France, in 1972. Today it is often called U3A in the UK and in Australia. Other areas use terminology like Life Long Learning, Learning in Retirement as well as Seniors College.

Most operate as self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun.

The constitution of Seniors College of PEI when first drafted on 1999 stated a philosophy that included a vision, mission and objectives.

Vision

A seniors governed, volunteer, membership based organization providing welcoming, comfortable, affordable learning for all seniors (50+), with a wide range of academic level, non-credit peer learning opportunities. The college advocates life long learning, seniors oriented research and the concept that continued learning enhances life quality.

Mission

The mission of seniors. college is to enhance the quality of life of seniors by the provision of peer learning opportunities through academic level courses and programs.

Objectives

* to be responsive to the needs and interests of seniors;
* to provide responsible peer learning opportunities for members;
* to provide structures for seniors to share skills, knowledge, expertise and life experiences;
* to be a knowledge resource to the community;
* to collaborate-partner with other organizations that share common goals;
* to develop linkages with other organizations to further the college;
* to initiate and participate in research on relevant subjects;
* to have fun!

In 2005 that was restated in a revised constitution as:

The mission of the College is to provide educational opportunities in an atmosphere where seniors from all walks of life and from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds may enjoy life-long learning, and where the economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of individuals, their communities and the planet may be enhanced through continued learning.

Creating a slide show

Creating a slide show using images on Internet without using Powerpoint
Steps based on Windows XP operating system and a USB drive on computer.

1 - place jump drive (USB flash drive) into the computer you are using (flash drives cost less than $15)

2 - using your regular web-browser locate the image on the internet. If several sizes are available click on the image to ensure that you are viewing the largest format available.

3 - place the mouse (cursor) over the image so that the arrow is flashing

4 - using right side button on mouse - right click on the image

5 - you will be presented with a pop-up menu with options

6 - select the "save image as" option

7 - on the pop-up menu of locations to save the image, select the jump drive - it will have a letter assigned like "F Removable Drive" but may have a different letter assigned depending on how many drives are installed on the machine

8 - it will normally be saved with the same file name as image has on the webpage - you should give it a new name or add a number to the front of the existing name so that it will sort numerically in order. Assign a number starting with two 00 (Zeros) in front so that 11 doesn't line up in front of 8. Use numbers like 008 and 011 -- if you need more info add name of artist like 007Kollwitz

9 - When you have finished slide show you can review it on the same computer

10 - Go to My Computer - on the Windows desktop using either the desktop icon on the bottom menu bar - or hold down the special Windows Key (between Ctrl and ALt key on most keyboard) and hit M. This will minimize all the open windows and get you to the desktop.

11 - Open My Computer and scroll through the various drive C -- etc depending on what the letter is do the same steps as in 7 above till you locate F Removable Drive and the various images show up when the Removable Drive is selected

12 - Double Click on the first image and "Windows Picture and Fax Viewer" will automatically open that image. From here you can run the full set of images as a slide show. There will be icons at the bottom that allow you to Start Slide Show - ( it has a shortcut key of F 11 as well). When this happens you can go forward by clicking on the mouse each time you could use the forward arrow on the set of arrow keys at the bottom right of the keyboard. The icon that starts the show looks like a projector screen. To get back to the start again you have to use a new set of navigational controls that will emerge when you use the mouse near the top of the screen at the right - the red X will close the Slide Show format and take you back to the screen you were at when Windows Picture and Fax Viewer first opened.

Step 12 is based on the computer having Windows Picture and Fax Viewer - it became a standard part of Windows operating systems with the arrival of Windows XP operating system in 2001 - if the computer has a newer operating system there will be a similar system

The steps to use the slide show on a computer attached to a projector is the same as steps 10 - 11 and 12. Usually the projector is attached to the computer prior to powering up the computer and power is turned on projector first so that Windows operating system will search for all peripherals attached to it and recognize the projector.
Once the projector is projecting on the screen okay one goes to My Computer as in step 11 etc.

A tip if there are several lectures all saved on the same Jump Drive is to create folders with names for each class. Again they will sort by number so add the zeros in front.

To create the folder when the drive is showing in the window on the screen - (having been opened through the My Computer process outlined in step 11 above) you go to the first drop-down menu called File -- under the area New you can select Folder which creates a folder that can be named - for example 001WomenArtNZ

You will need to actually open that new folder when you start to add images to it - do that by double clicking on the folder.