Students learn the basics of Windows, the Internet, web page design, Printshop and Adobe Photoshop. The digital camera and scanner are two peripherals used in class. The class applies the skills learned in environment of a simulated business. The entire semester is spent completing computer tasks for a hypothetical business in Honolulu, Hawaii. The name of the company is Sails For Rent.
Students complete six projects in the workbook.
These projects include desktop publishing of promotional material, database of a customer list, spreadsheet of the scuba diving school profit and loss statement, and word processing of letters and questionnaires. What makes the simulation interesting is not only learning about Hawaii and the water sports which are offered through Sails For Rent, but also the freedom for students to make decisions regarding their output. Half way through the course, the students participate in a Luau . This means that all those tasks you learned piece by piece in Computer I are used in a meaningful way. You spend more time using the computer and less time learning how to use the computer.