Practice: first touch

Practical

~90 min

All of this is done at the computer, with your instructor or buddy nearby. Take your time — speed does not matter at all.

1. On and off, three times

Using your cheat sheet:

  1. Turn the computer on and log in.
  2. Shut it down properly (Start → power symbol → Shut down).
  3. Repeat until it feels almost boring. "Almost boring" means you've learned it.

2. Point to the part

Your instructor (or buddy) says a name — monitor, keyboard, mouse, power button, port — and you point to it. Then swap roles if practicing with a buddy.

3. Mouse practice games

Your instructor will open a mouse-practice website or the Solitaire card game for you. Practice:

  • Pointing at targets of different sizes
  • Single clicks on buttons
  • Double clicks to open things
  • Dragging cards or shapes from one place to another

Aim for 20–30 minutes of relaxed play. Games are practice in disguise — if you played a card game, you did serious mouse training.

4. Open and close

  1. Find the Solitaire (or other named) icon on the desktop.
  2. Double click it to open.
  3. Close it by clicking the X in the top-right corner of its window.
  4. Repeat three times.

Done?

Tell your instructor how the double click felt. If it keeps fighting you, they can slow down the click speed in the computer's settings — that's allowed and very common.

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