Computer Fundamentals

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Computer Setup ​

What Software Will Be Needed? ​

Standard Software

  1. Please make sure your child's computer has the latest operating system updates.
  2. Please make sure they have a web browser that you like, such as Firefox or Chrome.

Because the classroom often has a wide mix of operating systems, it's difficult to install any software that works for everyone. Instead, we almost always use websites, strongly preferring those that do not require a user account.

That said, we try to install one application: KeePass (or its better cousin, KeePassXC). KeePass works everywhere, even on phones.

Student's First Google Classroom ​

You will need a single, very important account: Google.

Computer Fundamentals is specifically designed to be the first class your student has that requires a Google account. We use Google Classroom to manage grades and provide a place for students to submit their work online.

Every high school class at SHEEP uses Google Classroom, so this is the jump-start into that world. Our first few weeks' assignments are all about exploring Classroom, relating it to social media, and thinking about privacy-related topics.

Every week, I will post the in-class presentation slides for review and the homework assignment (or a note if there isn't one), usually the same day as class. This is how homework is handled in High School, so I need students to get in the habit of checking it, and parents to help them remember.

Google Classroom can also send emails if that helps, but that means your student needs to check their email every week (or every day) as well.

When you sign up for a Google account, you get Google Classroom, but also Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Gemini, and more. We're going to use the Google Workspace suite extensively in this class. Again, high school English classes will need a word processor, miscellaneous classes will benefit from slideshows, and every company in the world uses spreadsheets. This class is the introduction to all of it.

Under 13 Restrictions ​

Students 13 and older can sign up for a Google account by themselves. (As a parent, you should keep a copy of their password, both for safe-keeping, and for safety).

Students under 13 must have their parents make the Google account for them!

How? ​
  1. Visit https://classroom.google.com
  2. "Sign In" to Google Classroom, or if you are signed in already, select your profile image (usually the top-right corner) and select Add Account
  3. From the Sign In page, click on "Create account" and choose "For my child"
  4. Follow the prompts: enter their name, age, select their email address and a password

You can do this from the computer your student will bring to class, or you can do it by yourself and provide the credentials to them. Please help them log in for the first time (I like to send my kids their first email) and see if you can help them sign into our Google Classroom using the code I will send the parents before the school year.

What Websites Will be Visited? ​

The only account you need is a Google account for Google Classroom, which will also open up access to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Gemini, and more.

Students may choose to create accounts on these websites (though none are required):

It's common for us to see Microsoft Family Safety whitelisting known websites and blocking some that we need for class. If you use a web filtering product like this (and it's a great idea to do so), make sure to add these sites to the allowed list.