HAL-PC Clear Lake
Senior Learning Center

Mini-Courses

Half-day mini-courses are usually given quarterly on the fifth Saturday at 9:30 am at 450 or 400 Medical Cntr Blvd. These free mini-courses DO NOT offer hands-on computer use or handouts. These mini-courses are open to the public. A fee will be collected at the door ($5.00 HAL-PC members and $10.00 general public).

If a mini-course interests you, call the office at 281-316-0768 to register. If you'd like to see us develop a new one, tell the office staff when you call

• Photo Editing - Beyond the Basics

This mini-course continues from the Basic Editing mini-course. Teaches how to make selections, use layers, adjust via gamma controls, clone out imperfections, correct perspective and lens distortion, add fun photo effects, and save time with many advanced techniques. Although your personal photo editor will probably not be used by the instructor, the techniques taught in this mini-course will be easily translated to other software. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• Fixing a Slow Computer (Windows XP)

First, teaches how to diagnose the possible causes of a slow computer by demonstrating how to use the Task Manager and Performance Monitor. Then, a methodical set of standard Windows tools are reviewed, demonstrated and explained in considerable detail. Finally, a potpourri of ideas are listed that may help you speed up your own computer. Since this is such an open-ended subject, we are asking everyone who takes this mini-course to send in their own personal techniques that we may not be aware of. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• CD (and DVD) Burning for Everyone

Teaches how to make ("burn") a CD-R/RW using current software (e.g., Easy CD/Media Creator, HP ScanSmart, etc.). Will discuss terminology, CD construction, burners, media, software features, making autorun CD's, and specifications for set-top player VCD/DVD's. Will demo typical CD burning scenarios like copying files to a CD-RW, copying a CD-to-CD, copying CD-to-hard drive-to-CD, ripping audio CD's, using Windows XP CD Copy Wizard, etc. Includes burning DVD's and playing same on your set top TV player, also. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• Sharing Your Digital Photos

Teaches the various ways to share digital photos besides just print them out as we all do. Will discuss terminology and how to make hard copy (printed) albums, computer slide shows, autorunning CD slide shows, uploading to a personal or web hosting site, setting up peer-to-peer networks, and making autorunning VCD/DVD's which will play on your DVD set-top TV player. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• PC Security for Everyone

Teaches awareness and the many faces of malware on the Internet and how to use the security software necessary to insure a safe, trouble-free experience in today's Wacky Wonderful World Wide Wild Wooly Web (WWWWWWW). Will discuss terminology, spyware filter programs (e.g., Zone Alarm Pro, Spy Sweeper, Pest Patrol), an email virus/span filtering service (e.g., HalNet Postini), the Norton Antivirus program, the Outlook Express email program, the Internet Explorer browser program as well as the Windows operating system. Includes many examples and screen shots of tests and potential problems. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• Making Slide Shows & Videos

Teaches how to make slide shows (using digital photos) and videos (using camcorder videos) that can be played on a computer or TV DVD player. Will discuss terminology and how to lay out photos and videos using storyboard and timeline software, insert transitions (e.g., fades, dissolves, doors), apply video effects (e.g., spotlight, lens effects, pan-and-zoom, picture-in-picture), and render to a tape, multimedia (e.g., VCD/DVD), streaming (e.g., .wmv, .rm, .mov) or computer format (e.g., .avi, .mpg). Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself - slide shows and videos/movies.)


• Finding Great Stocks - FAST - with a Computer!

Teaches how to find solid, common stocks which have the potential to double in price in a five-yr timeframe using the Internet, spreadsheets, and NAIC (Nat. Assoc. Investors Corp.) principles and software. First, learn important stock market terminology. Then, prospect among 10,000 stocks in the major stock exchanges for candidates (using database software with a real-live Internet, stock market connection), screen your candidates quickly (using screening software), download full company data from the stock market and evaluate the remaining candidates for growth, quality, value and stability (using stock selection software). Finally, get other information from the Internet (e.g., analysts' opinions) to narrow your choices. Will discuss using spreadsheets to sort, filter, and chart data. Will discuss how to set up and multi-task with your computer for fast workflow. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• Basic Editing for Better Digital Photos (Discontinued. Similar course offered at the SLC)

Teaches how to evaluate and understand flaws in digital camera, scanner, and downloaded image files, how to save and resize photo image files and mentions different retail photo editing software titles. Discusses terminology and how to improve your photos by cropping, rotating, removing red eye, brightening, increasing contrast, and balancing the colors. Touches on other beginning subjects such as managing photos on your hard drive. The course will use or mention several remarkable but free software programs - IrfanView, Picasa2, and FastStone. Learn how to carry out basic photo editing steps before you print or use your photos in other ways. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


• Scanning for Everyone (Discontinued. Similar course offered at the SLC)

Teaches how to scan images and documents using an HP Scanjet 4300cs scanner and software. Will discuss terminology, scanner setup, and pixels, resolution, etc. and what to expect when scanning various types of documents. Includes optical character recognition (OCR), also. Click here for outline. (Click here to learn-it-yourself.)


Mini-Courses are Open to the Public and Members of HAL-PC