Basic Computing Concepts

About the Book

This 8-chapter book, Basic Computing Concepts-All-in-One Beginner's Guide to Computer Proficiency" 4th Edition is intended to offer beginners in computer technology a way to build a solid foundation through grassroot learning techniques that will effectively empower them to become proficient in basic computing. The unique features of this book that sets it aside from other similar book in the marketplace include but are not limited to the following:

• Authenticity: This book is authentic; it is written with my demonstrated hands on practice and taught to my former students for 5 years with extraordinary success. The new updates in this 4th edition ensure that system functionalities produce the desired results when prompted. No vagueness or confusions.
• No Assumptions as to Learner's Level of Prior Computer Knowledge: I employed a grassroot approach to learning by starting from scratch to teach so that beginners obtain new knowledge and informed users improve their knowledge.
• Instructional Completeness: The steps to performing basic computer tasks throughout the book are complete, clear, and straight to the point. Unlike most beginner computer books in today's market, there are no missing steps in this textbook.
• Comprehensive Knowledge: The book is a "Combo;" an all-in-one package. Students don't have to buy one book to learn Computer Basics, another for Microsoft Word for beginners, one book to learn beginners MS Excel, and one more to learn MS PowerPoint. It contains everything needed to equip a new beginner for becoming computer proficient.
• User Friendly with Graphic Illustrations The book is written in a user-friendly and interactive format with attention to detail that a new beginner can easily understand without feeling intimidated. Graphics and images used throughout the book for illustration contain interactive descriptive boxes to facilitate hands-on practice by students or any new beginner in computer technology.
• Practice Exercises Hands-On Practice Projects: Each chapter of the book ends with practice exercises and skilled-based practice projects drawn from real life scenarios to provide students with repeat practice they need to attain levels of proficiency.
• Answer Key Solution Guide: A separate mini book containing answer key for end-of-chapter exercises and solution guide to practice projects accompanies the book to facilitate instructor grading of students' assignments. The answer key is specifically for teachers' use and not available on line to discourage cheating by students if the textbook is adopted by schools.
• PowerPoint training Materials & Lecture Outlines/Notes: To facilitate daily classroom lectures, each chapter of the book comes with PPT training materials including teaching outlines and notes for teachers.

About the Author :
Ms. Lilian Ukadike is a former Instructor of Business and Information Technology at Piedmont Technical College (PTC), Greenwood, SC, where she taught computer technology and business courses for 5 years (2007-2012). She obtained her Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Lander University, Greenwood SC, (1993), and Master's degree in Business Administration from Ashworth University, Norcross, GA., (2007). Prior to becoming an educator, she spent 18 years in corporate accounting, governmental, and nonprofit accounting where she worked as a Controller, Director of Accounting, and General Manager. Despite her passion for accounting, while in graduate school, she spent a significant amount of time in advanced research and studies of instructional computing technologies, management information systems, business oriented application programs, and technical writing as part of her chosen program of study. Determined to pursue her interest in technology, upon obtaining an MBA Degree in 2007, she left the corporate world and joined the faculty and staff at PTC as an Instructor to teach the business and computer courses she had been passionate about. During her time at PTC, in delivering her daily lectures, she saw first-hand, how her students struggled with the current text book in use at the time, which had incomplete instructional steps for performing basic computer tasks. With her strong desire to help her student learn common basics of technology, she decided to write a very simplified book on basic computing to facilitate easier hands-on learning for the new beginners. She provided her students handouts at the end of each class session with complete steps to help them do their homework. Before each class lecture, she would go through each chapter of the school's textbook and broke it down, added the missing steps, and provided the handouts to students. She said: This process was very excruciating and time consuming but the students became very motivated to learn and were excited to come to class." This is mission accomplished, that was my big reward."