Articles written by Carol Smith

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About me - Carol Smith

I am a computer teacher and IT troubleshooter. I specialise in trying to make computing fun, friendly and accessible to older learners. You can visit my website at http://www.it-teacher.co.uk to find out more about my work.

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Education > Adult Education Tips for teaching adult learners instead of younger learners: 1 of 29
The term adult learners really covers anyone from 18 to 108. But usually the term is applied to adults who have not studied for a period of (sometimes many) years since leaving school or college.The first thing to remember when teaching adults is that they don't have to come to your class. They will return if they find the cl... More..
Computers & Technology > Spyware & Adware What to do if your computer is infected with a virus or spyware: 1 of 10
The first thing you should do If you think your computer has been infected by a virus or spyware is back up all your important documents, pictures, music, emails and your address book. Then at least you know that your data is safely stored before you start removing your unwanted visitor(s). Now try updating your antivirus sof... More..
Business > Website Marketing & SEO Motivating yourself to write traffic generating articles: 1 of 10
It can be hard to get the motivation to write articles to generate traffic for your website or affiliate link. If you have designed and written the website yourself, you will already have spent days writing about your topic. If you are trying to generate traffic for an affiliate link you might feel everything has already been... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Software & Utilities Tips to diagnose and fix a slow running computer: 2 of 14
I am frequently contacted by clients whose computer is running much more slowly than normal. My first thoughts are always is their anti-virus software up to date and are they using effective antispy software? Malware ( a generic term referring to pretty much anything that shouldn't be on your computer) is being written at abo... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Tips General email tips: 1 of 6
Email has become one of the most common methods of communication, and often the easiest and quickest. This can have its downsides. You open up your inbox to find a flood of spam (pills, potions and watches), scam (millions of pounds/dollars are yours), pointless offices emails (just to let you know..........) and forwarded ... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Tips Seniors online: The benefits of computer usage in older generations: 1 of 6
As a teacher of computing to adults I find that overwhelming majority of my students are seniors. Why do they come and what benefits do they hope to gain?Just knowing the absolute basics of computing makes an older person feel that they have some idea of what everyone else is talking about. Once they've used a mouse and turne... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Tips for calling technical support: 1 of 6
It happens to us all sooner or later. Our internet connection stops working or our computer seems to have gone on strike. Time to call the technical support line. I am frequently phoned by clients who ask me for technical support. I have the luxury of being able to visit their premises, but sometimes I can help them over the ... More..
Computers & Technology > Virus Protection & Maintenance Where to find free antivirus software downloading programs: 2 of 10
There are several free antivirus software programs available on the internet. These include AVG free, Avast, Avira Antivir, BitDefender, ClamWin. These can be downloaded and installed on your computer to provide you with protection from viruses, worms and trojans. It is worth noting that most are free for personal use only. B... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Software & Utilities Are Macintosh computers safe from online threats?: 1 of 5
Are Macintosh computers safe from online threats? The answer has to be a resounding NO. Until now it is true that there have been few viruses, worms or Trojans aimed directly at them. But the writers of such malware love a challenge and the thrill of being noticed. Macintosh computers are becoming more popular. More popular m... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) What to do when your computer suddenly freezes: 2 of 8
All computers freeze from time to time. The mouse stops working and nothing seems to work. What should you do?First, try holding down the ctrl and alt keys and then pressing delete. This might bring up the task manager box and allow you to shut down the computer. If this doesn't work, press and hold the on/off button for a fe... More..