Education

MAGIC is setting up a new set of training courses for members and nonmembers. The courses will be aimed at different levels of competence and experience. The facilities will have adequate outlets for computers (students are encouraged to bring computers) as well as projector and screen facilities for the teachers. Each school will have multiple teachers so that the students with problems can be addressed without disturbing the lectures.

Classes will be limited to 15-20 people so that each student gets sufficient individual attention and problem solving help.

Classes will possibly include:


Macintosh Essential Training

In Macintosh Essential Training, we examine the use of Macintoshes in everyday life at home or small business. We will look at all the elements of the user interface and how to control it and personalize it. Then we will cover the applications and utilities that come with the operating system including the Mail, Browser, Address Book, Calendar etc and how to integrate them for maximum efficiency in running your daily needs. We will cover the details of keeping your Mac backed up and properly maintained. This class is designed for people who are new and not-so-new to the Mac or who are upgrading to the Snow Leopard / Lion operating systems.

The next suite of classes has been scheduled to begin in 14 January 2012. It will be held in Freeland at the Maple Ridge facility. For more Details go to the Essential class page.

iLife

As part of a Mac purchase, the iLife software package is included at no extra cost. In this set of Macintosh iLife classes, the student will explore each of the applications:

Each application comes with a set of exercises from which the student can practice and learn more of each application. This class is designed for those who have a working knowledge of the operating system and want to better understand and work with the many capabilities of the iLife applications.

The next suite of classes has not yet been scheduled.

iWork

The iWork package is produced by Apple and includes the following applications:

In these sessions, the student will explore each of the iWork applications, and the new features in iWork ’11. Each application comes with a set of exercises from which the student can practice and learn more of each application. This class is designed for those who have a working knowledge of the operating system and want to better understand and work with the many capabilities of the iWork applications. Much of the time will be devoted to the use of Pages to produce a wide of desktop publishing products.

The next suite of classes has been scheduled to begin in 10 March 2012 (note change) details and application will be published here soon.

Building Websites

In these sessions, the students will learn the basics of programing in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and Javascript. As these skills are developed the students will construct working websites ready to be put on the web. The knowledge gained will enable each student to develop their own websites in the future. No additional software will be needed - all the classes will use a browser, such as Safari, and a text editor such as the freeware TextWrangler.

iPad and related devices

In these sessions, the students will learn how to set up an iPad, synchronize it to a computer, take advantage of iCloud, add music, add movies, add pictures, add applications. Also learn how to use it for emails, web browsing and use many practical and enterntaining applications. This session will be for new and nearly new iPad users.