Introduction to Windows 11

Master the basic skills you need for Windows 11, the new operating system from Microsoft, which offers a more robust, more powerful, and unique computing experience. In this course, you will gain the foundation you need to start using Windows 11.

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6 Weeks / 24 Course Hrs
Starting  May 14, 2025
Offered in partnership with your preferred school

University of Central Florida

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Introduction to Windows 11

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Course code: w11

File Explorer can help you manage your files and create text documents using WordPad. From managing files and editing photos to working with external drives, you will learn everything you need to know about getting the most from this operating system. Additionally, since security is essential, you will also learn how to protect your files and protect and update Windows 11.

By the time you finish this course, you will have mastered the basic skills you need to get the most from Windows 11 for both work and play.

What you will learn

  • Find your way around Windows 11 with the desktop, Start menu, and system settings
  • Understand how to customize features and personalize your desktop
  • Discover how File Explorer can help you manage files and learn to create basic text documents using WordPad
  • Comprehend how to protect your files and update Windows 11

How you will benefit

  • Gain confidence in your use of the Windows 11 operating system for personal and business use
  • Learn how to use your PC effectively, starting with Windows
  • Experience reduced frustration and setbacks by learning to operate your computer properly
  • Become a more independent computer user

How the course is taught

  • Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
  • 6 Weeks or 3 Months access
  • 24 course hours

Learning to use your PC well starts with learning to use Windows. In this first lesson, we'll start with the basics that every computer user must know in order to use a computer with minimal frustration. If you've been working in "frustration and aggravation" mode for a while, this lesson will take care of that. We'll start by talking about what Windows 11 is and why you want to learn it. Then, we'll get right into the most important skills and terminology that allow you to control what you see on your screen at all times. And that's important, because the first step to using anything that's in your computer is getting it on the screen where you can see it!

In this lesson, we'll explore the revised Start Menu and Apps in Windows 11. You'll see how to use and customize the Start Menu, and we'll explore the Windows Store. You'll also see how to use the new widgets feature of Windows 11, which gives you access to quick and easy information, such as weather, traffic, sports, and news.

In today's lesson, you'll have fun personalizing your computer by choosing your own desktop pictures, themes, and sound scheme. Along the way, you'll learn about the important Control Panel window in Windows 11 and tips for using dialog boxes and those occasional mysterious dimmed options that do nothing when you click them. The skills you learn in this lesson will go a long way to helping you gain complete control of your computer.

No matter how you intend to use your computer, there'll be times when there's some typing involved. It might be for writing email messages, memos, or letters, or it might be for taking notes in a course, or for chatting with others in a website. Whatever the reason, today's lesson will teach you all the tricks for making typing (and editing) quick and easy. And you'll also discover how to save your work in files and folders, so it'll always be there when you need it!

Everything that's in your computer is stored on its hard drive. The hard drive is like a filing cabinet containing files organized into folders. Finding things you've saved in the past is a matter of opening the filing cabinet, so to speak, and then locating the correct folder. You'll use the File Explorer program to accomplish this. And in this lesson, you'll learn how it all works, so you can start gaining complete mastery of your own files and folders.

In this lesson, you'll explore three Windows 11 features: OneDrive, Teams, and To Do. OneDrive is a cloud storage solution that lets you store files and folders both on your PC as well as the Microsoft cloud. Using OneDrive, you can save your data to Microsoft servers and access that data across multiple devices. Teams is communication software that is built into Windows 11. Using Teams, you can chat with friends, family, and co-workers and even host video and audio calls. Finally, you'll take a look at Microsoft To Do—an app that helps you keep track of to do tasks and lists. All of these features are designed to make your life easier!

In this lesson, we'll have some fun with photos. Today, you'll learn how to organize your photos and view them using Windows 11's Photos App. You'll also see how to view individual photos, draw and rotate, and auto-enhance your shots. And, you'll learn about the Photos App editing tools for adjusting brightness and contrast, straightening crooked pictures, correcting red eye, and cropping.

The Internet is home to popular websites like Facebook, Amazon, Google, ed2go, and many others. Many of you have seen references to .com sites in ads and elsewhere. If you don't have a lot of computer experience, you might find it difficult to get to the many things you hear about on the web. But not after this lesson! In this lesson, you'll learn how to use Edge, the program that provides access to all of those popular websites.

Managing files and folders is one of those computer skills that every computer user needs to know. In many work and school environments, people just assume you know how to manage files, and they rarely provide any details on how to accomplish things like copying, moving, or renaming files and folders. Today's lesson will explain how to do those very things that others assume you already know how to do.

In this lesson, you'll expand your file management skills by learning how to delete and recover files. You'll learn how to select multiple files to work with, so you don't always have to manage your files one at a time. And we'll discuss how to copy files to and from removable media like flash drives, CDs, and DVDs.

Your computer is an investment of money, and the pictures and other files you store on your computer are an investment of time. You might even have some photos or other files that are so precious the thought of losing them causes you anxiety. What you need to do is protect those files. And that's just what this chapter is all about—how to use the tools and techniques that are built right into Windows to help you protect your valuable time and files!

In our final lesson, you'll learn some more techniques for protecting your computer, including using resources for free protection from viruses and spyware. You'll learn how to remove programs you no longer want or need. You'll learn how to copy and paste text and create screenshots. And you'll discover some great timesaving tips and shortcuts, as well as resources for helping yourself so that you don't have to be so dependent on others.

Curt Simmons

Curt Simmons, B.A., M.Ed, is a best-selling author, trainer, and multi-media expert. He holds degrees in English and communication studies and has more than 10 years of experience teaching English and writing in the classroom. Additionally, Simmons has authored numerous books on a wide variety of technology topics and has been a technical editor for numerous other titles.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to complete this online course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course must be taken on a PC or Chromebook. Macs are not compatible.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 11 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word Online
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.​

Self-Guided: Your course begins immediately after you enroll.​

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor.

Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

Instructor-Moderated: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes two weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release. However, you will have access to all lessons from the time they are released until the course ends.​

Self-Guided: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.​

Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

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