Thanks folks You all have provided good ideas! I'll get back to this in a few days, right now I'm on a paid mission of deadlines for a new product my company is putting out.

I myself had a hard time thinking of anything because I've been using a computer since Apple put out the first home computer in the early 80s. But I didn't want my experience or background to color any of this. It was amazing for me to learn that many of these women want to upgrade their job skills but the only computer access they may have is through this learning center (located in a neighborhood church where they live). Some can't even reach a public library because there isn't one within walking distance in their neighborhood. So if they can't use one at work or at home, they're between a rock and a hard spot. But it seems today, it's impossible to get a decent job without some solid computer skills.

And the writing skills is a great idea. Someone actually asked me in class the other night if I knew of a good website for grammar. I pointed them to Purdue's OWL (online writing lab). Writing skills are very important to getting ahead I think too!

While on the subject of emails: teach them about spam and phishing. When I was a barely-hatched newbie, I signed up for all kinds of great offers! -- yeah, you know that garbage -- but part of computer literacy is not falling prey to that. Viruses, hijacked browsers, etc. etc. Because if they muck up their computer, it doesn't matter how much good stuff they learned if their hard drive blows up.

"COMPUTER LITERACY AND SAFETY -- How to navigate the internet without losing your identity or ruining your computer" -- or something to that effect.

The importance of BACKING UP FILES.
The importance of BACKING UP FILES.
The importance of BACKING UP FILES.
Th---whatttt?

So so true...back up files.

I'll compile a list. I'll teach another class Wednesday (I am pinch-hitting to substitute for instructors now and am already using a pre-determined agenda). But we're supposed to get together soon and work a schedule/agenda for fall.

So many good ideas. The focus of the classes so far has been in my eyes too "technical"--not enough "boot camp." But I thought it was just my perceptions...many of these ideas re email, backing up files, internet safety, etc. were confirming my notions