PrePALS Technology

Getting Started with Microsoft Office Apps

Western students will use a variety of technology programs to complete their coursework and assignments. One common set of programs that you will use is the suite of Microsoft Office tools. You are already familiar with Microsoft Outlook, which is the program used for your Western email. Here are the most commonly used programs you are likely to encounter:

• Microsoft Outlook - email and calendar (which we covered in the Email section)
• Microsoft Word - documents
• Microsoft PowerPoint - slideshow presentations
• Microsoft Excel - spreadsheets
• Microsoft OneDrive - file management and storage

All campus computers have the Microsoft Office programs pre-loaded, so there's nothing additional you need to do. There is also a web-based version of each of these programs so you can use them without needing to download anything. This is what we will use for the practice activities below.

Directions: Open a new tab and navigate to your school email (do you remember how to do this?). Once you are there, find the App Launcher icon  in the top left corner of the screen. Find and click on the OneDrive app icon to open it.

File Management with Microsoft OneDrive

Accessing the programs to create files is the first step, but it's also very important to make sure you can find any files you create. There are several things you can do to make it easy to find your files. 

• Give each of your new files a descriptive title as soon as you create them. This might be a title like "English 1 essay 1" or "PrePALS assignment 2." 
• Create folders in your OneDrive to organize your files. Then be sure to always put your files into the correct folder. Just like a pocket folder or file folder can help keep your papers organized, digital folders can help keep your digital files organized.
• Use the search bar at the top of OneDrive to search for a file if you can't find it. You can search by the title or by any of the text included in your document.

Directions: Watch the video below to get an overview of how to create new files and folders in OneDrive. Then practice using some of the practice activities at the bottom of this page. 

Downloading the Microsoft Office Tools on a Personal Device (optional)

If you have your own computer or laptop and would like to download the desktop apps instead of using the web version, you can download and use these programs for free by following the instructions linked below.

Information About Printing on Western's Campus

Each student receives a $3.00 credit to their printing account the first term they attend the college. Charges for printing are incurred both in the classrooms and the computer labs. Your printing balance will be tracked through your network login account, and you can check your balance at any time at http://printing.westerntc.edu.

Charges per print vary per printer, based on color, black and white, etc. and discounts are offered on two-sided prints.

When balances are low and/or depleted, you may add funds ($3.00 minimum) by going to the cashier’s office, Learning Commons, or regional location cashiers.

Now that you know how to access your student email, manage files with OneDrive, and locate the Microsoft Office tools, here are a few activities you can work on to practice your skills. You can begin all of these things from OneDrive.

1. Create a new folder in OneDrive for your PrePALS files. Name the folder "Western PrePALS" or something else that will make sense to you.
2. Create a new Word document. Name the file "Things I'd Like to Learn." Brainstorm a list of things you'd like to learn, either in your PrePALS work, as a student at Western, or in your pursuit of lifelong learning. 
3. Put your "Things I'd Like to Learn' document into the PrePALS folder you created.
4. Practice sending an email to your PrePALS instructor. Attach your "Things I'd Like to Learn" file to your email using the attachment button (which looks like a paperclip).

Your PrePALS instructor may also give you additional assignments or activities.