Course Overview
Step into the world of smartphones with our Introduction to Smartphones workshop!
In the past, mobile phones were mostly about making phone calls. They had a number pad, a digital phone book and a pick-up/hang-up button and not much more. Now smartphones offer so much more. They’re fully fledged computers that you can fit in your pocket. They can run programs and games, access the internet, send email and much more.
Nearly all smartphones now use touchscreen controls. Instead of having hardware buttons, one side of the phone is taken up mostly by a touchscreen that you control using taps and gestures. When you want to make a call, a number pad will pop up on the touchscreen – there aren’t even any number buttons. Becoming familiar with a smartphone can take a little bit of practice. But when you do become familiar with it, you’ll find that a smartphone can do more than you ever thought possible on a mobile phone.
This workshop is for those who may have never owned a mobile smartphone and are curious about why you would choose a smartphone. Perhaps you want a mobile phone that does more than your current keypad-style handset, or are looking to learn more about the smartphone you already own.
Macquarie Community College operates from a range of venues across Northern and Western Sydney. We have campuses in Blacktown, Carlingford, Chatswood, Epping, Mt Druitt, Richmond, and Ryde. Enrol now!
What you will learn
Course outline
Topics include:
- The basics of how to navigate your way around a smartphone with a touchscreen
- How to turn the phone on and off
- Make and receive calls
- Add a contact and look up a contact
- Change the volume on the phone
- Briefly about apps – what they are, how to download them, and the costs associated with them
A smartphone can:
- Make voice calls (of course!)
- Make video calls
- Access the internet and browse the web
- Navigate with GPS if the phone has GPS built-in
- Playback music and video stored on the phone (and connect to a PC to copy media to it)
- Manage your contacts and appointments
- Send emails
- Play in-built games
- Run new applications and games downloaded for the internet
Course outcome
After this workshop, you should be able to handle a smartphone without fear. You will learn:
What a smartphone is
- What a touchscreen is and how gestures work
- How to make a call and take a picture
- How to download new apps for your smartphone
What you need to know
Entry requirements
This level is for the complete beginner and assumes no prior knowledge.
Prerequisite: Essential
Participants must be over 60 years old. Tech Savvy Seniors is an initiative of the NSW Ageing Strategy and is funded in partnership between the NSW Government and Telstra.
What you need to provide
- Notepad and pen
- An internet-connected smartphone, You may need to share a smartphone with others in the workshop.
- An existing Apple account (or Apple ID), for downloading apps to an iPhone smartphone.
- An existing Google account (or Google ID) for downloading apps to an Android smartphone.
Other information
To get the most out of a smartphone, you need a mobile plan that includes data. This is not strictly necessary, but you can still use a smartphone without a data plan – but you won't be able to access the internet, download new applications and send emails without it. In some cases, you may not be able to use GPS navigation.