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Computer Training
The mission of the PRC Computer Programs is to provide a computer to every low-income household in DuPage County that needs one and computer literacy instruction to every adult in these households who requests it. Computer training is provided in a number of neighborhood learning centers throughout DuPage County. Volunteer computer instructors teach for 90 minutes once a week for seven weeks. Content includes introduction to computers, basics on Windows and file and folder management, the internet, e-mail and internet usage. If students are ready for more, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are offered. Class sizes are small, about six students. Depending on availability of volunteer instructors, team teaching works best since much individual student attention is needed.
 Blanca Carreno from "La Raza" hispanic newspaper wrote an article about the PRC and its SP classes. She went to SP (St. Paul in Wheaton) to
interview several students and capture their opinions and experiences. See laraza.com/news.php?nid=23093
Help Advertise Our Computer Classes
We could use everyone's help to spread the word about our computer classes so that more students can take advantage of them. Open one or both of the following
Set your print margins as widely as you can and print off a number of copies. Distribute to your current students, their friends and relatives, and in places that potential students will see.
Class Registration
All students must register for each class session by calling the People's Resource Center (PRC) at phone number 630-682-5402 and making arrangements to come to the People's Resource Center to register as a client. How to become a PRC Client. Computer Class registration can be accomplished on site after registering with the PRC. Please see and print out computer class registration form for next session. The class roster at each of the training sites is determined based on the volunteer instructors available that seven-week session.
Training Schedule
Courses Taught
View Brochure for Computer Courses.
The sequence of the above courses that a student can take preparing for entry into the PRC Job Training Program is shown in the Curriculum Road Map.
The following contain more detailed descriptions of courses offered:
Training Sites
There are a number of training sites located throughout DuPage County. Please see a map of the training sites,
which also includes their addresses, and directions.
Volunteer Computer Instructors
The largest volunteer need is for computer instructors. We especially need bilingual instructors at multiple sites. The time commitment involves class time and some preparation time. The job satisfaction is great!
See Job Description.
See Instructor Guidelines.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer computer instructor, please see To Volunteer.
Computer Instructor Responsibilities
- Obtain your class roster from the private area for computer instructors. You will need to use the private area for computer instructors throughout the session.
- Call your students prior to the first class to remind and welcome them.
- As your teaching guideline, use the standard curriculum Introduction to Computers or Windows Fundamentals, try to meet student needs. The curriculum for the advanced courses can be found on the Reference CD which can be obtained at the PRC.
- Determine each student's initial competency the first day they attend. To do this download a copy of the New Objectives Matrix. Fill it out during or after the first class. Take the resulting competency number and enter it as that student's initial competency in the first Weekly Report you submit. Each week update the Objective Matrix and use the resulting competency number to update that student's final competency in the Weekly Report.
- Each week, report attendance.
- Determine if the client needs and is eligible for a computer (per Computer Policy). Students can apply for computers after one week of training in the Windows Fundamentals course or two weeks of training in the Intro to Computers course. At that time, the instructor can give each student who needs a computer a Computer Scheduling form. This form tells the student how to schedule the pickup of their computer. The instructor should also check the “needs a computer” box on the attendance form when they provide the student with the form.
- When the instructor fills out and submits the online Weekly Report, the report will automatically be sent to the PRC for semi-automated update to the PCRC (People's Computer Resource Center) database. If you submit your online Weekly Report within 24 hours of teaching your class, the data in your report will be applied to the PCRC database and the web will be updated so that you can see your updated Weekly Report by the time you teach your class the following week.
- Inform your students of the services provided by PRC. Print and distribute the PRC brochure and back of brochure which lists other resources in the county.
- If there is a problem in the classroom with any of the PCs, please go to the PRC website and fill out a Dr. Fix-It Request form and be specific.
- On the last day of class, have each student fill out a Student Feedback form. This form combines the paper class evaluation form with the Client Survey form. The information in the form is designed to help us improve our program and to gather information we can use to apply for program funding from those who provide donations to support the PRC programs. Instruct your students on how to find the form online on the PRC website and on the exact format they will need to input for year, session and Class ID. After each form is filled out and submitted, it will automatically be emailed to the PRC.
- Award students a Completion Certificate. The reason we are doing this is because many students ask for some kind of certificate to show they have completed computer training. They feel it helps them when they look for a job to show that they have had some formal training. Our certificate simply states the person completed the course of training. It does not attest to any particular skill level since we do not test our students. We will track the number of certificates earned as a metric for our fund raising efforts. This will be done automatically in the database and will be driven from your class attendance reports. We do request you try to be accurate on these reports.
The requirement for the certificate is:
- Student attends all six classes
- Student attends five classes with one regular absence
- Student attends four classes with one excused absence and one regular absence
The student would get a certificate in each of the three situations listed above. They would not get one if they have two regular absences.
Download a copy of Completion Certificate. You will have to customize the certificate to include the students name and the name of the training course and the date. Dennis McCann’s signature is already part of the certificate. Please sign the certificate before you present it to the student. Every class room has MS Office installed including PowerPoint. You should be able to modify the certificates and print them using the class room equipment.
Clearly if the student is not present at the last class, you probably will not be able to present them with the certificate. We will not require you to give them a certificate.
Computer Team Responsibilities
The current Computer Team roles and responsibilities are:
- Dennis McCann directs the Computer Training and the Job Assistance Programs.
- Ted Lind directs Operations, Databases and Assessments.
- Ann Hein, Becky Jirka, Janice Zurawski, and Stacey Slaughter provide clerical support. Janice also records Computer Team Meetings.
- Kathy Richardson, Administrative Assistant, supports the Computer Training and Job Assistance Programs.
- Lisa Fitzpatrick and Juanita Seavoy coordinate marketing of the training program.
- Becky Johnson chairs the Training Committee.
- Dennis McCann coordinates instructor assignments.
- Patricia Bernhold trains Critical Choices facilitators.
- Lorrie Bell, Mary Blair, Dennis McCann, John Slusarski, Barb Tartaglione, and Julie Varvaro provide Job Assistance Services.
- Stan Zawila and Ken Thompson coordinate the Computer Service Representative (CSR) process.
- Becky Jirka checks quality of customer service processing
- John Victor, PRC Technology Director, directs refurbishing.
- Dave Gibson directs computer support -- Dr. Fix-It.
- Phil Quarles and Sheldon Kramer designed and support the PCRC database.
- Rich Strebendt designed and supports the online class summary / weekly report database.
- Fran Strebendt is the PRC webmaster for www.peoplesrc.org.
- Roger Libman and Dave Gibson produce PRC video presentations.
- John Slusarski directs Katrina relief.
If you are interested in joining the Training Committee, contact Becky Johnson, the chairperson of the Training Committee, via Contact Us.
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