OASIS Connections
Discover technology training designed for your audience
Computer skills have become necessary for adults to access
services, succeed in the workplace, manage finances, and stay
connected with family and friends. Computer classes designed
for general audiences, however, don’t often meet the learning
needs of older adults, which can leave them feeling frustrated
and discouraged.
OASIS Connections is an evidence-based curriculum designed
specifically for adult learners to help them build confidence and
gain success applying practical technology. Key elements of the
program include:
• Student handbooks designed specifically for adult learners
with large readable text, step-by-step procedures and screen
illustrations, and explanation of technical terms
• Enjoyable practice activities that relate to students’ interests
• Active learning and positive reinforcement within a
supportive peer group
Benefits of partnering with OASIS
More than 90 partners have offered Connections training for
their constituents. Our wide range of partner organizations
includes libraries, senior centers, Senior Community Service
Employment programs, senior residences, colleges, parks and
recreation centers, YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs and faith-based
organizations.
OASIS support for partners includes:
• Rewarding volunteer opportunities for instructors
• Instructor training and certification
• Marketing templates
• Implementation guidance
• Online class evaluations
The program is adaptable to meet the needs that best suit the
partner’s audience.
“This was exactly what I needed. I tried
another class elsewhere but it was too
advanced. The OASIS class started from
ground zero.”
Comprehensive curriculum
More than 30 courses cover a wide
variety of topics:
• Basic computer, internet and
mobile device skills
• Communicating with email and
social networking
• Workplace applications and online
job search
• Internet safety, genealogy, photos,
wifi and more
Quality and flexibility
Easy-to-understand student handbooks
are a learning tool and reference
to help students learn and practice
each new skill both during and after
classes. Instructors receive training
and certification in the curriculum and
effective teaching methods for older
adults.
“Since taking the classes, I’ve been
able to apply online with no problem
at all. My new skills eventually led to
applying for and getting a job as a
security guard.”
John Ndono
Workforce development classes
Connections is evidence-based
Courses are especially helpful for people who need to update
their workplace technology skills. They include topics such as:
A University of Miami Miller School
of Medicine study published in The
Gerontologist in March 2012 showed
that the introductory Connections
courses are effective in increasing the
knowledge, skills, comfort and use of
computers by older adults.
• Basic skills to get started using the computer, internet
and mobile devices with confidence
• In-depth courses on Microsoft Word, Excel and
Powerpoint to prepare students for today’s workplace
needs
• The Complete Job Search to apply for jobs online, create
and send a resume and prepare for interviews
Member of
You can choose the content and schedule best suited to your
participants from courses that range from one to eight sessions.
For more information, please contact :
The OASIS Institute
314-862-2933
www.oasisnet.org/Connections
Amy VanDeVelde, Program Manager
avandevelde@oasisnet.org
Sponsored by AT&T
OASIS is a national non-profit organization that promotes successful aging through lifelong learning, health
programs and volunteer engagement. The OASIS vision is to see that adults age 50-plus across the country
have opportunities to pursue vibrant, healthy, productive and meaningful lives. Founded in 1982, OASIS has a
national membership of more than 360,000 adults and serves 59,000 people annually through partnerships in
43 cities. The OASIS Institute in St. Louis is the national headquarters.
February 2014
Technology Courses
The OASIS Connections curriculum is evidence-based and designed to meet
adult learning needs. A detailed description of all courses is available from the
OASIS Institute.
Long Courses are comprehensive programs of 6 or more sessions to promote
optimal learning and retention for older adults. Student handbooks provide a
reference to use in class and take home afterward. Partner can order spiral bound
handbooks The OASIS Institute or download and print them locally. Titles
include:
Fantastic Photos with Picasa
Introduction to Computers Windows 7
(ST)
Introduction to the Internet (ST)
Introduction to Microsoft Excel
Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
Introduction to Microsoft Word
Intermediate Microsoft Word
The Complete Job Search (ST)
Short Courses are designed for 1 to 4 sessions. Student handbooks are provided
in PDF format and can be downloaded from the OASIS website:
Android Tablet Essentials
Beginner’s Guide to the Cloud
Beginner’s Guide to iPhone
Computer Survival Skills
Exploring Google
Exploring the Internet (ST)
Facebook 1: The Facebook Starter Kit (ST)
Facebook 2: I’m on Facebook: Now What?
(ST)
Going, Going, Gone: How to use eBay
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
Gone Blogging
Introduction to Email
iPad 1:Try Your Hand at iPad (ST)
iPad 2: Gain the Upper Hand with
your iPad (ST)Me, My Family and I:
Introduction to
Genealogy
Meet the Computer (ST)
Picture This: Introduction to
Digital Photography
Resumes and Cover Letters (ST)
Safety First: Privacy and Security
Online
Skype Video Calling
Wellness on the Web: An
Introduction
Windows 8.1 (ST)
Spanish Translations: Courses marked with (ST) are available in bi-lingual format
with both English and Spanish instructions.
March 2014
Student Workbook Samples
This book includes sample pages from these Connections courses: Android Tablet Essentials Beginners Guide to the iPhone Going Wireless: How to use WiFi OASIS Connections is supported by contributions from: AT&T U. S. Dept. of Commerce © March 2014 The OASIS Institute 11780 Borman Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63146 connections@oasisnet.org 314.862.2933 Oasisnet.org/Connections OASIS Connections
Android Tablet Essentials – Jelly Bean
Android smart phones and tablets are popular for their portability, long battery life, and
wide range of functions. In this course, you will learn the basic skills you need to use
your Android tablet. Some things will be quite different from a laptop or desktop. For
instance, you will use finger gestures to control movement between screens and apps
instead of a mouse. It’s going to be fun! In this course we will:
 Learn the physical layout of buttons and features.
 Learn how to navigate Home screens and apps
using finger gestures.
 Connect to the Internet.
 Learn how to charge and care for your tablet.
 Learn how to use some of the basic apps that
come with the tablet.
 Explore the Google Play store.
 Take a look at some important settings you need
to know.
OASIS Connections is an evidence-based technology curriculum designed for adult
learners. Connections classes help tens of thousands of students stay in step with
today's technology through partner organizations: libraries, job help centers, adult living
facilities and faith-based communities. If your organization would like more information
about partnering with OASIS, contact the National Connections Manager at 314-8622933 x 272.
Send errata, suggestions, and comments to courseupdates@oasisnet.org.
© 2014 The OASIS Institute
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OASIS Connections
Android Tablet Essentials – Jelly Bean
Your Android initially has a Home screen similar to the one below. Apps—software
programs like YouTube or Gmail—are represented by graphic icons. Tapping an icon
launches, or starts, the app. You can organize and customize your Home screens by
adding, deleting, or moving icons. Stacking 2 or more icons creates a folder, shown
below as a black circle with several icons.
Your main Home screen will normally have icons for the apps you use the most often. As
you download more apps, you can add additional Home screens and use them for
organization. For instance, you could group your news apps on one Home screen, and
group games on another. Swipe from left-to-right or right-to-left to page through Home
screens.
Search Bar
Voice Command
Widget
Folder
containing
several apps
App icon
Favorites
Tray
Back Button
Recent Apps
Home Button
The wallpaper, the background graphic of the Home screen, can be changed. Your
tablet will come with several generic wallpapers and you can even use a picture
you take with your tablet. We’ll show you how later.
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OASIS Connections
Android Tablet Essentials – Jelly Bean
Android devices have a lot of settings. All of them are available in the main settings
menu. But for fast access to the most frequently needed settings, use the new Quick
Settings menu.
Swipe down from the upper right hand corner of your touchscreen to open Quick
Settings.
 Tap the Smiley Face to edit your profile picture and name. If you have multiple
user accounts, tap here to switch between accounts.
 Tap the Brightness to adjust how bright your screen is. A dimmed screen uses less
battery power than a bright screen. Leave on Auto and the tablet will adjust your
screen based on ambient light.
 Tap the Wi-Fi button to turn on/off wireless internet, or to open the dialog to
connect to an available network. Turning off Wi-Fi will keep your tablet from
scanning for new Wi-Fi signals and will save battery power.
 Tap the Auto Rotate button to lock the screen orientation in the current position
(portrait or landscape).
 Tap the Battery button to see a detailed breakdown of what components and apps
are using the most battery power.
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OASIS Connections
Android Tablet Essentials – Jelly Bean
The Google Play Store is the online source for apps and widgets, music, movies, and
more.
From the Home screen, tap the Play Store icon. You can also open the Play Store by:
1. Tap the All Apps
icon in the middle of your Favorites tray.
2. Swipe right to left until you find the page with the Play Store icon (it may be on
the first page opened if you don’t have many apps.)
3. Tap the Play Store icon.
Google Play gives you
several options for finding
interesting apps. Use the
Search function to enter
keywords or the name of
an app. Use the
categories, apps, music,
games, etc., to browse.
You can also shop for apps using your PC. Go to play.google.com and sign in. Any apps
you choose to download will be automatically installed on your tablet.
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OASIS Connections
Android Tablet Essentials – Jelly Bean
Let’s look at an American landmark using Maps.
 Tap the Search field and type or say “statue of liberty”.
 Tap the box that appears below the search bar and an information screen will
appear. This screen will show ratings and reviews, a preview of traffic around the
location, a link to photos, and an option to visit the website.
 Tap the Route icon to get directions and estimated driving time. Tap the Back
button to cancel and return to the information screen.
 You can tap the Save icon to save the location to your maps. This will make it
easier to find again and give Google Now a better idea of the places you are
interested in.
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Your iPhone has a number of external buttons and features. Some of these have more
than one use. For instance, the Sleep/Wake button has one function for a single press,
and another function for a long press. Let’s dive in and learn the parts, terminology, and
function of the iPhone’s exterior layout. The image below is the iPhone 5s. Your model
may differ.
Image courtesy of Apple®
The iPhone 4S and 5 have the same external buttons and these buttons have the same
functions. The iPhone 5 has a larger, higher definition display, and has improved
processing power and battery life. The 5s, shown above, includes a fingerprint sensor in
the Home button.
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Tap Accept to answer a call. If your screen is locked, drag the slider.
Other options include:
 Tap Decline or press the Sleep/Wake button twice quickly to send the call to
voicemail.
 Tap Remind Me to choose a reminder time to return the call.
 Tap Message to send the caller to voicemail and also send them a text message.
You can create your own text messages in Settings > Phone > Respond with Text.
End a call by tapping
, or press the Sleep/Wake button.
If you are already on a call when a second call comes in:
 Tap Ignore to send it to voicemail.
 Tap Hold + Accept to place the first call on hold and answer the incoming call.
To end the current call and accept the incoming call you will either (depending on your
carrier):
 Tap End + Accept.
 Tap End, then tap Accept when the phone rings to connect to the second caller.
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After you have used your iPhone for a long time, you may find it difficult to find apps, or
that song or email you know you have… somewhere! Spotlight can help you find and
quickly start apps, or find other items. Spotlight searches:








Mail
Apps
Contacts
Music
Notes
Calendars
Videos
The web and Wikipedia
From your home screen, swipe down from the middle of the screen. This will bring up
the Search iPhone box and keyboard as shown below.
With one smooth
movement, touch
your finger to the
middle of the screen
and slide it toward
the bottom of the
screen. The Spotlight
screen will appear
and the cursor will be
in the Search iPhone
box.
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Small screens can get cluttered viewing web pages designed for large displays. Safari has
a handy reading mode that removes ads and just displays the story, pictures and text. It
isn’t available for all web pages. Web pages that are available in the reading mode will
display the
icon in the address box
Notice how the ads and other clutter is removed from the story in the screenshots
shown below.
Tap the Safari reader icon to
open the page in reader mode
and get rid of the clutter.
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There are two ways to start the Camera app.
1. From the Lock screen, touch the Camera
2. From the Home screen, tap the Camera
Tap the Shutter icon
see it on your screen.
icon and swipe up.
icon.
or press either volume button to capture the picture as you
Set flash
mode.
Turn HDR
on or off.
Switch
between front
or back
cameras.
Take photo
Choose a
filter.
View photos and videos you have taken.
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OASIS Connections
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is a nickname for a network that uses radio waves to provide connections
between computers and between computers and the internet. Wi-Fi has one
major benefit – freedom! Wi-Fi connects devices without the wiring.
Wi-Fi networks are also called hotspots.
To understand how Wi-Fi works, think about a cordless telephone. The base
unit and the phone send wireless radio signals back and forth. This allows you
to talk on the phone without the handset being wired to the base.
Image shows a typical
Wi-Fi router.
Wi-Fi works much the same way. A wireless router is connected to the
Internet and sends radio signals to your laptop or cell phone.
Today we’ll talk about how to get public and home Wi-Fi, and important safety
tips to follow.
Wireless Router: A device that sends data using radio waves.
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OASIS Connections
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
Using Wi-Fi on Your Cell Phone or Tablet
Many smartphones and tablets are capable of connecting to the internet using
Wi-Fi. Using your device with a Wi-Fi connection doesn’t count toward the
data-plan limits for your cell phone connection.
Both Android and Apple devices connect using similar steps. Select Settings,
then Wi-Fi. A list of available networks will then appear and indicate if they are
open or encrypted with a password (indicated by a padlock icon). Select the
network you wish to connect with. If the network is “open” and does not
require a password, you’re ready to surf! If the network is protected, you’ll
need to enter the password in order to continue. The steps below show how to
connect an iPad.
From the Home Screen,
touch the Settings icon.
Make sure that Wi-Fi is
turned on.
Choose a network from the
list of available networks.
And enter a password if
needed
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OASIS Connections
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
Top 5 Rules for Wi-Fi Security
Be cautious about signing into banking or other sensitive websites on a public
network. Surfing the news on a public site is fine, but if possible, restrict
logging onto your bank, email, or other sensitive accounts.
If you do sign into your email account or you must conduct banking
transactions:

Make sure that your connection to the site is encrypted. An encrypted site
URL will begin with https:.
 Make sure that Windows Firewall or equivalent is turned on. You should
always have up-to-date antivirus software installed. Many times this
program will control firewall settings.
 Keep Windows up to date. Set your computer to automatically download
and update Windows. These updates often address security issues.
Setting your computer to
automatically download
updates is important for
security and performance.
Sites that allow you access without having a password are convenient at the
local coffee shop, but they are “open” in that anyone can see what is being
transmitted back and forth (unless you are on a https site as described above).
A site that has a password encrypts all of the computer traffic on the network,
so anyone trying to “sniff” the information only sees gobbledegook!
continued on next page
© 5/2013 The OASIS Institute
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OASIS Connections
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
Top 5 Rules for Wi-Fi Security (continued)
5. When logging into a new public Wi-Fi hotspot, tell Windows that you are
on a public network.
When you create a wireless
connection to a network
you’ve not used before,
Windows wants to know
what kind of connection it
is—a trusted network or a
public network. When you
are using a public hotspot,
choose the Public Network
option; Windows, or your
anti-virus program, will
provide additional
protection for you as you
surf the net.
Locating the various settings in different versions of Windows can be
confusing. One way to locate settings is to type the name of the program into
the Search Files and Programs box. Click on the Start button in the lower left
corner and type the name of the program into the box. For instance, you can
type “firewall” or “windows update”, and Windows will show you a list of
programs that correspond to what you typed in. Select the one you want by
clicking on it.
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OASIS Connections
Going Wireless: How to Use Wi-Fi
Do it
Yourself: Wi-Fi Quiz
Below is a review of Wi-Fi related words. Draw a line between each word and
the best definition for it. Look back in your book if you need to. Answers are
at the bottom of this page.
1.Wi-Fi
A. An Internet receiver box from your Internet service
provider
2. Hotspot
B. A place where you can wirelessly get on the Internet
like Panera or Starbucks
3. Wireless Router
C. Wireless connection to the Internet or wireless
connections between computers
4. Modem
D. A computer device that sends and receives Internet
signals using radio waves
5. Radio Waves
E. A device which enables a computer to use Wi-Fi
6. USB Wi-Fi Adapter
F. How Wi-Fi is transmitted
Answers: 1C, 2B, 3D, 4A, 5F, 6E.
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OASIS Connections in the news
An OASIS in the Divide
By Megan Knapp, WebJunction
June 10, 2013
Technology Skills You Can Take to the Bank … and
the Next Job Interview
to provide technology training in the library environment.
http://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/
oasis-in-the-digital-divide.html
Helping Seniors Learn New Technology
Libraries partner with Oasis Connections to provide
essential technology skills for older adults
By Paula Span, The New York Times
May 3, 2013
These days staying on top of technology trends is
A few weeks back, I noted that only 54 percent of
Americans over age 65 have access to the Internet,
according to Pew Research studies. Among those
77 and older, the proportion drops to about a third.
Though lots of communities offer computer classes
for older adults, the response has been mostly local
and small-scale. But since my previous post
brought lots of comments from frustrated adult
children, I thought I’d pass along some time-tested
national and about-to-be-national programs. Researchers have learned a fair amount about the
ways seniors learn and have documented that computer and Internet training works well when it incorporates those findings.
not only critical to career success, it also helps us
connect with family, friends, and the wider world.
But if you don't have a computer, or you are new to
using a particular device, the experience of working
with technology can often be intimidating or downright frustrating.
Libraries today offer an important service to communities through access to technology equipment
and training to overcome tech barriers, but they
can't always do this alone. As budgets shrink and
resources are spread thin, maintaining a rich course
curriculum -- and even sourcing and training the
volunteers needed to teach technology classes -can be challenging.
In the recent “Amp Up Your Technology Training”
webinar, facilitators discussed approaches to adult
education, and the unique benefits of partnering
with subject matter experts at Oasis Connections,
The OASIS Connections, developed by the nonprofit
Oasis Institute, fills in some of those gaps and
seems to pay off. After comparing a small sample
of Connections students with a control group, researchers a the University of Miami found that after completing introductory courses, older adults
were significantly more comfortable with and
knowledgeable about computers and the Internet,
and more likely to use them.
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/
helping-seniors-learn-new-technology/
OASIS Connections curriculum used to
study cognitive function
OASIS Connections in the news, cont’d
By Alexis Blue, University of Arizona News
February 18, 2013
For older adults looking to sharpen their mental abilities, it might be
time to log on to Facebook.
Preliminary research findings from the University of Arizona suggest
that men and women older than 65 who learn to use Facebook could
see a boost in cognitive function.
Janelle Wohltmann’s preliminary findings, which she shared this
month at the International Neuropsychological Society Annual Meeting in Hawaii, show that older adults, after learning to use Facebook,
performed about 25 percent better on tasks designed to measure
their ability to continuously monitor and to quickly add or delete the
contents of their working memory – a function known in the psychology world as "updating."
http://uanews.org/story/should-grandma-join-facebook-it-may-giveher-a-cognitive-boost-study-finds
For more information, please contact :
The OASIS Institute
314-862-2933
www.oasisnet.org/Connections
Amy VanDeVelde, Program Manager
avandevelde@oasisnet.org
OASIS is a national non-profit organization that promotes successful aging through lifelong learning, health
programs and volunteer engagement. The OASIS vision is to see that adults age
OASIS is a member of
50-plus across the country have opportunities to pursue vibrant, healthy, productive and meaningful lives. Founded in 1982, OASIS has a national membership of
more than 360,000 adults and serves 59,000
people annually through partnerships in 43 cities. The OASIS Institute in St. Louis
is the national headquarters.