Cary Senior Tech Ed, Cary, NC: All Classes

List of All CSTE Classes

Introduction to Cary Senior Tech Ed provides an overview of all the classes we teach to help you select a curriculum that best fits your interests.
In the detailed description of each class, read the ""This class is for you" ..."section. This will help you decide if the class is appropriate for your skills.
Check the Schedule to see when the class is taught. Note: not all classes are offered every semester.
Suspended Classes will not be scheduled. (Unless they are replaced or new interest revives them.)

Apple Classes	Windows Classes	Google Classes
Getting to know your iPhone Taking, Editing and Sharing Your iPhone and iPad Photos iPhone Tips and Tricks Make a Movie with Your iPhone/iPad Introduction to Mac iOS: Going Further with Built-In Apps iOS: Going Further with New Content iOS Basics: Introduction to iPad and iPhone Introduction to iCloud Apple Watch Talking to SIRI	Basic Computer Skills Organize/Personalize Your Windows 10 Computer Organize/Personalize Your Windows 11 Computer Protecting You and Your Computer Intro to Microsoft Office A Free Alternative to Microsoft Office Excel 1 Excel 2 Exploring Windows 10 Exploring Windows 11	Gmail: Beyond the Basics Google Searching & Google Apps Google Docs Google Drive Google Earth Intro to Chromebook Using Your Android Phone Android Phone Photos

Home Technology	General Technology
Buying a Computer Safe Computing Managing Medicare Cutting the Cable Streaming TV How Does a Smart Home Work? Talking to Your Electronic Devices eBooks and eReaders Home Surveillance Enhancing Your Digital Pictures Android Pictures RecTrac Class	Overview of Social Media Facebook Twitter Controlling Your Online Identity Media Literacy Working with Internet Resources Listening to Podcasts Publish Yourself on Amazon Kindle Artificial Intelligence Electric Vehicles Virtual Reality Cloud Computing Introduction to Genealogy Road Tripping

Name	Description
Introduction to Cary Senior Tech Ed	Welcome to our computer training program designed, authored and taught by seniors. This seminar will introduce you to our classes, workshops, and seminars as well as our volunteer instructors. We will also let you know how to schedule classes that will best fit your needs.

— Apple Classes —

Name	Description
Getting to know your iPhone	Get the most out of your Apple iPhone, including basic setup, making phone calls, and more advanced telephone features such as "Do Not Disturb" and, importantly, how to use the Find My iPhone app. Bring your iPhone along as well as your Apple ID and password.
Taking, Editing and Sharing Your iPhone/iPad Photos	Learn the best ways to take, edit, and share those digital photos on your iPhone/iPad. Either “iOS Basics” or “Intro to iPhone/iPad” class is a prerequisite. Bring your iPad/iPhone.
iPhone Tips and Tricks	There are a lot of iPhone users who are unaware of some of what an iPhone can do. These 15 iPhone tips and tricks could make your life easier and allow you to use your phones in more productive ways. Tips include battery usage, typing, contacts, notes, maps and calendar for beginners and seasoned users.
Make a Movie with your iPhone/iPad	Make a short movie of yourself reading a bedtime story for your grandchildren or create any type of motion picture using still photography, video, voiceover and background music. Must have taken either "iOS Basics" or "Intro to iPhone/iPad." Must download iMovie app.
Introduction to iCloud	iCloud is an Apple service for syncing and storing data and documents across multiple devices. You'll learn how to set up an account and make the best use of the service. Must have taken "iOS-Basics" or "Intro to iPhone/iPad." Bring devices to class.
Introduction to Mac	Apple's Macintosh computers are popular because of their ease of use and enhanced security. You will learn the basics of purchasing hardware, the Macintosh operating system, how to use the included applications, and how to purchase and download apps. Bring your Mac.
iOS: Going Further with Built-In Apps	Learn about the apps that were included with your iPhone/iPad; especially the Contacts, Calendar, Camera, Photos, and FaceTime apps. Advanced settings will also be covered. Either "iOS Basics" or "Intro to iPhone/iPad" is a prerequisite.
iOS Basics: Introduction to iPad and iPhone	We will explore the capabilities and concepts of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS. Learn how to set up Apple phones and tablets with a brief overview of the many applications available. Bring your device and your Apple ID and password.
iOS: Going Further with New Content	Millions of apps and digital media items are available for your iPhone/iPad. Learn how to search and download items from the App Store, iTunes and iBooks and more! Must have taken either "iOS-The Basics" or "Intro to iPhone/iPad." Bring your device.
Apple Watch	This course will cover basic functions of the latest personal technology from Apple as well as helpful tips and tricks to enhance your knowledge. It will also cover the new medical advances of the latest version which include a one-lead EKG and fall detection.
Talking to Siri	Talking to Siri, Apples Digital Assistant, on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is fun, easy and productive. Most of these functions can be used on your Android devices as well using “Hey Google”, Microsoft’s Cortana, and IBM’s Watson. Many more vendor implementations are anticipated and we will discuss a few.

— Windows Classes ‐

Name	Description
Basic Computer Skills	Learn the basics of computer operations on a Windows computer. Using the WordPad word processing program, you will learn to format text, edit, save, print, and more. Create original illustrations using tools in the Paint application. A flash drive is required. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: The differences in function between the Right/Left/Middle Mouse buttons. Using Windows keyboard shortcuts. How to move, resize, open, close, minimize and maximize Microsoft’s Windows How to cut, copy and paste text and other objects in Windows. How to use Window's built-in programs including WordPad, Paint, that allow you to view, edit and print text files and pictures without installing Microsoft Office. How to add a shortcut to the task bar or your desktop so it’s easy to start frequently used programs. How to properly eject your flash drive so you don’t corrupt the data on it.
Organize/Personalize Your Windows 10 Computer	Explore the Windows 10 Start Menu and File Explorer. Learn how to organize and manipulate files and folders and how to personalize your computer. We'll change the desktop background, make the text larger, create shortcuts for the desktop and more. A flash drive is required. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: Using File Explorer to find, copy, cut, move and organize your files and pictures. Organizing and customizing your desktop including setting background pictures, creating desktop shortcuts and custom folders. Drives, folders, file extensions, program ribbons and most importantly, File Explorer to navigate through your computer.
Organize/Personalize Your Windows 11 Computer	Explore the Windows 11 Start Menu and File Explorer. Learn how to organize and manipulate files and folders and how to personalize your computer. We'll change the desktop background, make the text larger, create shortcuts for the desktop and more. A flash drive is required. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: Using File Explorer to find, copy, cut, move and organize your files and pictures. Organizing and customizing your desktop including setting background pictures, creating desktop shortcuts and custom folders. Drives, folders, file extensions, program ribbons and most importantly, File Explorer to navigate through your computer.
Protecting You and Your Computer	This hands-on lab class will teach you how to protect your computer from viruses, Ransomware, apply Microsoft updates, update your virus signatures, setup Windows backups for your personal data and mechanically maintain your computer for longevity. Two free utility programs, Malwarebytes & Glary Utilities, will be introduced to help you protect and manage your data and one paid program, Acronis Cyber Protection, to shield you from Ransomware and provide full disk data backup/recovery. Intermediate to advanced skills that everyone should know. Flash Drive required.
Intro to Microsoft Office	This class will discuss basic Microsoft Office applications including: Word (word processing), PowerPoint (slide show presentations), and Excel (basic spreadsheets). A flash drive is required. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: Microsoft Word including basic word functions, creating newsletters, family docs, imbedding pictures and creating tables. PowerPoint including creating presentations, imbedding graphics, pictures and slide automation. Excel including spreadsheet layouts, tracking finances, group gatherings, personal inventory tracking etc.
A Free Alternative to Microsoft Office	Libre Office available for free on the internet is an excellent replacement for Microsoft Office. This full featured office suite includes all of the standard office components including word processing, spreadsheet, slide presentations and more. If you’re tired of paying Microsoft every year for Office 365, this software is for you. Although the class is taught using Windows 11, versions are available for Mac and Linux platforms, users of these systems will also benefit. Flash drive is required. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: LibreOffice Writer including basic word functions, creating newsletters, family docs, imbedding pictures and creating tables. LibreOffice Impress including creating presentations, imbedding graphics, pictures and slide automation. LibreOffice Calc including spreadsheet layouts, tracking finances, group gatherings, personal inventory tracking etc.
Excel 1	Excel is a comprehensive and popular spreadsheet program that will help you organize, format, and calculate numerical data. You will be provided with in-depth information on how spreadsheets can benefit you. A flash drive is required.
Excel 2	Microsoft Excel is a powerful software program for summarizing and analyzing data. This course will provide information on linking data, creating charts, graphs, pivot tables and more! Excel 1 is a prerequisite for this class. Flash drive is required.
Exploring Windows 10	Explores the features of Windows 10 and how it differs from previous versions. Learn how to customize the Desktop, Start menu, and task bar, and how to tailor the appearance and behavior to suit your needs. Intermediate level course, must have some knowledge of Windows.
Exploring Windows 11	Explores the features of Windows 11 and how it differs from previous versions. Learn how to customize the Desktop, Start menu, and task bar, and how to tailor the appearance and behavior to suit your needs. Intermediate level course, must have some knowledge of Windows.

— Google Classes —

Name	Description
Gmail: Beyond the Basics	Explore the many features of Gmail! Discover how to format an email, organize your messages using folders (labels), generate a mail group, block a sender, add a contact, insert an emoji in your message, add an attachment, and more. Must bring Gmail password to both classes.
Google Searching & Google Apps	Learn tips and techniques for searching the Internet such as tabbed browsing, creating bookmarks, and searching by category. Google has apps like Calendar, Maps, Google Earth, Google Photos, and more. We will explore many of the features of these and other Google Apps. This Computer Skills class is for you to gain familiarity with: Web Browsers including using the Address Bar, customizing options, cache clearing, searching by image, and exploring your search history. Google Apps, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Google Photos, Google Drive, etc.; note these are mostly light introductions, but several Google Apps have dedicated classes.
Google Docs	Learn word processing with Google Docs, a free, powerful alternative to MS Word. Google Docs supports voice typing, online collaboration, editing MS Word documents, and more. For both word processing novices and those considering migrating to Google Docs.
Google Drive	Learn how to use Google Drive. It features free online file storage accessible from all your computing devices. Google Drive also includes web apps for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.
Google Earth	Google Earth allows you to travel to interesting places around the world or investigate the layout of your neighborhood or home. Google Tools and the stand-alone version will be covered in this course.
Introduction to Chromebook	Chromebooks offer low cost, ease of use, and minimal setup and maintenance. This class covers purchasing tips, what Chromebooks do well and don't, their competition, getting set up, and add-on software favorites. Bring your Chromebook if you have one.
Using Your Android Phone	Android smartphones are available from many manufacturers and work with all major cell phone service providers. Learn how to set up and use these devices and their applications. You must be familiar with the basic operations of your device prior to class. Bring your phone/td>
Android Phone Photos	Today, many people take pictures with smartphones with Android being some of the more popular. This class will teach you how to take pictures with an Android phone, including the various camera settings, and options available when setting up and framing photos and videos. We will also cover, photo editing and sharing pictures with others. You will learn how to save pictures locally on your phone, synching them to the cloud and transferring them to your computer.

— Home Technology —

Name	Description
Buying a Computer	There are so many computers to choose from! Learn valuable information about buying a computer before you spend your money. We'll describe the types of choices you have and help you break them down into appropriate categories to select one that meets your needs.
Safe Computing	Learn about password managers, browser extensions for safe browsing, two-factor authentication (2FA) methods, and more. Then, you can thwart threats to your privacy and accounts by employing the best software as your personal security assistants.
Managing Medicare on the Internet	Save time and money using the Medicare and NC Department of Insurance websites. Insurance companies change their plans and prices for services and medications annually, so stay up to date by learning to navigate your Medicare plan online.
Cutting the Cable	Are you frustrated with ever-increasing cable TV bills? Have you wondered if there are ways to reduce your cable TV expense while getting the programs you want to watch? This seminar will give you some ideas on alternatives to cable TV.
Streaming TV	Did you know there are many ways to watch Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, or YouTube on your TV? Do you know all the many streaming services, both subscription and free? This seminar will help you understand the hardware options and the video service choices available.
How Does a Smart Home Work?	Smart Home" is commonly used to define a residence that has appliances, lighting, heating, air conditioning, TVs, computers, audio & video systems that are attached to the Internet. This class will discuss how you will live in a Smart Home in the future.
Talking to Your Electronic Devices	This class will prove valuable to seniors who are visually impaired or have difficulty using a keyboard and mouse to interface with their hand held and other devices such as smartphones, tablets, Amazon devices, TV's and newer automobiles. New technology is enabling voice driven input that is frequently more convenient to use than mice and keyboards. These devices do take a little effort to understand and to be used effectively. Learn useful voice techniques to help. Some arthritic or visually impaired seniors have found this to be a great help with new technology.
eBooks and eReaders	This seminar will talk about the most popular eReaders and eReader apps as well typical customizations for your reader app. It will also discuss where to get eBooks.
Home Surveillance	Need to monitor your home, remote property, pets, or elderly relatives? This seminar describes how to set up a Wi-Fi camera surveillance system that can be monitored from your phone, tablet or computer to receive real-time alerts, live video view, past events and more.
Enhancing Your Digital Pictures	Make the best of pictures taken with a digital camera or smartphone and learn how to upload them to your computer. Using PhotoScape X free version, you’ll learn how to enhance your photos by improving picture quality and adding special effects. Through class exercises you’ll practice techniques to alter exposures, remove red eye, skin blemishes, or unwanted backgrounds, add frames and borders, create a collage, insert text onto your pictures and more. Flash drive is required.
Android Pictures	Today, many people take pictures with smartphones with *Android* being some of the more popular. This class will teach you how to take pictures with an Android phone, including the various camera settings, and options available when setting up and framing photos and videos. We will also cover, photo editing and sharing pictures with others. You will learn how to save pictures locally on your phone, synching them to the cloud and transferring them to your computer.
Rectrac Class	RecTrac user's guide - Registration for all Town of Cary Classes. Covers: Creating your household userid logon. How to search and find classes of interest. How to signup and checkout classes of interest. How to create a "wishlist" for fast registration on opening day. How to cancel classes you are registered for should you not be able to attend.

— General Technology —

Name	Description
Overview of Social Media	The three most popular social media websites used by seniors are Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. These free online sites allow you to share info like photos, text, and videos with other people. Discover how to connect and share with others.
Facebook	Facebook allows you to keep up with all the people you care about, as well as see photos and videos of your children, grandchildren, friends, and acquaintances. We'll discuss some of the recent changes as well as how to keep your info private and secure.
Twitter	Twitter is a social media app that lets you quickly send short, 280-character messages to other people in your network. Come to this class to learn about tweets, hashtags, and finding followers who are interested in what you have to say.
Controlling Your Online Identity	Learn how to protect your computer from viruses and other malicious programs. You will also learn about firewalls and other protective measures you can take to keep your computer safe.
Media Literacy and Your Responsibility	Are you frustrated or confused by the false information and the misleading statements so common on social media? How can you tell whether a statement is true or false? How can you tell the difference between disinformation or misinformation?
Working with Internet Resources	IBM has provided us with an excellent presentation on how to use the resources of the Internet. Students who wish to make good use of the Internet to obtain information should find this class very useful.
Listening to Podcasts	Listen to your favorite radio shows anytime and anywhere you want, all for free! This seminar will get you started on streaming or downloading podcasts, recorded radio shows, available for free subscription and download.
Publish Yourself on Amazon Kindle	Whether you have written (or would like to write) a memoir, children's book, or a novel, it's free and simple to publish it in Kindle format on Amazon. Both Microsoft Windows and Apple operating systems will be covered.
Artificial Intelligence	What is artificial intelligence (AI) and how is it influencing your life today? Learn what AI can do today and how it will impact our lives in the future. This is a high-level, non-technical overview of the field of AI, including chatbots and robots.
Electric Vehicles	Learn all about EVs, with a focus on *plug-in, all-electric cars:* their advantages and limitations, what they are like to drive, costs of owning and operating, charging considerations (at home and on the road), myths and realities, future trends, and much more!
Virtual Reality	With virtual reality, enjoy playing golf with friends, explore childhood neighborhoods, do physical fitness or be a part of a monthly book club without having to leave home. This class delves into ways in which virtual reality can prove to be beneficial for seniors.
Cloud Computing	What is the "cloud" that computer users talk about and where is it? Join us to explore ways you can use cloud computing to store your photos, documents, music, or videos without taking up space on your own computer.
Introduction to Genealogy	This class will demonstrate genealogy programs and software that will enable you to set up a family tree and search for other relatives using a combination of free and paid programs.
Road Tripping	Take the stress out of your next road trip by using a smartphone (and perhaps a computer), both before and during your trip. Look at applications for planning all aspects of your drive including booking accommodation and restaurants

— Suspended Classes (e.g., Low Interest, Obsolite or Replaced) —

Name	Description
Linux	Learn to reinvigorate your old desktops and laptops with Linux. Linux runs more efficiently than Windows, runs well on most hardware, it is mostly free, and offers thousands of free apps. We cover Linux distribution choices, trialing, and selecting one. Showcasing Linux Mint, a popular distribution for Windows replacements, we explore its installation, customizing its desktop, settings, finding and installing apps such as LibreOffice, updating your software, and more. If you are tech-savvy but not Linux proficient, this class is your quick start guide for running Linux. And beyond the class, we provide many references to help further your Linux exploration and keep updated. [Lack of Interest]
Buying a Smartphone or Tablet	Thinking of buying a smartphone or tablet computer? Curious about features, costs and to what extent they can replicate what your PC or Mac does? Come learn some basic information before you buy! [Replaced by Buying a Computer]
Digital Photography 1	Bring your camera and learn how to use the controls and understand the terminology. Learn techniques for taking better pictures, then upload and view them on your computer. [Replaced by Enhance Your Digital Pictures]
Digital Photography 2	Make the best of the pictures you've taken. Learn how to enhance your photos using free software (Photo Scape), and then print them. Understand some of the online photo services and how to use them. Digital Photography 1 is a prerequisite. [Replaced by Enhance Your Digital Pictures]
Advanced Chromebook	Explore Google Chromebooks' full range of capabilities in this comprehensive class targeted at existing Chromebook owners. We lightly cover purchasing strategies. In detail, we cover using the desktop including shortcuts and gestures, using the Chrome web browser, Chrome addon software, Google Drive and Google Docs, MS Office documents, recovering fouled Chromebooks, set up including printers, and running Android and Linux apps. Bring questions if you want to do more with your Chromebook but unsure how. [Lack of interest]
Exploring Windows 10	Explores the features of Windows 10 and how it differs from previous versions. Learn how to customize the Desktop, Start menu, and task bar, and how to tailor the appearance and behavior to suit your needs. Intermediate level course, must have some knowledge of Windows. [Replaced by Exploring Windows 11]