Skip to lesson
Week 4Mission Control

Work together without confusion.

Digital Literacy Level 2 · Week 4

Tonight you write an email, answer a comment and check an offer.

Illustrative West Virginia learning scenario
Fictional people and setting
Week 4Mission Control

Start with what you know.

When has a message made your next step easy? What information did it include?

Share one example. Passing is welcome.

Week 4Mission Control

Tonight's goals

By the end of tonight, you can:

  1. Part 1 · Practice Mail: Write a request with a deadline.
  2. Part 1 · Practice Mail: Use words that welcome all.
  3. Part 2 · Practice Mail: Say what Bcc does.
  4. Part 3 · Word: Give feedback on one shared copy.
  5. Part 4 · Edge: Spot a charge that repeats.

These five skills are on your post-test.

Week 4Mission Control

How tonight works.

  1. 1
    Watch the step on the big screen.
  2. 2
    Do the same step on your computer.
  3. 3
    Check You should see. Not the same? Raise your hand.

The colored box at the top of every slide names the program you are in, like Working in: Practice Mail.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeBefore we start · Step 1 of 5

Find the taskbar

  1. Look at the bottom of your screen. The long dark bar there is the taskbar.

You should see: the taskbar, with a round Edge icon on it.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeBefore we start · Step 2 of 5

Open Microsoft Edge

  1. Click the round blue-green Edge icon on the taskbar.

You should see: a window with a long address bar at the top. This is Microsoft Edge.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeBefore we start · Step 3 of 5

Go to the course website

  1. Click the long address bar at the top of Edge.
  2. Type vublessons.com and press Enter.

You should see: the VUB Learning page with course cards.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeBefore we start · Step 4 of 5

Open the course

  1. On the Digital Literacy — Level 2 card, click Open course.

You should see: a page that lists the weeks of the course.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeBefore we start · Step 5 of 5

Open your Week 4 worksheet

  1. Roll the mouse wheel toward you until you see Week 4.
  2. Click Worksheet in the Week 4 row.

You should see: a page titled Week 4 · Worksheet. Leave it open. You will come back to it.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 of 4

Now working in: Practice Mail

Practice Mail is a practice email program in Edge. Tonight you write a message in it. It never leaves the page.

You will make: an email that asks for a review, with the day and time in the subject.

Goal 1: Write a request with a deadline

Goal 2: Use words that welcome all

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Why it matters

A request someone can act on.

  1. 1
    Put what you need and when in the subject. People read it first.
  2. 2
    Ask for one thing, with a day and a time.
  3. 3
    Welcome everyone: write Hi everyone, not Hi guys. Offer a choice, like email or a phone call.
Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Watch

Watch: a message someone can act on

Watch for: a subject and a message that say what to review and when.

0:45 long. It stops by itself.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 1 · Step 1 of 14

Find Part 1 on your worksheet

  1. Click the Week 4 · Worksheet tab at the top of Edge.
  2. Roll the mouse wheel toward you until you see Part 1.

You should see: the heading Part 1 of 4 and a gold button named Open Practice Mail.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 2 of 14

Open Practice Mail

  1. Click the gold button Open Practice Mail.

You should see: a new tab named Practice Mail with a Compose button at the top left.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 3 of 14

Start a new message

  1. Click Compose at the top left.

You should see: a box named New Message.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Know your screen

Find your way around the message

  1. To: who gets the message.
  2. Subject: the line people read first.
  3. The big white box: your message.
  4. Send: sends the message. In Practice Mail nothing really leaves the page.
Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 4 of 14

Click the Subject line

  1. Click the Subject line, the line under To.

You should see: a blinking line in the Subject line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 5 of 14

Type the subject

  1. Type Reply by Friday noon: please review the handout

You should see: your subject on the Subject line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 6 of 14

Check your subject

  1. Read your subject. Find the day Friday and the time noon.

You should see: the day Friday and the time noon in the subject.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 7 of 14

Click the message box

  1. Click the big white box under the Subject line.

You should see: a blinking line at the top of the big white box.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 8 of 14

Type the greeting

  1. Type Hi guys, and press Enter.

You should see: Hi guys, on the first line. The blinking line moves to the second line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 9 of 14

Type the request

  1. Type Please review the computer-help handout and reply by Friday at noon.
  2. Press Enter.

You should see: the request on the second line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 10 of 14

Type the choice

  1. Type Reply by email, or call 304-555-0142 if you prefer.
  2. Press Enter.

You should see: the email-or-phone line on the third line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 11 of 14

Type the closing

  1. Type Thank you, and press Enter.
  2. Type your first name.

You should see: a closing line and your name at the end of the message.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 12 of 14

Find the word to change

  1. Double-click the word guys in your first line.

You should see: the word guys shaded.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 13 of 14

Change the word

  1. Type everyone

You should see: the first line now says Hi everyone,.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Step 14 of 14

Read it like your reader

  1. Read your message from top to bottom.
  2. Find the day and the time you need an answer.

You should see: Friday and noon in the subject and in the message, and Hi everyone, on the first line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Check

Which subject line is easiest to act on?

Choose an answer, then explain your reason.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 1 · Check

Which invitation is the most welcoming?

Choose an answer, then explain your reason.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 of 4

Still working in: Practice Mail

The To and Bcc lines decide who gets the message, and who can see whose address.

You will make: the same message with one address in To and three in Bcc.

Goal 3: Say what Bcc does

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Why it matters

To, Cc and Bcc.

  1. 1
    To: the person who needs to act.
  2. 2
    Cc: a visible copy for people who only need to know.
  3. 3
    Bcc: hides each person's address from the others. Someone can still send the message on to other people.
Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Watch

Watch: who receives it

Watch for: the To, Cc and Bcc lines, and what Bcc hides.

0:20 long. It stops by itself.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 1 of 9

Click the To line

  1. Click the To line at the top of the message.

You should see: a blinking line in the To line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 2 of 9

Type the first address

  1. Type desk@example.com
  2. Press Enter.

You should see: a gray bubble holding desk@example.com.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 3 of 9

Find the Bcc link

  1. Look at the right end of the To line.
  2. Find the word Bcc.

You should see: two small blue words: Cc and Bcc.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 4 of 9

Open the Bcc line

  1. Click Bcc.

You should see: a new line named Bcc under the To line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 5 of 9

Click the Bcc line

  1. Click in the Bcc line.

You should see: a blinking line in the Bcc line.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 6 of 9

Add the three volunteers

  1. Type the first address below and press Enter.
  2. Do the same for the other two addresses.

You should see: three gray bubbles on the Bcc line.

Type these addresses:

sam@example.com

pat@example.com

lee@example.com

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 7 of 9

Check who sees what

  1. Look at your To line and your Bcc line.

You should see: one address in To and three in Bcc.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 8 of 9

Send the practice message

  1. Click the blue Send button at the bottom left of the message.

You should see: a page that says the message was sent in practice, with a box named Who sees what.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Step 9 of 9

Read who sees what

  1. Find the box named Who sees what.
  2. Read the row for sam@example.com.

You should see: sam sees To: desk@example.com only. The other Bcc addresses are hidden.

Week 4Working in: Practice MailPart 2 · Check

You email 12 neighbors who do not know each other and put them in Bcc. What does Bcc do?

Choose an answer, then explain your reason.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 of 4

Now working in: Microsoft Word

Word lets people leave comments on a document without changing it. Comments keep every suggestion in one place.

You will make: a handout with one comment that you answered and resolved.

Goal 4: Give feedback on one shared copy

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Why it matters

One copy. Comments, not copies.

  1. 1
    Three people with three copies means nobody knows which is final. Keep one shared copy.
  2. 2
    The reviewer suggests a change in a comment. A good comment says where, what and why.
  3. 3
    The owner wrote the handout. The owner makes the change, replies, then resolves the comment.
Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Watch

Watch: why one copy

Watch for: three separate handouts, and the idea of one common copy.

0:15 long. It stops by itself.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Watch

Watch: a useful comment

Watch for: a comment that names a place, a change and a reason, then the reply and Resolve.

0:33 long. It stops by itself.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 1 of 22

Open Word

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard. (Or click Start at the bottom left.)
  2. Type Word and press Enter.

You should see: the Word start screen, with a Blank document tile.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 2 of 22

Start a blank document

  1. Click Blank document.

You should see: a white page with a blinking line at the top. The blinking line is the cursor: where your typing goes.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Know your screen

Find your way around the Review tab

  1. The Review tab: comments live here.
  2. New Comment: adds a comment to the words you shaded.
  3. The comment appears in a box on the right of the page.
Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 3 of 22

Type the title

  1. Click the white page. Type Computer help handout and press Enter.

You should see: the title at the top of the page.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 4 of 22

Type step 1

  1. Type Step 1: Choose one task. and press Enter.

You should see: a second line under the title.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 5 of 22

Type step 2

  1. Type Step 2: Visit the learning desk. and press Enter.

You should see: a third line.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 6 of 22

Type step 3

  1. Type Step 3: Ask how to repeat it at home. Do not press Enter.

You should see: four lines: the title and three steps.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 7 of 22

Be the reviewer: shade a line

  1. Point just before the S in Step 3: Ask how to repeat it at home.
  2. Hold the left mouse button down. Drag to the end of that line. Let go.

You should see: the Step 3 line shaded gray.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 8 of 22

Open the Review tab

  1. Click the Review tab at the top of Word.

You should see: new buttons along the top of Word, including New Comment.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 9 of 22

Click New Comment

  1. Click New Comment.

You should see: a comment box on the right side of the page, with a blinking line.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 10 of 22

Write a specific comment

  1. Type Add the contact number after the steps so readers can find help.

You should see: your comment in the box on the right.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 11 of 22

Post the comment

  1. Click Post comment.

You should see: your comment stays on the right side, with a Reply box under it.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 12 of 22

Be the owner: go to the end of step 3

  1. Click at the very end of the line Step 3: Ask how to repeat it at home.

You should see: a blinking line after the word home.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 13 of 22

Add the number

  1. Press Enter.
  2. Type Help desk: 304-555-0142

You should see: a new line under Step 3 that says Help desk: 304-555-0142.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 14 of 22

Click the Reply box

  1. Click the Reply box under your comment.

You should see: a blinking line in the Reply box.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 15 of 22

Write and post your reply

  1. Type Added, thank you.
  2. Click the small arrow button next to the box.

You should see: your reply under the comment.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 16 of 22

Open the comment menu

  1. Click the three dots ··· at the top right of the comment.

You should see: a small menu with Resolve thread in it. A thread is a comment and the replies under it.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 17 of 22

Resolve the comment

  1. Click Resolve thread.

You should see: the comment turns gray and says Resolved.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 18 of 22

Save: open the File menu

  1. Click File at the top left.

You should see: a menu with Save As in the list on the left.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 19 of 22

Open the Save As box

  1. Click Save As, then click Browse.

You should see: a box titled Save As.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 20 of 22

Choose Documents

  1. On the left side of the box, click Documents.

You should see: the top of the box ends in Documents.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 21 of 22

Name the file

  1. Click in the File name box. Press Ctrl and A together to shade the old name.
  2. Type Handout with comments

You should see: Handout with comments in the File name box.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Step 22 of 22

Save the file

  1. Click Save.

You should see: Handout with comments at the very top of the Word window.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft WordPart 3 · Check

You added the number the comment asked for. What next?

Choose an answer, then explain your reason.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 of 4

Now working in: Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge shows web pages. Tonight we read a practice offer. Nothing on it can charge you.

You will make: four facts about a free trial, written down before you would agree.

Goal 5: Spot a charge that repeats

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Why it matters

A free trial can become a monthly charge.

  1. 1
    Free for 7 days, then $12 each month means a charge every month until you cancel.
  2. 2
    Before you agree, find four facts: when it ends, what it costs, how often you pay, how to cancel.
  3. 3
    A fact is missing? Do not agree yet.
Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Watch

Watch: review an offer

Watch for: the trial, the monthly price, and what to check before you accept.

0:26 long. It stops by itself.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 1 of 8

Find Part 4 on your worksheet

  1. Click the Week 4 · Worksheet tab at the top of Edge.
  2. Roll the mouse wheel toward you until you see Part 4.

You should see: the heading Part 4 and a gold button named Open the practice offer.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 2 of 8

Open the practice offer

  1. Click the gold button Open the practice offer.

You should see: a new tab named MapleStream · Practice offer.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 3 of 8

Read the offer

  1. Read the big words at the top of the page.

You should see: Free for 7 days and then $12 each month.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 4 of 8

Find when the free days end

  1. Find the line in the small print that starts with Your first charge.

You should see: Your first charge is on day 8.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 5 of 8

Find the price

  1. Find the dollar amount near the top of the page.

You should see: $12 each month.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 6 of 8

Find how often you pay

  1. Find the words that say how often $12 is charged.

You should see: each month near the top, and every month until you cancel in the small print.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 7 of 8

Find how to cancel

  1. Look at the last line of the small print.

You should see: Account › Billing › Cancel plan.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Step 8 of 8

Write the four facts

  1. Click the Week 4 · Worksheet tab. In Part 4, click the box and write the four facts.

You should see: your four facts in the box: when it ends, the price, how often, how to cancel.

Your four facts (worksheet, Part 4):

The four facts:

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgePart 4 · Check

Free for 7 days, then $12 each month. You do nothing. What happens?

Choose an answer, then explain your reason.

Week 4Working in: Microsoft EdgeWrap-up

Fill in your result page

  1. Turn to the last page of your worksheet, My result.
  2. Fill in every box.

You should see: every box on the My result page filled in.

Boxes to fill in:

My subject line

Who I put in To and Bcc

What Bcc does

My comment and my reply

The four offer facts

One habit for next time

Week 4Mission ControlWrap-up

Show your instructor.

  1. your Practice Mail Who sees what box
  2. your Word handout with the comment marked Resolved
  3. your My result page, every box filled in
Week 4Mission ControlWrap-up

I can…

  • Write a request with a deadline.
  • Use words that welcome all.
  • Say what Bcc does.
  • Give feedback on one shared copy.
  • Spot a charge that repeats.

Check each box on your worksheet that you can do now.

Week 4Mission ControlWrap-up

Take it home.

Before you send your next group message, check three things: a subject with the day and time, words that welcome everyone, and who is in To and who is in Bcc. Bring one real message you want to improve to Week 5.

Week 4Mission Control

Mission complete.

You wrote a clear request, chose who sees which addresses, answered a comment and checked an offer.