Practical guide
116 practical updates and guides from the Kindergarten IT Program.
30 June 2026
What Office licencing does Microsoft provide? Broadly Microsoft has provided three kinds of Microsoft Office licence. Stand-alone perpetual licenced copies of Office 2024, Office 2021 etc. M…
Read update16 Dec 2025
Common picture locations As well as the Pictures folder, check the Documents folder, Videos folder and the Downloads folder. If cloud storage accounts are linked to the computer, check locat…
Read update15 May 2025
The most common way to sign into your account is to enter a password. However Microsoft will often require additional identification methods to keep your account safe. You can add and change…
Read update28 Mar 2025
We have provided a tip to system updates here Tip – Windows 10: A guide to the updates. But system updates do not include all additional applications installed on your computer. Some may nee…
Read update26 Mar 2025
Verifying username and password login with an additional confirmation step is called two-factor or multi-factor authentication and greatly increases security. Two-factor authentication is no…
Read update16 Dec 2024
With children looking forward to transitioning to technology focused schools, now is a great time to introduce families to the concept of family tech agreements. Esafety.gov.au provides temp…
Read update6 Dec 2024
You do not need a subscription to an antivirus product to scan your Windows computer for malicious files. Windows 10 and Windows 11 both have an antivirus scanner built into Windows Security…
Read update20 Nov 2024
Young Children in Digital Society is a new online hub, bringing together evidence-based resources and information for early-childhood educators. Developed in collaboration with children, fam…
Read update16 July 2024
Please be alert to phishing emails targeting you in your workplace with accurate personal and staff information. Be on the alert for unexpected email claiming to be from your boss or workmat…
Read update28 June 2024
Cybercriminals attempt to gain access to an email account (highjack) so that they can use it to send spam or phishing emails, steal information and use the account to attempt further attacks…
Read update22 Mar 2024
Among the most dangerous types of malicious mail are the ones with viruses, malware, ransomware or trojans attached. These attachments will be disguised as common files such as PDFs, Word fi…
Read update21 Mar 2024
Last year cyber.gov.au came out with the strongly titled article “Why it’s time to ditch your one password for passphrases”. We agree! Our mailboxes require a password or passphrase that inc…
Read update2 May 2023
We have been alerted to a scam targeting payroll and administration staff. This is how the scam happens: After capturing the name of a legitimate staff member, the scammer sends an email in …
Read update10 Feb 2023
Have you ever heard the expression “Explain it to me like I am 5“? It is a popular phrase because we often need guidance that is immediate and accessible, just like five years olds. Increasi…
Read update3 Feb 2023
The Victorian Government has introduced the Kinder Tick logo to help families find funded and approved kindergarten programs. Funded services are encouraged to display the Kinder Tick on ema…
Read update14 Dec 2022
You can perform a manual backup of your Windows user files with an external drive by using Backup and Restore in Windows Settings. Backup and Restore makes copies of the user files only (Doc…
Read update8 Dec 2022
If your service shares a computer, network drive or cloud storage between staff, committee and volunteers, you might find it useful to restrict some Office documents from modification with a…
Read update8 Dec 2022
Excel documents are often ‘living’ documents that are intended to be viewed and updated collaboratively. To avoid users introducing errors to your documents, Excel’s protection options can l…
Read update6 Dec 2022
This guide demonstrates how to password protect a PDF created in Microsoft Word or Publisher. With the file open in Word or Publisher, click on File go to the Backstage view. Select Save As …
Read update28 Nov 2022
This tip will explain a method of creating Contact Groups in Outlook from an Excel spreadsheet by importing the data, sorting the new contacts by “Company” and then creating Contact Groups. …
Read update28 Nov 2022
This tip will explain one of two methods of creating contact groups in Outlook from an Excel spreadsheet. The guide assumes you have the contact details in an Excel spreadsheet sorted into t…
Read update18 Nov 2022
This guide is a sequel to https://kindergarten.vic.gov.au/tips/planning-your-website/ Once you have the rough structure and hierarchy of your website you can start detailing it out with cont…
Read update17 Nov 2022
If you are using a WordPress theme, widget or block pattern with place-holder images you might need make custom or unique icons to replace them. This technique will work for making larger lo…
Read update11 Nov 2022
Staff often need to maintain a spreadsheet of families and enrolments. Common tasks like adjusting or reorganizing such lists can be repetitive. Here are the first of some time-saving method…
Read update4 Nov 2022
This tip will show you how to create simple contact forms for your WordPress site. This example will use the plugin WPForms, one of many form builders you can find in the WordPress plugin st…
Read update27 Oct 2022
This tip will explain how to restore your WordPress site from a file and database backup. It is the sequel to the Tip – Making a WordPress file and database backup and assumes you have follo…
Read update27 Oct 2022
This tip will explain how to create a file & database backup of your WordPress site. Also known as a manual backup. WordPress has great recovery features like page & post revisions, 30-day r…
Read update29 Sept 2022
Reported widely in the press this week, both state and national agencies are providing an evolving response to the Optus data breach. Optus customers and former customers who received notifi…
Read update1 Sept 2022
Targeted phishing emails are currently being sent to registered services. Below is an example: ACECQA have responded and instructed recipients: This is NOT an official email from ACECQA. It …
Read update8 Aug 2022
Excel Printing Part Two Part 1 covered the main printing options in Excel. Part 2 covers these further Excel print features: Print Entire Workbook Print Titles Print gridlines Print selected…
Read update12 July 2022
We have had reports of the ‘Deadbolt’ ransomware affecting kindergartens. The Deadbolt ransomware targets computers and networked attached storage (NAS). Just like your computer, NAS devices…
Read update27 May 2022
Scam texts are fake messages with links that can target Androids, iPhones or any other smartphone. Scammers can appear to be sending from legitimate phone numbers or even among messages from…
Read update20 May 2022
Phone scam calls can occur to both home or business numbers and within business hours or outside. The callers may be human or automated (robocalls). What they want Phone scammers aim to harv…
Read update31 Mar 2022
We have updated the resources for the course with a video recording of the presentation. Please register to view the webinar Duration: 1 hour The video covers the topics from the course: Wha…
Read update25 Mar 2022
We have updated the resources for the course with a video recording of the presentation. Please register to view the webinar Duration: 1 hour The video covers the topics from the course: Get…
Read update3 Mar 2022
Excel Printing Part One Just like other Microsoft Office files, you can prepare Excel documents for printing by pressing Ctrl-P to access the Backstage View, or by clicking File -> Print. Th…
Read update6 Dec 2021
Formulas A main use of a spreadsheet is to calculate numbers. The basics of creating a calculation can be as simple as adding two figures in a single cell. To do this we create an expression…
Read update15 Oct 2021
This tip will show you how to insert a bordered picture as a background into Microsoft Word and adjust the margins so you can compose text in Word for a poster or certificate etc. We’ll use …
Read update11 Oct 2021
It is now essential to have an online presence for your Kindergarten that provides a quick and easy way for your audience to find you and access information and resources. You could create a…
Read update1 Oct 2021
Best practice for any important online account is to use a unique, complex random password and to update it periodically. This can be an inconvenient demand if you have many passwords memori…
Read update12 Feb 2021
Switching between Windows & Mac Keyboard differences Win10:Use the Start button (Win Key) to the left of the spacebar to launch the main menu. Hold the Start key down in combination with oth…
Read update20 Nov 2020
Both individuals and organisations are regularly targeted by criminals attempting to collect confidential information and accounts. Phishing attacks are a common method used by online scamme…
Read update22 Oct 2020
How do I know I have been attacked by ransomware? The first sign may be a “ransom letter” appearing in a new text file, your browser or desktop created by the ransomware alerting you to on-g…
Read update20 Oct 2020
Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts files on a victim’s device or drives. The encrypted files are then unusable to anyone without the encryption key. Once the attack starts the ra…
Read update16 Oct 2020
For broadband connection issues, first follow these troubleshooting steps. After each step test your internet connection. Please note: to restart the modem, use the round On/Off button in th…
Read update16 Oct 2020
When you are composing text directly into a web application such as Online TLDS you will need to rely on the spell checker built into your browser. To improve your experience, you can set th…
Read update30 Apr 2020
Simply having Antivirus software installed on your computer does not mean it will always be a virus free environment. You can run a scan with anti-virus software to check for computer viruse…
Read update28 Apr 2020
When creating a new post or page on a WordPress site, comments are enabled automatically. Recently, we have noticed that spam bots are targeting comment boxes with inappropriate language. Th…
Read update27 Apr 2020
Just by creating a website doesn’t mean it will automatically be found through an Internet Search Engine tool such as Google. There are thousands of websites to compete with. Here are some t…
Read update27 Apr 2020
Check out an example website If you’re wondering what WordPress looks like you can view a Kindergarten website created in WordPress; https://kitpwp.kindergarten.vic.gov.au/ Download Easy WP …
Read update27 Apr 2020
It’s useful to have an online presence for your Kindergarten that provides a quick and easy way for your audience to find you and access information and resources over the Internet. Planning…
Read update29 Oct 2019
To run TeamViewer for remote assistance from the Kindergarten IT Program, first browse to the website www.kindergarten.vic.gov.au. On our website you will see the TeamViewer button on the me…
Read update3 Oct 2019
How to update Your Windows 10 with latest release: In the Windows search type” Windows Update Setting” which will pop up the window as below Click on “check for updates”, it will check for n…
Read update2 Oct 2019
At the bottom right hand corner of your Youtube video, you will be able to find out the current video quality by clicking the Settings icon as shown below. The current video quality will sho…
Read update26 Sept 2019
Some kindergartens have asked us why other services and businesses appear at the top right when they Google search their kindergarten’s name. When you Google search a business name, Google f…
Read update25 Sept 2019
Scammers are targeting kindergartens with fake messages with malicious attachments. Please treat all email received from addresses claiming to be kindergartens with the same level of caution…
Read update18 June 2019
What is Bluekeep? Microsoft has advised users that there is a vulnerability within its Remote Desktop Services. Remote Desktop Services allow others to access your computer without physicall…
Read update7 May 2019
What is a Phishing Scam? Phishing scams are attempts by scammers to trick you into giving out personal information such as your bank account numbers, passwords and credit card numbers. This …
Read update4 Dec 2018
Before your kindergarten closes for the Christmas holidays, we have a few IT tips to ensure business continuity. File Backup We suggest that you should back up your files and images to an ex…
Read update6 Aug 2018
Click File at top left hand corner. Click Save As. Select the destination where you want to save the PDF to, e.g. Desktop. Click “Save as type” drop down and select PDF. Click Save
Read update4 July 2017
When sending electronic document via email, you need to take the following basic security steps: Password-protect the Word document. To do this, open the word document. Go to “File” tab. Und…
Read update30 Mar 2017
Some types of files are more dangerous to download than others. The first step to protecting yourself from dangerous files is learning to recognise what it is you are actually downloading. T…
Read update30 Mar 2017
A common way to share files online is Peer-to-Peer sharing. Instead of downloading a file from a single source, the file is shared among everyone who has downloaded all or part of the file. …
Read update30 Mar 2017
Checking if uTorrent in running in the background Peer-to-peer file sharing programs are designed to run in the background, constantly sharing files with other users online. The program may …
Read update30 Mar 2017
Know your rights The more you know about your rights, the easier it will be for you to exercise them. Read Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) to know more about your right. Familiarise you…
Read update30 Mar 2017
Reset Internet Explorer Click on Tools and select Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab. Click on the Reset button. Reset Chrome Click on Customize and control Google Chrome button Cli…
Read update30 Mar 2017
Today you can do almost anything online – you can do your banking, manage Centrelink payments, buy and sell things, book appointments and more. As you become more confident in using the web,…
Read update7 Aug 2016
Ransomware is a type of malware that makes your data such as documents and photos unavailable. Usually by scrambling (encrypting) the data so it is unusable. Then, offering to unscramble the…
Read update30 Apr 2016
If your Wi-Fi isn’t secure, or you’re concerned about the security of your Wi-Fi, we recommend calling the Kindergarten IT Program help desk to assist on Phone: 03 8664 7001 or Toll Free: 18…
Read update30 Mar 2016
A wireless network (Wi-Fi) is a great way to be anywhere in your Kindergarten and connect your internet service. But it’s important to be aware when your wireless network is open to unauthor…
Read update29 Feb 2016
Further to our alerts regarding Cryptowall virus, many email users are being lured to sites such as fake Australia Post websites. At a glance these sites appear legitimate but attempting to …
Read update30 June 2015
Kindergarten staff often ask us where they can download a dotted version of Vic modern cursive script so they can produce printing exercises for their children. Unfortunately we have not fou…
Read update30 June 2015
Picture Manager is included in Microsoft Office Suite and can manage, edit, share and view your pictures from where you store them on your computer. In this tip you will learn how to use Pic…
Read update1 May 2015
‘Phishing scams’ or ‘spam’ emails are designed to obtain sensitive information for malicious purposes… Why do I get Spam? Identity theft, to steal money Obtain sensitive information (usernam…
Read update1 Mar 2015
In response to our IT training feedback, we have once again updated this and added a new section on some relevant mobile web services. Please note, these are only suggested Apps, mentioned t…
Read update1 Mar 2015
In our training course Introduction to KIM, we cover how to format the .csv template to upload multiple child enrolments for a Single Service in KIM. If you have enrolment information ready …
Read update1 Nov 2014
The iTunes program allows you to import CDs, manage and play music on your desktop computer. Once you have imported your music into iTunes you can create playlists of your favourite songs, t…
Read update30 Oct 2014
If you have completed our ‘Create a Children’s Portfolio’ course you will be familiar with the idea of a template. A template is a sample document with a predefined layout for images, text a…
Read update30 Oct 2014
Anyone can type words into Google and get a list of results, but are they the best results? When you want to find information on the Internet, here are a few tips for searching more effectiv…
Read update1 Oct 2014
Our ‘iPads in the Kindergarten’ course introduces creating portfolio documents on the iPad using Pages. Pages App is a word processor designed specifically for the iPad. It doesn’t come buil…
Read update1 Aug 2014
Your computer won’t start, the screen goes blank, the program freezes, error messages pop up on the screen and you don’t know why. Sound familiar? Most people have experienced a problem with…
Read update1 July 2014
Guided Access is a setting that allows you to temporarily lock an iPad into one App at a time. This is particularly useful if you are using the iPad with children; they can stay focused on t…
Read update30 June 2014
What is Evernote? Evernote is a free program designed for note-taking and note-sharing. A note can be text, a web page, a photo or even an audio recording. Evernote is installed as software …
Read update30 June 2014
The mouse scroll wheel is located in the middle of the left and right buttons of your mouse. It’s commonly used for easy scrolling up and down through a document or web page but has a few ot…
Read update1 June 2014
In response to our IT Training Survey (June, 2014) where we asked “What iPad Apps do you use in your Kindergarten and what Learning Outcomes do they achieve from the EYLF?”, we have a collat…
Read update30 May 2014
If you find it hard to see things clearly on your computer screen or are squinting to read you can change the view to a larger scale to make text more readable and other items like icons app…
Read update1 May 2014
A wireless network is a great way to enjoy the convenience of your Internet Service anywhere in the radius of your Kindergarten. A wireless modem (router) allows you to connect multiple devi…
Read update30 Apr 2014
If you have completed our ‘Create a Children’s Portfolio’ course you will be familiar with the idea of a template. A template is a sample document with a predefined layout for images, text a…
Read update1 Apr 2014
Our ‘iPads in the Kindergarten’ course introduces creating portfolio documents on the iPad using Pages. Pages App is a word processor designed specifically for the iPad. It doesn’t come buil…
Read update30 Mar 2014
This Tip applies to Windows PC Users. For more information and Mac user instructions refer to the DEECD website; www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english…
Read update30 Jan 2014
This Guide enables the creation of a shared network space with an external hard drive plugged into a modem, where multiple users and computers can access and share files in one central locat…
Read update30 Jan 2014
File sharing allows multiple users and computers to access and share files in one central location when they are connected to the network via a modem router. There are two ways we suggest fo…
Read update1 Jan 2014
“I can’t turn on the computer, the computer screen is blank”, this is a common issue that we receive calls about. Here are some troubleshooting techniques you can try to resolve the issue: E…
Read update30 Dec 2013
It’s a good time to review and clean up your computer files for a fresh start in the New Year. A clean up involves backing up your files, organising your important files and cleaning out old…
Read update29 Nov 2013
Sometimes, you can’t send emails because of an “Outgoing Mail Server error”. There are a few reasons why this might happen, here are some ways you can troubleshoot the issue; Check the Inter…
Read update29 Nov 2013
Spam emails, also known as junk emails are unsolicited messages sent to numerous recipients by email. The purpose of Spam may be for advertising, phishing to gain personal information or to …
Read update30 Oct 2013
These days we are moving away from keeping hard copy files with more of our records being stored on computers and on-line. Just like a filing cabinet, electronic files need to be organised a…
Read update30 Sept 2013
(Instructions are based on Microsoft Word 2007, but are similar in Microsoft Word 2010). Use the Mail Merge step-by-step Wizard when you want to create a set of labels or documents such as a…
Read update30 Sept 2013
A “Web Browser” is your window to access the Internet. There are many different web browsers you can use, each has its own look and feel, but they all have the same purpose: to display web p…
Read update29 Sept 2013
Sometimes you may not be able to send an email if the attachment is too large. We suggest the maximum size of attachments in one email is 5 MB (to check the size of a file, right click on it…
Read update1 Sept 2013
Learn how to quickly format data to currency and calculate the total in a Spread Sheet How to Format Data (currency format) Enter the data into the cells, then using your mouse left-click an…
Read update1 Aug 2013
An Android Tablet Computer be a great resource for the classroom and there are numerous innovative ways to use the technology for learning. Just press the Google Play / Play Store button on …
Read update1 Aug 2013
It’s important to care for your computer so it will continue to function well and have a long life span. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help it last longer and require less mainten…
Read update30 July 2013
It’s really quick and easy to create a stylish Newsletter in Microsoft Word 2007. There are a whole range of templates available that can be quickly downloaded and installed into the Word Pr…
Read update30 Apr 2013
A file backup is the process of saving a copy of all the computer files to an external storage location. This means if files are accidentally deleted, become corrupted or the computer is dam…
Read update1 Mar 2013
What is Surge Protection? A surge protector is a device that sits between your electrical equipment (PC, modem) and the electrical mains (wall socket). It protects your equipment’s power sup…
Read update29 Jan 2013
Webmail is an email client accessed through the Internet in your web browser (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Safari, etc). Webmail allows you to log into the Kindergarten emai…
Read update29 Dec 2012
Lost Internet Connection, Can’t Send Email? Power cycle the modem! If you have lost internet connection (meaning you can’t access web pages) and you’re not able to send emails (there is an e…
Read update1 Sept 2012
Just before you leave for the school holiday break its helpful to: Shut down your computer and turn off the monitor Switch off the modem Switch off the power and unplug at the wall Not only …
Read update30 Aug 2012
A wireless network is a great way to be anywhere in the radius of your Kindergarten and enjoy the convenience of your internet service. But it’s important to be aware when your wireless netw…
Read update1 Aug 2012
Are you thinking about changing your telephone service provider to another company or changing the details of your current telephone account? Sure thing, however, you need to be aware that t…
Read update1 June 2012
The purpose of this guide is so that you will create a template in word that will be used as a template you can use to create word documents from. Open word, and create a document, that you …
Read update1 May 2011
Microsoft Word stores information in Rich Text so it is possible to add pictures, Tables, Hyperlinks and even interactive charts and graphs to your document. The ‘Insert’ tab is bundled with…
Read update30 Apr 2011
Has your printer ever stopped working for no apparent reason, only to leave you wondering ‘What Next..?’ Then this tip is for you. There are countless printers on the market today, each with…
Read update30 Apr 2011
Around 90% of computer related problems can easily be overcome in a few simple steps. This is good news! If any connecting device isn’t working (eg your printer, internet connection or a pro…
Read update29 Apr 2011
Headers and Footers are extremely useful in Word documents and can include information about the author, the date published, version, and page numbering. The simplest way to choose a header …
Read update