A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or
more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two
months apart.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons
are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have
to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until
the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each
lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such,
we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final
exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work,
including the final exam.
Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
Welcome to Publisher 2007! In the first lesson of our class, we'll go over some basic Publisher concepts, including accessing the program and customizing some of Publisher's powerful features. Then we'll talk about how you can access and use Publisher's extensive online Help system. This is a handy tool for a beginner to know as you set off on your journey!
Friday - Lesson 02
Today, we'll get started with some of Publisher's basics. We'll explore some more of the concepts that you need to know before delving into a large project, including how to open, save, and close a file. Then we'll take a look at the various elements of the main Publisher window, including menu bars, toolbars, and page navigation tools.
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Are you ready to have some fun? In this lesson, you'll see how to add and edit text, both directly in the program and by importing it from other documents. Then, you'll learn how to format text (including selecting the font, size, and color) and how to change paragraph alignment and line spacing. We'll also discuss how to set off special text by adding borders and fills to the text frame.
Friday - Lesson 04
In today's lesson, you'll learn how to punch up the creativity in your projects by adding graphics. Well go over how to create and format drawing objects, as well as how to insert clip art and import picture files. Once you have the basics down, we'll dive into recoloring, resizing, cropping, rotating, and flipping graphics, tweaking them for just the right impact.
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
It's time for you to discover how to create and work with tables in Publisher. You'll also learn how to apply and customize table borders, add shading, colors, and patterns, and merge and split cells.
Friday - Lesson 06
Today, we'll begin our two-lesson series on how to create an impressive professional newsletter in Publisher. We'll begin by going over some basic planning issues (the crucial first steps!), and then we'll continue with some layout tips. By the end of this lesson, you'll select or create a color scheme, develop a masthead, flow text onto a page, and then continue that text onto another page.
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
You've done a lot with your newsletter already! Now, you'll wrap things up by learning how to use the Design Gallery to create a professional sidebar, format a drop cap, create a footer on the background, insert a picture, and group objects. When you finish, you'll have a snazzy newsletter to show for all your hard work.
Friday - Lesson 08
Today, we'll begin our two-part series on creating a Web site in Publisher. You'll learn all you need to know to create a simple site. Then, we'll take a look at some of the technical issues surrounding Internet publishing, including ISPs, URLs, and domain names.
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
In part two of our series on creating a Web site in Publisher, you'll discover some of the ways you can dress up your site, including how to add graphics, sound, and other objects. After that, you'll be ready to publish your site to the Internet and you'll get detailed instructions on how to do just that. You'll truly be amazed at what you can do!
Friday - Lesson 10
Publisher makes it easier (and cheaper!) than ever before for anyone to design professional-looking brochures in—literally—a matter of hours. In this lesson, you'll learn how to create a good brochure; from planning the content, to designing the cover, logo, and graphics, to placing and arranging your text.
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
Today, you'll look at the basic process for preparing your publication for a commercial printer. We'll talk about the different printing processes, and when to choose each type. We'll also discuss how easy and automatic Publisher makes transferring your publication's files to a format your commercial printer can use. You'll know exactly what you'll need to do to get the results you want.
Friday - Lesson 12
Publisher offers several ways for you to create consistent and professional publications for your organization. In our last lesson together, you'll learn how to use two main methods: Templates and Design Sets. You'll discover how to create a template from scratch, change an existing template, and how to open a new publication using a template. You'll also see how Publisher's Design Sets can help you develop an entire suite of coordinating business materials in a matter of hours.