Computer Shortcut Keys for Online Learners

If your online course uses courseware such as Canvas or other Learning Management Systems or you are new to computers and online learning you may find the following tips helpful. 

PC Users:

PC’s have a built in clipboard, which allows the user to copy selected information from one source and paste it into another source. This can be accomplished by accessing the menu in most software programs but the shortcut keys will allow you to do this even if these options are not on the programs menu. You will find this very useful when you have created a document in a word processing program and you need to place it into one of the courseware programs such as ANGEL or WebCT. The PC clipboard will allow you to select and copy a single selection at a time, each time you use the shortcut copy the last selection will be overwritten. (Please note that some programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite will allow for multiple clipboard saves this generally works only within the Office Suite and will not transfer to other non Microsoft programs)

Listed below are keyboard shortcuts that are helpful as you navigate your online classroom:

Edit and Selection Shortcuts for PC users:

Keyboard Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + A	Used to Select All when attempting to select multiple entries (files, documents, text, etc.)
Ctrl + C	Used to copy a selection to the Windows Clipboard. This is the same as going to Edit > Copy from the menu.
Ctrl + V	Used to paste previously copied selections residing on the Windows Clipboard. This is the same as going to Edit > Paste from the menu.
Ctrl + X	Used to cut selections such as sections of text, etc. When an item has been cut it still resides on the Windows Clipboard and may be pasted. This is the same as going to Edit > Cut from the menu.
Ctrl + Z	Used to Undo your last keystroke.  This is the same as going to Edit > Undo Typing from the menu or using the "Undo" arrow.
Ctrl + Click	You may click multiple selections, such as files, while depressing the Ctrl key to select multiple non-adjacent items.
Shift + Click	After clicking on an item, such as a file name, you may find another file later in sequence and click on it while holding down the shift key. This will select the first file and all of those in line to the last file selected.

For more information and tips for PC’s you can go to the following websites:
(please note that the following links open in a new window to return to Virtual College simply close the newly opened window)

http://www.ctdlc.org/remediation/

http://www.computerhope.com/

Mac Users:

The Mac OS also has useful keyboard shortcuts. Macs have a clipboard that is similar to the PC and functions in much the same way.  
Listed below are keyboard shortcuts that will be helpful as you navigate your online classroom. 

Edit and Selection Shortcuts for Mac Users

Edit menu shortcuts can be used at the desktop level (in the Finder) as well as desktop applications. If you can see the menu command (that is the menu option is not grayed out) you can execute the corresponding keyboard shortcut.

Edit Menu Command	Keyboard Shortcut
Undo	z-Z (cmd key plus the letter)
Copy	z-C (cmd key plus the letter)
Cut	z-X (cmd key plus the letter)
Save	z-S (cmd key plus the letter)
Paste	z-V (cmd key plus the letter)
Select All	z-A (cmd key plus the letter)

For more information and tips for MAC users you can go to the following websites:
http://macusers.com/resources/keyboardcuts/

Don't have Microsoft Office?  Here is an option.

If you do not have Microsoft Office software there are 2 free Office Suites:

• LibreOffice is the power-packed free, libre and open source personal productivity suite for Windows, Macintosh and GNU/Linux, that gives you six feature-rich applications for all your document production and data processing needs:  Please go to http://www.libreoffice.org/* for more information and for a download of this free office suite.  
• Open Office is another suite that can be downloaded for free.  Please go to http://www.openoffice.org/ for more information. 

*Disclaimer:  As with any download from the Internet it is important to scan for viruses or other malicious software that could possibly cause problems with your computer.  NeLSC can not guarantee the security of any website.