Lesson 2: Computer Basics

Goals for This Lesson

• Send a formal email to the instructor via Gmail
• Use AI to draft an email
• Practice typing skills

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1. Gmail — Email Basics

At university, Gmail is used to communicate with instructors and staff. Here you'll learn how to set up a signature and write formal emails.

1-1. Log in to Gmail

1. Open Gmail in your browser
2. Log in with your university Google account (i[student-id]@st.t-kougei.ac.jp)

Can't log in?

If you don't know your university email address or password, check the Information Center's guide.

1-2. Set up your email signature

A signature is your contact information that is automatically appended to every email you send. It's standard practice in professional communication.

Setup steps:

1. Click the gear icon ⚙️ in the top right of Gmail
2. Click "See all settings"
3. Scroll down in the "General" tab to the "Signature" section
4. Click "+ Create new" and enter a name (e.g., "University")
5. Enter a signature like this:

Tokyo Polytechnic University, Faculty of Arts
Dept. of Interactive Media, 1st Year
Student ID: 2024000
Taro Kogei
mail: i2024000@st.t-kougei.ac.jp

6. Under "Signature defaults," select this signature for both "For new emails" and "On reply/forward"
7. Click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page

Note

Replace the student ID, name, and email address with your own information.

1-3. Write and send a formal email

You'll often need to email instructors at university. Learning proper email etiquette now will serve you well in your career too.

Email structure:

Field	Content
To	m.nakajima@int.t-kougei.ac.jp
Subject	Assignment 1 (2024000 Taro Kogei)
Body	See below

Example body:

Dear Professor Nakajima,

I hope this email finds you well.
My name is Taro Kogei, a first-year student
in the Department of Interactive Media.

I don't have much experience using computers,
so I look forward to learning in this class.
Thank you very much for your guidance.

(Your signature will appear automatically below)

Tips for formal emails:

• Start with a greeting and the recipient's title
• Introduce yourself with your department and name
• Keep the body concise and polite
• End with a closing phrase such as "Thank you for your guidance"

Common mistakes to avoid

• Empty subject line → Always include your topic and name in the subject
• Being too casual → Use polite, professional language with instructors
• Jumping straight to the point → Don't forget a greeting and self-introduction
• No signature → Always include your contact information

1-4. Install the Gmail app on your smartphone

Set up your university email on your phone so you never miss important messages.

1. Follow the university's setup guide
2. Install the Gmail app (or add an account if already installed)
3. Log in with your university Google account

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2. Drafting an Email with AI

Let's use AI (Claude) to create an email draft based on the formal email skills you learned in Section 1. AI is a powerful tool, but giving it clear and specific instructions (prompts) is key.

2-1. Access Claude

1. Open Claude in your browser
2. Log in with your Google account (your university account is fine)

What is Claude?

Claude is a conversational AI assistant developed by Anthropic. It can help with writing, summarizing, translating, and many other tasks.

2-2. Ask Claude to draft an email

Try asking Claude to draft an email for the following scenario:

Scenario:

You won't be able to submit your Computer Literacy A assignment on time. You were feeling unwell (had a fever) and couldn't use your computer for several days. You want to email Professor Nakajima to request a deadline extension.

Try it out:

1. First, try giving a vague prompt like this:

Write an email asking for a deadline extension for my assignment.

2. Look at the output. You'll likely notice issues:
   • The instructor's name is missing
   • Your department and name aren't included
   • The course name and specific situation are unclear

2-3. Improve your prompt

To get good output from AI, you need to give specific instructions with sufficient context. Rewrite your prompt using the formal email structure from Section 1.

Information to include in your prompt:

Element	Example
Your role	1st year, Dept. of Interactive Media, Tokyo Polytechnic University
Recipient	Professor Nakajima (Computer Literacy A instructor)
Purpose	Request a deadline extension for an assignment
Reason	Couldn't use computer for several days due to illness (fever)
Format	Formal university email (as learned in Section 1)

Example of an improved prompt:

Please draft a formal email with the following details:

- From: Taro Kogei, 1st year, Dept. of Interactive Media,
  Faculty of Arts, Tokyo Polytechnic University
- To: Professor Nakajima (Computer Literacy A instructor)
- Purpose: Request a deadline extension for an assignment
- Reason: I had a fever and couldn't use my computer for several days
- Format: Formal email to a university instructor
- Include a greeting, self-introduction, and polite closing

3. Compare the outputs from before and after — notice how much the result improved

2-4. Review and edit the output

Never send an AI-generated email as-is. Always review it yourself.

Checklist:

• [ ] Is the instructor's name correct?
• [ ] Are your department, student ID, and name correct?
• [ ] Is the tone appropriate? (Not too formal, not too casual)
• [ ] Does it contain any false information?
• [ ] Does it read naturally as something you would write?

Important mindset when using AI

• AI output is a draft (starting point). The final responsibility is yours
• AI can produce plausible-sounding falsehoods (hallucinations). Always verify facts yourself
• Be careful when entering personal information (student ID, phone number, etc.) into AI tools

2-5. Send the completed email

1. Edit and refine the AI output to create your final email
2. Send it from Gmail to the instructor following the steps from Section 1
   • To: m.nakajima@int.t-kougei.ac.jp
   • Subject: Assignment 2 (StudentID YourName)

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3. Typing Practice

Speed and accuracy on the keyboard are essential for using a PC effectively. Start practicing today and improve gradually over time.

3-1. Practice typing on e-typing

1. Go to e-typing Romaji Typing
2. Start the "Level Check" test
3. Type the displayed text as accurately as possible
4. Check your score and level on the results screen

Score guide:

Level	Score	Description
E–D	0–100	Keep practicing! A little every day goes a long way
C	100–200	Average level. Focus on accuracy
B	200–300	Good job! Now work on increasing speed
A+	300+	Excellent! Keep pushing your limits

3-2. Record your best score

1. Practice several times and note your best score
2. Keep your score and level — you'll use them in Lesson 3 submissions

Tips for improving your typing

• Keep your fingers on the home position (left index on F, right index on J)
• Prioritize accuracy over speed at first
• Practice 5–10 minutes every day for the best results
• Aim for touch typing — typing without looking at the keyboard

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Submissions

Complete and submit the following:

#	Item	How to submit
1	Assignment 1 email (from Section 1)	Send via Gmail to the instructor
2	Assignment 2 email (AI-assisted, from Section 2)	Send via Gmail to the instructor

Pre-submission checklist

• [ ] Assignment 1: Does the subject include your student ID and name?
• [ ] Assignment 1: Is the email body written in a formal style?
• [ ] Assignment 2: Did you review and edit the AI output (not just copy-paste)?
• [ ] Assignment 2: Does the subject include your student ID and name?

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Summary

In this lesson, you learned three things:

1. Gmail — Setting up a signature and writing formal emails
2. AI skills — Drafting emails with Claude and writing effective prompts
3. Typing — Practicing on e-typing and recording your score

Next lesson, we'll set up Microsoft 365 accounts and learn about Word formatting and document layout.