Interview: Computing Support Assistant

Part 1: Introduction

Interviewer: What do you like most about your job?

Anne: I like, I like all aspects of the job. It's good to.... it's varied so there's lots of interest.

Interviewer: Are you ever bored?

Anne: No, not really, because it's never the same things over and over again: it's different each lime.

Problems

Interviewer: What kind of problems are there? What kind of difficulties do people have?

Anne: People have problems with the hardware, often with printers...paper jamming. They also have problems finding options in the programs. Mostly with word processing.

Interviewer: Are there any other hardware problems?

Anne: Occasionally a computer freezes... it hangs or freezes. It's usually a memory problem.

Interviewer: Is it always the machine or is it sometimes the user?

Anne: Sometimes it's the user. The printer isn't switched on, or there's no paper.

Part 2: Keeping up to date

Interviewer: How do you keep in touch with what's new in computing? It's changing all the time.

Anne: Yeah, by the time you read something, it's out of date. Magazines are good for finding out what's new on the scene. The Internet also has information about new developments.

Interviewer: Do you ever go on courses?

Anne: Yes, they're a good way to keep up.

Interviewer: What kind of courses?

Anne: Well, operating systems change, so courses about the different functions on the operating system. And then there are the programs that people use, like the word processors and the spreadsheets and the databases. And the best way to understand them is by taking a course and trying them out yourself.

Ex.1. a) Which of these problems were mentioned by Anne?

• Paper jamming
• Finding options in programs
• Viruses
• Computer freezes
• Hard disk crashes
• Printer switches off
• No paper in the printer
• People forget their password
• No toner in the printer

b) Have you ever had any of the problems mentioned above? If yes, how did you cope with them?

Ex.2 a) Tick the ways Anne keeps up with new developments in computing.

• Reading books
• Reading computer magazines
• Speaking to other technicians
• Sing the internet
• Taking courses
• Trying programs herself
• Reading newspapers

b) Tell how you keep up with new developments in computing and share the ideas with your group-mates.

Ex.3 Answer these questions about Anne`s job.

1. What kind of work does Anne do?
2. What does she like most about the job?
3. What kinds of problems do people have with hardware?
4. Why do computers freeze?
5. How does she keep up with new developments in computing?
6. What kind of courses does she do?

Ex.4 Make up and role-play a dialogue between a computing support assistant and an office clerk who has some problems with his/her PC (or any other office equipment).

Vocabulary

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Date: 2015-01-12; view: 2010