As mentioned in the previous post, computer fixing takes up a fair chunk of an ET's time. I've already found that a lot of the problems I've been asked to fix really do not require any degree of technological expertise to fix. Most problems could be address by the user themselves if they knew where to look. I'm hoping that this post provides some resources that you can share with your teachers so that your time is spent fixing problems that actually need your expertise to be fixed.
The help menu would seem to be a logical place to start. Try pointing out where this menu is and how to use it (like how to type in questions or keywords to actually get the results that you want). For some people, the help menu isn't the best option because it is text based. This is a problem for two reasons: First, users without the vocabulary necessary to navigate the help topics are not going to find much help. Second, many users are looking for a quick solution and reading isn't really the fastest fix - it's faster to track down the ET than it is to read 6 paragraphs on photo resizing. As a result, help topics with more visual components like screen capture stills or videos might be an easier sell on the self-help front. Here are a few links to get you started.
This site features various tutorials on common educational software applications like PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, IE, etc. Another really neat feature this site offers is online "classes". These classes are really just detailed tutorials - and in some cases, activities - in graphic design, information technology, math, writing, etc. Judging by the design, language, and content of the site, the target audience is really student based. If teachers are willing to get through some of the cheesy themes, they may find portions of the site are helpful for them. The instructions provided are very simple and include visual examples. This is a wonderful site for beginners. The absolute best part of this site? It's FREE! (Although some parts of the site do require registration.)
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line2.htm#pp
This site is more of a hub for online tutorials. It has an extensive list of links that are supplemented by a short explanation which helps to pinpoint what you need. That being said, you need to willing to sift through a lot of topics to find the one you want. The nice part of this site is that it offers a nice mix of text and visual help topics and provides some very specific areas of focus so that you aren't stuck watching a 15 minute video to get the 30 seconds of information you were actually looking for. It is free to use although some of the links will ask for payment depending on what site you are directed to. This site is not as user friendly as actden, but if you are really determined to learn what you need, it is a pretty decent site. If you are looking for a quick fix, don't go here.
This is a wonderful site with an awesome variety of tutorials. The site itself is easy to navigate and offers comprehensive and user-friendly tutorials. Most (if not all?) tutorials are presented as videos with instructions narrated along side of a screen capture of the task being performed. Of the three sites I've listed, this is really the best option for educating teachers. The only downside is that it is reasonably expensive for a personal account ($25/month or $250/year). However, this cost could be a lot more manageable if a school purchased an account and shared the username and passwords with the staff. I'm not sure if you can have more than one computer logged on under the same username at the same time, but I'd imagine that the occasions for simultaneous usage would be few.
If none of these options appeal to you or fill the need at your school, you may consider creating your own video tutorials. This is relatively easy if you can get some screen capture software downloaded onto your computer. (I'd recommend some, but I haven't had much luck finding a program I love...) Then you can narrate the procedures in language you know your teachers would understand. Then you could post these videos to your school website or wiki for teachers to access. This is a nice option because you are able to add your personal touch and teachers still feel like it is YOU helping them. It does take some time to setup, but would be worthwhile in the end if staff were consistent in using it.
This is really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the computer fixing hat, but hopefully with a small investment of time teaching teachers to help themselves, you will be able to put your efforts where they are needed most and will make the biggest impact for your school.
Fabulous, post, Carmen. And it is probably worth mentioning to your University of Saskatchewan readers that they have access to the Lynda.com tutorials for free through PAWS.
ReplyDeleteI was going to mention it...but thought it might seem like gloating to non- U of S students! haha! Thanks for sharing that info!
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