Twenty Technology Training Tips from Two Trainers Internet Librarian International October 10, 2005 Rob Coers Michael Stephens

Who We Are Michael Training since 1995 in libraries PhD student & blogger Fired up about tools, tech & librarians www.tametheweb.com

Michael

Training since 1995 in libraries

PhD student & blogger

Fired up about tools, tech & librarians

www.tametheweb.com

Who We Are Rob Qualified as a music librarian Worked in several public libraries Since 1996 internet trainer and consultant in the Netherlands www.robcoers.nl

Rob

Qualified as a music librarian

Worked in several public libraries

Since 1996 internet trainer and consultant in the Netherlands

www.robcoers.nl

Introduction Why technology training? Why now? Technology training VS training

Why technology training? Why now?

Technology training VS training

Our Goal: We will discuss: Teaching people how to work with technology, software and the Internet. Ways YOU can train effectively Some new ideas to take back to your training rooms

We will discuss:

Teaching people how to work with technology, software and the Internet.

Ways YOU can train effectively

Some new ideas to take back to your training rooms

Tips for Each Area Make Technology work for you Designing the Sessions Presentation skills Staying current

Make Technology work for you

Designing the Sessions

Presentation skills

Staying current

1. Make Technology work for You Use these tips to control your technology - not the other way around!

Use Powerpoint Effectively People can read themselves (don’t read for them what’s on screen) Make screendumps of your browser to simulate live clicking (know where you click!) Have multiple copies and versions of your presentation available as your Plan B

People can read themselves (don’t read for them what’s on screen)

Make screendumps of your browser to simulate live clicking (know where you click!)

Have multiple copies and versions of your presentation available as your Plan B

Use some Flashy Tech Too Use Macromedia Captivate for instructing Creates small flash files Looks sexy Easy to use Not free www.macromedia.com/software/captivate Our demo

Use Macromedia Captivate for instructing

Creates small flash files

Looks sexy

Easy to use

Not free

www.macromedia.com/software/captivate

Our demo

Use free MS Netmeeting as an alternative for beamer projection share your monitor over the network you have control over other computers www.microsoft.com/netmeeting Get Control

Use free MS Netmeeting

as an alternative for beamer projection

share your monitor over the network

you have control over other computers

www.microsoft.com/netmeeting

Create an account at Yahoo Groups (or any other community) Store your files online Where trainees can meet virtually during and after your training Where you can discuss subjects Create Online Community

Create an account at Yahoo Groups (or any other community)

Store your files online

Where trainees can meet virtually during and after your training

Where you can discuss subjects

Use Jybe and Skype Share presentations and other (MS Office) documents Chat one-on-one or in a group (Skype offers audio) Great for e-learning www.jybe.com www.skype.com Go Virtual with Training

Use Jybe and Skype

Share presentations and other (MS Office) documents

Chat one-on-one or in a group (Skype offers audio)

Great for e-learning

www.jybe.com

www.skype.com

Teacher Students Jybe screensharing

Watch for these Technology Traps in Training Don’t use tech for the sake of tech Avoid GEEKSPEAK Different versions of applications No back up plan!

Don’t use tech for the sake of tech

Avoid GEEKSPEAK

Different versions of applications

No back up plan!

GEEKSPEAK: “Flickr has RSS, so now I get the London feed in my Bloglines!”

2. Designing the Sessions Use these tips to create well-planned, focused, USER-DRIVEN courses

Know your audience Adjust your examples and language to them (teens, adults, seniors, students) Adjust time as well, for slower or faster groups Avoid abstract language. For example, "open a new file" is abstract. "From the File menu choose New" is concrete

Adjust your examples and language to them (teens, adults, seniors, students)

Adjust time as well, for slower or faster groups

Avoid abstract language. For example, "open a new file" is abstract. "From the File menu choose New" is concrete

Utilize Principles of Instructional Design Objectives guide the way Build sessions from user need and objective ARCS Method Evaluate learners and your classes

Objectives guide the way

Build sessions from user need and objective

ARCS Method

Evaluate learners and your classes

Motivation ARCS Attention Relevance Confidence Satisfaction

Create Useful Exercises For searching: there is always more than one answer It’s better to learn HOW things can be found Give them “real life” scenarios and tasks Again, users drive the training experience - ask them what they do

For searching: there is always more than one answer

It’s better to learn HOW things can be found

Give them “real life” scenarios and tasks

Again, users drive the training experience - ask them what they do

Examples of exercises Hands-on Using workstations, print-outs, artifacts Problem or case based Include misdirection, errors, etc. Students can create exercise & swap Show someone else how to do it Debrief/report back

Hands-on

Using workstations, print-outs, artifacts

Problem or case based

Include misdirection, errors, etc.

Students can create exercise & swap

Show someone else how to do it

Debrief/report back

3. Presentation skills In the classroom or lab

Be Prepared Check URL’s regularly Check example searches Update printed materials/screenshots Know who to call if something fails Roll with the punches!

Check URL’s regularly

Check example searches

Update printed materials/screenshots

Know who to call if something fails

Roll with the punches!

Know your equipment Switch on all computers and make sure they work and have connectivity before the class starts Do you know how the beamer works? (spare lamp!) Remote control

Switch on all computers and make sure they work and have connectivity before the class starts

Do you know how the beamer works? (spare lamp!)

Remote control

www.marksman.com

Control Yourself Do not take the keyboard or mouse away from the learner! Let them do all the typing and mouse manipulation even if the process is slower this way Be patient ;-)

Do not take the keyboard or mouse away from the learner!

Let them do all the typing and mouse manipulation even if the process is slower this way

Be patient ;-)

Make Things Visual & Hands On Show hardware when you talk about Digicams, PDAs, MP3 players, iPods, USB devices, E-Books Let the group try it out!

Show hardware when you talk about Digicams, PDAs, MP3 players, iPods, USB devices, E-Books

Let the group try it out!

Be Yourself Have fun with teaching and bring your interests & life to the class with real examples You collect Barbie dolls? Show them how you browse and sell on E-bay

Have fun with teaching and bring your interests & life to the class with real examples

You collect Barbie dolls? Show them how you browse and sell on E-bay

Mind your Body Language Kneel down or sit down when you explain something at the trainee’s desk Use your body! When they look at the monitor, look at the monitor When they look at you, look back at them

Kneel down or sit down when you explain something at the trainee’s desk

Use your body!

When they look at the monitor, look at the monitor

When they look at you, look back at them

Get their Attention People remember what you did, more than what you’ve told them Bring in some silence Use your voice Walk around, stand in the middle of the class

People remember what you did, more than what you’ve told them

Bring in some silence

Use your voice

Walk around, stand in the middle of the class

4. Staying “In the Know” Keep sessions fresh, interesting and current with these tips for professional development

Don’t Stand Still Stagnant classes are just that! Take note of trends and develop new and exciting training sessions as the technology world grows ever bigger! Have you added RSS, blogs, wikis, tagging, flickr, etc.?

Stagnant classes are just that!

Take note of trends and develop new and exciting training sessions as the technology world grows ever bigger!

Have you added RSS, blogs, wikis, tagging, flickr, etc.?

More Hot Topics Develop trainings on hot topics, such as Digital Music/podcasts New tech devices Subjects that trainees can benefit from (stock exchanges, genealogy, security of your children on the internet) Hire experts if needed

Develop trainings on hot topics, such as

Digital Music/podcasts

New tech devices

Subjects that trainees can benefit from (stock exchanges, genealogy, security of your children on the internet)

Hire experts if needed

What is a Podcast? Podcasting is a method of publishing audio programs via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new files (usually MP3s). It became popular in late 2004, largely due to automatic downloading of audio onto portable players or personal computers. Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a feed (such as RSS or Atom) to deliver an enclosed file. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

Podcasting is a method of publishing audio programs via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new files (usually MP3s). It became popular in late 2004, largely due to automatic downloading of audio onto portable players or personal computers. Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a feed (such as RSS or Atom) to deliver an enclosed file.

Podcasts: Began as self-published “shows” Everyone can be a “radio star!” Business has jumped in as well: Podcasts can generate interest and fuel advertising dollars Launch of iTunes 4.9 with built in Podcast support brought it to mainsteam

Began as self-published “shows”

Everyone can be a “radio star!”

Business has jumped in as well: Podcasts can generate interest and fuel advertising dollars

Launch of iTunes 4.9 with built in Podcast support brought it to mainsteam

Podcasts & iTunes

Ipodder.org Podcast Directory http://www.ipodder.org/

How do I listen to Podcasts? Needs: A computer or MP3 player A directory of podcasts to find content Time to listen Bonus idea: Burn Podcasts to CD for the car!

Needs:

A computer or MP3 player

A directory of podcasts to find content

Time to listen

Bonus idea: Burn Podcasts to CD for the car!

Podcast Demo

How do I create my own Podcast Needs: Recording software & a computer Microphone Software to create an MP3 from your ‘cast A blog to post the podcast Time and something to say!

Needs:

Recording software & a computer

Microphone

Software to create an MP3 from your ‘cast

A blog to post the podcast

Time and something to say!

Read Anything You Can On technology training and trendspotting Monitor weblogs Receive RSS feeds Newsletters Join Mailing Lists Trade journals, newspaper tech pages, etc.

On technology training and trendspotting

Monitor weblogs

Receive RSS feeds

Newsletters

Join Mailing Lists

Trade journals, newspaper tech pages, etc.

Get Inspired Attend other training sessions and learn from other trainers Watch what great speakers do on stage

Attend other training sessions and learn from other trainers

Watch what great speakers do on stage

Never Stop Learning “ Learn all the time without even thinking about it.” Roy Tennant

“ Learn all the time without even thinking about it.” Roy Tennant

How to end? Summarize what we have done today End with a sentence that leads to an inevitable applause

Summarize what we have done today

End with a sentence that leads to an inevitable applause

Not: “ i hope you learned alot today and maybe you come back for our training about weblogs”

Not:

“ i hope you learned alot today and maybe you come back for our training about weblogs”

But: “ you have learned about RSS and i am sure you can now stay up to date with ANY subject. Enjoy it and i meet you in our next class about weblogs”

But:

“ you have learned about RSS and i am sure you can now stay up to date with ANY subject. Enjoy it and i meet you in our next class about weblogs”

Now YOU can practice our tips! Michael: mstephens7@mac.com Rob: info@robcoers.nl