How much training have you recieved in your current job on using Office?

[GREED]

I am not touting for business here, but am very interested in school staff's opinions on this:

 

How much MS Office (any version) training have you recieved in your current job, particularly those who may have recently upgraded to 2007 or 2010?

[dayzd]

Training? In Office? Err, none.

 

I'll be honest, as I don't really use it for my day-to-day duties, there are probably plenty of teaching staff who know more about where to find things than I do!

[GREED]

Training? In Office? Err, none.

 

I'll be honest, as I don't really use it for my day-to-day duties, there are probably plenty of teaching staff who know more about where to find things than I do!

 

My next question might be how much training have they had? Or is it all self learnt?

[strawberry]

None and generally I dont dish out training on it, I consider it a specific tool the same as an accounting package or graphics package. The fact I can usually figure out how to do basic things in it is irrelevant!. I send any staff that dont know how to use it either to our ict co-ordinator or to there line manager to arrange an evening course.

[tech_guy]

ZERO - WE'RE SUPPOSED TO ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE AS IF BY MAGIC

[SYNACK]

I knew how to use 2003, a hour of working in 2007 and I was pretty much sorted, the different command structure is not a big deal if you look at it in the way that it was intended, as a context based interface. The same rules still apply, I tell staff to make a sentence out of what they want to to, say the want to "Add a bit of clipart to the page". A synonym for add is insert which is right there on the ribbon, then clipart is visible, click it and your golden.

 

We teach staff the basics, "make a sentence" and "right-click" is your friend - additional provided if required or requested. Almost all of our staff found 2007 to be massivly easier for them to use after their initial half hour of worry, the ones that had issues were those who had learned by wrote (usually through prior training) how in a precise set of steps to do an exact task. Most barely noticed the switch to 2010 other than the squarer interface and the fact that they found a whole bunch of new cool features one day. Same thing with Vista to 7, we changed over one of the ICT suites and half the teachers only realized it was different when they were asked how the new system was going.

Edited October 27, 2010 by SYNACK

[GREED]

Good feedback so far thanks peeps.

 

Interesting that Office is seen as a specialist tool and training is allocated as such. With more and more work being done online I would have throught training on the tools of Office (I don't mean the 'how to construct a letter' or 'type a sentenence, but rather how to use mail merge, styles, etc, tools that make using the software quicker and easier).

[NikChillin]

We google it and then train as required. My school pays half of course fees for OU courses I am doing tho'.

[Dos_Box]

Erm, I think you have rally grasped the wrong end of the stick about our knowlege here. Whilst some teachers ahve some very advanced knowlege of Office and it's various capabilities (after all, they have to teach this to the children), most here are what can be lablled as 'advanced' almost all of us know the basic, and if, and when we need to do something more advanced we will teach ourselves, as it is quicker and easier than getting 'training'. The training most here require is often beyond the ken of mortal man and can only be obtained from very, very knowlegable people, or zen monks!!

[GREED]

A fair point Dos_Box, I cannot say I agree that school staff all fall into that category from my experience with both my previous life and current and with the schools I currently work with.

 

However I take you point that I may have misunderstood the clientele inherent to EduGeek in the main.

 

And yes, the question was not aimed correctly, for which I accept!

It should be aimed at the general population of school staff.

[witch]

Never had any training in anything as a tech other than the correct way to lift a heavy weight (about 6 months after I got rid of the last CRT!)

[clareq]

As a tech I'm expected to obtain software knowledge by osmosis - it must work as when the school ran MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) I took, and passed in Word, Excel, Outlook and Access, with no prior training. I was only entered to make up numbers.

[GREED]

It much confirms my experience I have to say, both inbeing an IT techy and through recent clients.

[steve]

Back before the summer, when we were planning the migration from office 2003 to 2010 and Win7, I spoke to our SLT and asked about office training for all staff.

 

Given our staff never seam to listen to me or the other techs, we arranged to get in an external trainer via our adult ed program.

 

So over the last few weeks we have arranged training sessions on: Windows 7, Word 2010, Excel 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010. Each one covering the basics, lasting about an hour. Each session has been repeated several times with a maximum of 28 places available per session. The sessions started an hour after the end of school, to allow for meetings etc.

 

In total 18 training sessions, with 504 available places.

 

How many places were booked do you think?

 

 

97

 

 

And a few of those never showed, probably less than 90.

 

An average of about 5 per session, we have 250+ members of staff. That's about 8% uptake.

 

Staff, in general, don't want to go out of their way to improve their skills - especially if it means so sacrifice on their part. Its just too easy to pick up the phone.

 

At least now when we get a call about office, we ask - have you done the training?

[round2it]

training := zero

[AngryTechnician]

I generally pick up the knowledge myself via everyday use and guides online, then I deliver training to our staff when I can. However, with only 4 INSET days a year, getting time for IT training is extremely difficult.

[tmcd35]

I hate to drag up an old argument but if you understand the basics of a WIMP GUI system, understand the rudimentaries of file systems and file management and have just the slightest of clues on text formatting and what you want to do with it - what training do you need in Word Processing? The same can easily be asked of Spreadsheets, Desktop Publishing, Image Editing and Presentations. I'd accepts that the 'arty types' would get more out of some application specific training and databases are a whole specialised world of pain. But really if you understand the basics of how to use a computer, using an office package isn't exactly rocket science. As Synack said, above, "Make a sentence and you'll find what you're looking for in the menus".

 

Most of the more advanced stuff, especially with spreadsheets and macros, etc, really require you having a real world problem to solve and thus you'd probably go googling for the answer any way. This more advanced stuff I'm convinced most people would forget how to do within 10 mins of driving away from any course.

 

EDIT: (30sec of thinking later) - I suppose what I'm trying to get at is that a lot of office training in my opinion is too narrowly focused and specialised. I think the training, where required, needs to be alightly broader than just office and encompass more the the OS and it's use, and touch more lightly on each of the various office applications and thier uses.

Edited October 27, 2010 by tmcd35

[GREED]

Steve, I am liking that way of thinking!!!

 

@tmcd35: I fully respect you opinion and experience of ICT training, speaking on behalf of the profession I am sorry that is how you feel. I cannot say that is the opinion I am fed back.

We get 100s (maybe even into the 1000s) of delegates a year coming to us, a lot being repeat business, wanting to know how to make better use of the software, not to resolve a specific problem, but how to make more efficient use of a) the software, b) their time using it, and often c) how to make use of a and b to make document/spreadsheets/presentation more professional. I am in the fortunate position to be able to follow up delegates training to see how they are using their new skills in their place of work, and have many a case study documenting real ROI for themselves and their workplaces.

[featured_spectre]

I am the Microsoft Trainer at my school, along with my boss. The kids get more out off me doing the training than the staff do, and 7/10 times a member of staff will call upon one of the children for help than myself or my tech, simply that I have told them, the children have done the training they didnt want to do. If staff need help, I will book then in for a wed night training, if they dnt show up 3 times in a row, I dnt train them, and i have that from the slg In writing that I can refuse based on their negligence. same applies for any other software/hardware training here. Edited October 27, 2010 by featured_spectre
fixed my awful spelling

[srochford]

The big problem with getting people to Google for what they want to do (or come up with a descriptive sentence) etc is that this only works if you even realise that you might be able to do this. For example, styles were mentioned earlier. I think they're one of the most powerful features of a word processor (or DTP package or web design) and yet they're rarely used - people don't ask "how can I apply formatting and then easily make sure it's consistent across documents and can be updated at will without having to change every file". They ask "how can I make the heading bold and centred"

 

I think it's useful to learn about all the things you can do with the package - hopefully, you'll then know "I've seen something like that before; I'll Google how to do it" but I'm well aware that even to briefly look at every facility in even the major Office packages could take rather a lot of time!

[mac_shinobi]

Ive only used office up to 2003 - Im guessing training is all DIY and that is down to RTFM or using the in built office help or online help ie google / bing ??

[GREED]

Ive only used office up to 2003 - Im guessing training is all DIY and that is down to RTFM or using the in built office help or online help ie google / bing ??

 

Depends how much time you have to 'play' I suppose!

[tmcd35]

The big problem with getting people to Google for what they want to do (or come up with a descriptive sentence) etc is that this only works if you even realise that you might be able to do this. For example, styles were mentioned earlier. I think they're one of the most powerful features of a word processor (or DTP package or web design) and yet they're rarely used - people don't ask "how can I apply formatting and then easily make sure it's consistent across documents and can be updated at will without having to change every file". They ask "how can I make the heading bold and centred"

 

(I'm beginning to wonder if my last post was a little too "bull-ish"?) I think you are right in that there a lot of features in a modern office package that hardly get touched and would make life a lot easier if we knew how to get the best out of them.

 

However, In my experience, for the non-IT genereation (this problem will naturally correct self over the coming decades) there's a certain fear of technology and lack of understanding that comes with using computers. If you a) understand how to use the computer, b) know what the program your using is designed to do, c) have a clear understanding of what you are try to achieve - then I'd say most people could easily accomplish 90+% of their jobs in Office without any real effort. From what I've seen the problem usually comes down to either (a) or ©.

 

I'm not sure what can be done about © - maybe that's where this training courses come in? - but if I was pointed in the direction of a quality course that addressed (a) then I can think of a number of members of our admin staff who'd seriously benefit from it.

[mac_shinobi]

Depends how much time you have to 'play' I suppose!

 

Not sure 'play' is the correct term lol

 

True ref how much time you have, if you are trying to assist a member of staff with excel or the likes then I normally google / bing for an answer / resolution and depending on the complexity of the issue, I have had it sometimes where a macro is required or there is a long formula or something of the sorts

[mac_shinobi]

(I'm beginning to wonder if my last post was a little too "bull-ish"?) I think you are right in that there a lot of features in a modern office package that hardly get touched and would make life a lot easier if we knew how to get the best out of them.

 

However, In my experience, for the non-IT genereation (this problem will naturally correct self over the coming decades) there's a certain fear of technology and lack of understanding that comes with using computers. If you a) understand how to use the computer, b) know what the program your using is designed to do, c) have a clear understanding of what you are try to achieve - then I'd say most people could easily accomplish 90+% of their jobs in Office without any real effort. From what I've seen the problem usually comes down to either (a) or ©.

 

I'm not sure what can be done about © - maybe that's where this training courses come in? - but if I was pointed in the direction of a quality course that addressed (a) then I can think of a number of members of our admin staff who'd seriously benefit from it.

 

Would be good if MS did the same as what they do when they test beta office packages and get feedback of what each department uses the most in regards to formulas, macros, templates etc

 

That way when they first launch office it can prompt them and request what department the said user works in and this will determine what forumla / functions are shown - not to say that the remainder ones are disabled but they will be at the bottom of the list

 

Like on websites where they request what country you reside in - you can put

 

USA

UK

Germany

 

or whatever near the top and then other countries that are least likely at the bottom ie

 

India

Afghanistan

China

Japan

 

Not sure if that would help or not ???