What to expect from our Classes
Expectations
Our classes are approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and specifically tailored to the needs of your office, laboratory, or audience.
Classes will take the form of a computer-lab, where the instructor will be physically present and answer questions after delivering a prepared lecture on the material. We guarantee that the audience will take away new information about their devices, the programs on them, or how to use a computer by the end of our sessions.
We expect students to treat themselves, each other, and our instructors with respect and decency.
Absolute basics training
Intro to your Tablet (Absolute Beginner)
[0h:45m instruction] [0h:45m questions]
An introductory level course about how to change settings, install applications, and share pictures via Email and Facebook. Instructor will have a computer-lab style lesson where the instructor watches participants and will instruct them on how to operate their devices and change settings to enable features such as screen readers, adjust font sizes, and apply basic device security.
Learning Objectives:
- Navigation of the settings menu of your device.
- How to use an app store to install applications securely and safely.
- How to attach files to emails and Facebook posts
Intro to internet safety and security (Absolute Beginner)
[1:00 instruction][0:30 questions/discussion]
This course is intended to take an absolute beginner and introduce them to common scams, viruses, rug-pulls and other bad actors online. Course will consist of instruction about high-risk behaviors online such as piracy, subtle and overt types of online gambling, and account security best practices.
Learning Objectives:
- Teach students what sorts of behaviors are high and low risk online.
- How and why to set a device password.
- How to mitigate everyday risks with sharing, oversharing, and content online
- Inappropriate/Appropriate sharing online the privacy and security of yourself and your friends/family.
- How to use a password manager to replace your "black book of passwords"
Intro to Files, Facebook, Email and Online Media
[1:00 instruction][0:30 questions/discussion]
This course is intended to take an absolute beginner and introduce them to Email, Facebook and social media tools. Topics covered include how to enroll in online services, fill out webforms and access media online.
Learning Objectives:
- How to enroll and manage online accounts using password managers.
- How to post pictures to Facebook, and attach files to Emails and Direct Messages.
- What is appropriate sharing for Facebook and social media
- How to access Videos, Radio Dramas/Shows, and Music online.
Productivity Training
Intro to Microsoft/Google Office (Mid-Level)
[1:15 instruction] [0:15 questions]
An introduction to the programs offered in "Microsoft Office Home & Student", Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Course is designed for users who have not received any instruction on how to make the most out of these products and services, but will be tailored and "built up" to provide value to the group in question.
Free Upgrade Policy: If this talk (Intro to Office) is in progress, and deemed to be of insufficient depth/complexity, it can and will be substituted for another of the "Advanced Office" talks on-the-fly.
Learning Objectives:
- How to use subject headings, symbol/equation editor, disaster recovery tools, and review/collaboration tools, in MS Word/Google Docs.
- How to use equations, charts, and mathematics using MS Excel/Google Sheets
- How to make beautiful, clear and ledgible, visually consistent PowerPoint/Slides presentations with appropriately readable fonts and colour palettes.
Advanced Microsoft Word/Google Docs
[0:45 instruction][0:45 questions/discussion]
A flexible course designed to provide value to the user and meet them where they are at, then provide them with more tools inside of the programs they are using.
Learning Objectives:
- How to use Microsoft Word's plugin systems to automatically cite your work/research.
- How to cross-reference internal elements/embed elements like Excel sheets.
- How to use headings to automatically generate elements like tables of contents.
- Advanced editing features in word
Advanced Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets
[0:45 instruction][0:45 questions/discussion]
A flexible course designed to provide value to the user and meet them where they are at, then provide them with more tools inside of the programs they are using.
Learning Objectives:
- How to perform repeatable, consistent, and reliable bulk mathematics inside of Excel
- How and why to perform statistical regression.
- How to generate customized and digestable charts inside of Excel and embed them in Word/Powerpoint.
- How to create and use pivot tables.
- How to use if/else logic inside of excel.
- How to visualize and understand data using conditional formatting, charting, and statistical analysis
Advanced Microsoft Powerpoint
[0:45 instruction][0:45 questions/discussion]
A flexible course designed to provide value to the user and meet them where they are at, then provide them with more tools inside of the programs they are using.
Learning Objectives:
- How, why and when to use templates.
- How and why to animate elements, and when animation is/is not worth the work.
- Slide transitions
- Information flow and slide design
- Colour selection for readability
- Using powerpoint to create posters, business cards, pamphlets and other printed media.