Helping Library Users with Word

1. Helping Library Users with Word An Infopeople Workshop Summer, 2004 Sarah Haman, Instructor sercher@adelphia.net

2. Introduction • Name • Library • How you work with computers • Tell us one experience you’ve had with library users and word processing

3. Workshop Goals • You’ll be able to help • Use Word v teach • Interview to identify need • Practice handling common situations • Personalize user handout

4. Fill Out Skills Checklist

5. What Are Your Common Problems? • Document gets lost • Can’t open file from a disk • Save a file to a disk • Print • All caps • Alignment • Font size or style • Used to a typewriter • Enter v text wrap

6. Exercise #1 • Label Parts of a Word Window

7. Why Name Window Parts? • Common language • works for many programs • Ease of instruction • Know where to look on the screen

8. Setting Up Word • Split toolbars • Show all menus • Show paragraph marks

9. Exercise #2 Change Toolbar and Menu Options • Separate toolbars • Display all menu options • FIX ALL CAPS • Turn on ¶ marks • Correct a document

10. Role Play Demonstration Volunteer partner Teaching how to correct a document Feedback

11. Find Out What The User Needs • Ask questions to clarify • immediate need • amount of time • skill level • Have a clear goal • create a positive experience • for you and user

12. Word Skills Everyone Should Know • Multiple ways to perform a single task • menus • toolbars • mouse clicks (for selecting) • keyboard commands • right-click menus • New users need the basics • terminology • skills

13. Exercise #3 - Word Skills • Open file from a disk • Correct using ¶ marks • Select text • Modify text • Save to a disk

14. Discussion What techniques do you use to help beginning computer users?

15. Techniques • Patience, patience, patience • Treat the user with respect • Show and tell—don’t touch! • point at screen while talking • Keep it simple • stick to the task! • Clear, consistent, positive language

16. More Teaching Techniques • Be on the same level • eye contact when talking • look at screen when user does • It’s OK to make mistakes • Learn together • Patience, patience, patience

17. Word Skills - Role Play • Find a partner • Choose roles • Practice teaching Word skills • Use Adsales.doc • Switch roles • Feedback

18. Adult Learners • Experienced • Self directed • Goal oriented • Relevant or applicable skills • Age changes learning style and pace • Self-esteem at risk • Respect

19. Open/ Save Files • Open a file • disk • within program • Save as • change file type • destination

20. File types • File extension • Program specific (.doc, .wks, .ppt) • Compatible file types • Rich Text Format (*.rtf) • Text (*.txt)

21. Exercise #4 Open/ Save As • Open files from a disk • Open files in Word • File types • Rename • Save As menu v Save icon

22. Teaching Reminders • Try to remember being a beginner • No “jargon” • Focus on user’s task • Point and talk • Keep it simple!

23. Open, Save As - Role Play • Find a new partner • Choose roles • Practice teaching how to open and save a document • Switch roles • Feedback

24. Format a Document • File, Page setup • Margins • Page orientation • Format, Paragraph • Line spacing

25. Printing • Always use Print Preview • Choose File menu, Print vs • Can alter • What to print • Number of copies

26. Print Preview • View document exactly as it will print • Decide what to print • See one or multiple pages • zoom • magnify

27. Exercise #5 Print Preview/ Print Print Preview Print Selection Print Pages

28. Exercise #6 Top Ten Skills • Define your common problems • Ten skills to help your users • Personalize the Top Ten Skills handout for your library • Save it to your disk

29. Review Teaching Techniques • Adult learners • Task oriented • Slower learning pace • Respect • Computer users • Hands off • Keep it simple • Patience

30. Review • Word Skills • Toolbars v menus • File types • Open—save • Printing