Introduction: I present the technical in plain English for people who want to know the MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), all recent versions (2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016), at all levels (beginning, intermediate, advanced, and custom), and with great student handouts!
At the beginning of my training career, one of my first assignments was to get a brilliant architectural draftsperson (called "Obi Wan" by his peers) to become computer literate. (Back in that era, architectural renderings were all done by hand and Computer Aided Design was new and coming on fast.) I was told plainly that if I could not come through getting this gentlemen computer literate, he would be laid off.
In sitting with him, I learned that he had an inordinate fear of computers (as many in his generation did). I brought out a computer game and we played for a while. When he had "made friends" with the computer, we began to discuss general computing literacy. At the end of 3 very touch-and-go hours, we had broken his fear of computers and he learned very quickly. I was pleased to have a small but pivotal role in introducing him to the wonders of using a computer, saving his job, and opening up his first steps into a larger world.
Now a days, I teach at all levels, but the same approach is used:
* I go as fast (or slow) as the student wishes
* I communicate in plain English
* I make it fun for you to learn
* I provide reference material so you neither have to take notes, nor struggle to recall
...most importantly, we get people ready to take there place in a technical culture doing amazing things that never once, during the learning process, felt all that "techy."
