PENN PRINTOUT
The University of Pennsylvania's Online Computing Magazine

PENN PRINTOUT September 1992 - Volume 9:1

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Learning at your fingertips

By Kathy Burgess and James Gist

The Computing Resource Center (CRC) has experienced an increased demand for its services over the past few years. To address current and future learning needs in the rapidly expanding technological environment at Penn, a new Learning Technologies Group (formerly called the CRC Training Department) has been established as part of Information Systems & Computing (ISC) to manage and coordinate the many ISC learning resources and training functions. It is our mission to inform you, the University community, of the learning technologies available at Penn and to provide you with the opportunity to learn the technology, so that you may become more efficient, productive, and successful.

Our new name, Learning Technologies Group, reflects our new focus, which is to provide access to current learning resources, offer new learning opportunities, and incorporate more flexibility in selecting the type and pace of learning resources. In other words, we want to make it easier for you to access a wider variety of learning resources. This is what we call "learning at your fingertips."

Each of our learning resources is briefly described below. In addition, please note that plans are in the works for developing a Learning Resource Channel over the academic video network. See upcoming issues of Penn Printout for updates.


PennInfo

PennInfo, Penn's online information system, provides detailed descriptions of all CRC learning services, along with seminar and course schedules, information on CRC consulting and hotline services, directions on how to obtain antiviral software and software updates, campus lab facilities, Super User Group bulletins, and much more. PennInfo is accessible to anyone from a home computer (through a modem), or from any on-campus computer that has a connection to the University network, PennNet. To find our menu of learning resources in PennInfo, look first under the "Computing" menu and then under the "Computing Resource Center" menu.


Facilitated Learning Sessions

User-controlled, self-paced learning sessions on many CRC supported applications will be offered beginning this fall. A facilitator will be present to get you started and provide assistance when needed. Skill building exercises will be included for reinforcement and self-testing. Look for this new learning opportunity in our fall schedule in the Penn Printout calendar section and on PennInfo.


Video Training and Presentations

The Video Library in Houston Hall offers a suite of computer videos for rent at $1.75 per day. Videos are offered for both the Macintosh and IBM/compatible systems on both CRC supported and unsupported products. The PC videos include: Introduction to Hardware & Software, Introduction to Local Area Networks, DOS 5, Windows 3.0, and WordPerfect 5.1. Macintosh videos include: The Macintosh Guide, System 7.0, Excel 2.2, FileMaker Pro, and PageMaker 4.0. A complete list of available video titles can be obtained at the Video Library in Houston Hall, at the CRC Locust Walk facility, or on PennInfo.


Technical Tip Sheets

Tip sheets, along with a listing of available topics, reside on PennInfo. Copies of these tip sheets can also be obtained from the kiosks at the CRC Locust Walk facility or by request via fax or campus mail.


Self-directed Tutorials

We have augmented our suite of self-directed learning tutorials. The tutorials guide you through the learning process through a combination of audio instructions, practice files, and workbooks. We offer basic, intermediate, and advanced tutorials available in a variety of media (audio, disk-based, text-based) for both Macintosh and IBM/compatible systems.

These tutorials can be taken at the CRC Locust Walk facility. We recommend that you call in advance to reserve a machine and a tutorial. A listing of our tutorials, with descriptions, is available at the CRC or on PennInfo.


Tutorial Labs

The CRC IBM and Macintosh labs will be open for self-directed tutorial sessions on a regularly scheduled basis. For reservations, call the CRC at 898-9085.


Off-campus Training Vendors

The CRC has evaluated courses offered by several training vendors in the Philadelphia area and negotiated discounts of approximately 35 percent for Penn affiliates. Registration is directly through the vendor. You may obtain vendor information at the CRC or on PennInfo.


Materials Requests

Courseware (along with practice disk files where appropriate) on most of our supported software may be requested from the CRC in person or via fax or e-mail. You must supply disk(s) for any practice files requested.


Instructor-led Learning

Seminars and hands-on courses on supported products are scheduled on a monthly basis. These seminars cover a variety of subjects on supported products for IBM/compatible and Macintosh users, plus presentations from vendors and other computer organizations on campus. Schedules are advertised in Penn Printout and on PennInfo.

Most seminars are open to the Penn community and do not require registration. Seminars that require registration (and all hands-on courses) also require a valid PennCard or HUP ID. All CRC courses and seminars are held at CRC's 38th and Locust Walk facility.

KATHY BURGESS is a Learning Technologies Specialist for the ISC Learning Technologies Group at the CRC; JAMES GIST is the Manager of the ISC Learning Technologies Group at the CRC.