Recently, I advanced my understanding of Excel using online
and in-person methods. Online, I used tutorials provided by Lynda.com to learn
about the Excel 2010 and 2013 product; in-person, I attended a 90-minute
instruction session about Excel 2010 provided by the Department of Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Each type of instruction course offered advantages and
disadvantages. The online was good in the respect that one can skip irrelevant
tutorials, rewind tutorials for clarity, and learn at an individual’s preferred
pace. However, these online tutorials lacked the dynamic of a live performance.
Whether I am watching a Webinar about California auto insurance laws, or if I
am watching Lynda.com tutorials about Microsoft Excel, neither are engaging for
me.
The in-person instruction session was small enough that it
was an interactive session, and the time limit (90 minutes) meant that its aim
was not to cover the breadth of Excel like Lynda.com, but rather highlights
that may not be known to the novice Excel user. This session taught quick ways
to use formulas, charts, and sparklines to show data trends. It also provided a
workshop Excel document so that attendees could experience hands-on what was
being demonstrated by the instructor. Pedagogically, I found this very
beneficial. The instructor was also able to answer questions or help with
issues, which was not available on Lynda.com. However, the in-person
information session dragged on and on about charts towards the end, and
unlike the Lynda.com tutorial, one cannot completely mute a live instructor.
While both forms of instruction are valid forms of
educational tools, and each serves slightly different functions (Lynda.com is
comprehensive and available when desired, the in-person tutorial is limited in
scope but live), if I had to choose one method as the best, if would be the
in-person instruction.
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