In-person and online training

After completing training for Excel with lynda.com and in-person through DoIt, I'm pleased to comment I found both trainings useful and content-rich. During both learning opportunities I was in computer labs at the University with the newest version of Excel.

With Lynda.com, I appreciated the videos were short, focused on a particular skill, and there was a script running with the words spoken highlighted. Due to the availability of the script, I was able to re-read something I missed rather than having to playback part of the video each time I wanted a refresher. I found the presenter had a good pace and I appreciated my ability to skip through videos I already understood.

During the in-person training, I was part of a small class with two trainers which lasted approximately 90 minutes and was at an intermediate level. The instructor worked at a good pace and was easily understood. What I most appreciated was having the shortcuts restated each time we used them; this helped me in remembering them later. 

After my experiences, I would advise LIS professionals to use Lynda.com as a starting point in learning a new technology followed by more advanced in-person training. I say this because getting a working knowledge of the technology allows for an understanding of the basics before moving forward. Moving forward in an in-person setting, rather than solely online, allows for confusion to be resolved as it's experienced. In addition, the in-person follow-up session allows for cooperative trouble-shooting to areas of concern rather than having to search online for solutions or re-watch videos.