creating effective handouts
Post on 19-Oct-2014
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Creating effective handouts for tech training.TRANSCRIPT
Creating Effective Handouts
Why Not Just Wing It?
CONSISTENCY
Handouts help keep our brand and service recognizable
Folks want something to take home to practice with
Help us teach each other’s classes in the event of illness or other reason
More material can be put online for the virtual branch patron
The handout should be just as good as if the person came to the class—this enables us to
reach/teach more people—especially helpful for branch folks
No Need to Reinvent the Wheel
Tons of resources out there from other libraries and orgs, including:
Digital Learn http://www.Digitallearn.org
Chapel Hill http://www2.lib.unc.edu/cws/handouts/
GCF Learn Free http://www.gcflearnfree.org
Google ‘______ handout public library’ (e.g. Word handout)
Most libraries will gladly let you use or adapt their materials
Could even use YouTube videos to illustrate an idea (but make sure it’s noted/linked in handout!)
Tips for Developing
the Handout
• Look at other handouts from MCL – all
located on shared drive in the
‘Computer Class Handouts and Stats’
folder
• Try to mimic the same heading, bold
and bullet style
What to Include:
Learning Objectives
Tasks
Screenshots
Learning Objectives
• Learning Objectives
These define the skills & knowledge that should be learned, and the outcomes of the training.
For example, Basic I class objectives might be:
• Identify basic components of computers: external and internal
• Identify desktop, icons, components of a window
• Demonstrate use of a mouse: scrolling and clicking
Tasks
Include a mixture of Explanation
& Tasks
Include hands-on practice throughout the handout—this is both so you can make sure the class is learning AND they have something to practice at home.
Examples of Tasks from Word class
Screenshots
Screenshots
Screenshots help orient the learner
Screenshots make it easier for those who didn’t attend to know what’s going on
Screenshots help remind attendees what was learned
Making Screenshots with Jing
Free program
Easily make screenshots and insert them into handout
Use arrows, boxes, text boxes
Also helpful to easily share a screenshot with a patron via email to explain where something is
Other Screenshot Tools
Alt + Print Screen
Useful for capturing menus that otherwise
go away when you click off, e.g. the Start
Menu
Windows Snipping Tool
Found under ‘Accessories’ from Start
Menu
Additional Info
If introducing a lot of terms, consider attaching a glossary--many can be found online, but
be sure to cite your source
Include links for further help, e.g. additional tutorials from Microsoft, etc.
Always include MCL logo, website and phone number
Questions?
All resources on wiki under CentersInfo
ServicesTeaching Tech/Digital Literacy Resources
Portions of this handout were adapted from the Colorado Virtual Library:
http://create.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/designing-instructional-materials