Director's Message
by Ida Gropper, the Center for Professional Development and Training
CPDT celebrated its 5th anniversary this year, and we are asking for your help. Thanks to all of the previous feedback we have received, we are able to provide faculty and staff with an array of instructor-led and online professional development opportunities, both in the technical and soft skills areas.
To be able to continue to improve course offerings, CPDT would like your feedback on both the training courses offered and this publication, distributed at the beginning of each term. Please take a few minutes to complete an online survey. The survey and comments will be anonymous. To complete the survey, click on:
websurveyor.unf.edu/wsb.dll/50/CPDT_training_survey.htm
HOLD THE DATE: April 28, 2009 Professional Development Forum
by Ida Gropper, the Center for Professional Development and Training
The 5th Annual Professional Development Forum is scheduled for April 28th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mark your calendars now for a full day of exciting and innovative learning programs. As in the past, you may attend the full day or a half day (either morning or afternoon) with supervisor approval. The Excellence Awards recipients will be recognized during the luncheon ceremony. Registration is April 1 - 15, and additional information will be announced in January. Contact the Center for Professional Development and Training at ext. 1707 if you have questions.
CPDT Unveils New Online Course: What's New in Windows Vista and Office 2007
by Jim Starr, the Center for Professional Development and Training
The Center for Professional Development and Training has partnered with Information Technology Services to offer a new online course, "What's New in Windows Vista and Office 2007." The course is designed to assist faculty and staff receiving a new computer or requesting the new Vista/Office 2007 client in transitioning from XP/Office 2003.
Audio and video components of the course guide the viewer through improvements of the Vista operating system and the new look and feel of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite. UNF faculty and staff who successfully complete the assessment at the end of the course receive full credit in their employee training history.
To view the course in its entirety, visit: www.unf.edu/dept/cpdt/e_learning/Whats_New_Vista_Office2007/html/
For more information, contact the Center for Professional Development and Training at ext. 1707.
New to SkillSoft: The Office 2007 Knowledge Center
by Jim Starr, the Center for Professional Development and Training
In early January, SkillSoft users will have access to the brand new Office 2007 KnowledgeCenter within the SkillSoft portal. What exactly is a KnowledgeCenter? A SkillSoft KnowledgeCenter is a single, focused interface where UNF students, faculty, and staff can receive instant and ongoing skills development for Microsoft Office 2007. The KnowledgeCenter offers a wide variety of targeted learning resources including formal learning paths; informal, on-the-job learning; and a range of other resources. These tools and resources are carefully selected by SkillSoft subject matter experts and presented in a user-friendly environment that allows you instant access to relevant content. The Office 2007 Knowledge Center provides resources for:
- Users new to Office 2007 (including beginning Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Vista)
- Users already working with Office 2007 (including advanced Word, Excel and Outlook)
- Office 2007 Power Users
Also new to the Office 2007 SkillSoft KnowledgeCenter is a reference area where you will have access to selected full textbooks referred to as Books24x7. Books24x7 includes titles that pertain to Office 2007 or you may search or browse other relevant titles within the Books24x7 library. Examples of full books you have access to include, but are not limited to:
- Microsoft Office Word 2007 Step by Step
- Excel 2007 Bible
- Windows Vista For Dummies
- First Look 2007 Microsoft Office System
To access the Office 2007 KnowledgeCenter:
- Sign into the myWings portal with your n# and password
- Click on the SkillSoft Online Learning link within the Quick Links channel
- Select the KnowledgeCenter link from the left-hand navigation menu, from the My Plan area, or from the blue navigation bar at the top of the SkillSoft portal.
The Office 2007 KnowledgeCenter will be announced through Campus Update.
Spring Book Club
by Ida Gropper, the Center for Professional Development and Training
During the spring term, the Book Club will read the following book:
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Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters by Porras, Emery and Thompson For more information about this book, click here. Mark Thompson, one of the authors, will serve as the keynote speaker during the Professional Development Forum on April 28. This session will meet Friday, February 27 at noon in the Library Conference Room, Building 12, room 2400. |
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The Book Club is open to all faculty and staff. Book Club members receive a free copy of the book and refreshments are provided. To register for the Book Club call ext. 1707, or register online through the CPDT Web page. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and participation is limited.
Earn up to an Additional $1,300 on Your 2008 Income Tax Refund
by Emily Stalvey, the Center for Professional Development and Training
H&R Block has found that 87 percent of tax forms prepared by people who are not certified miss important deductions. According to the H&R Block website, some of the most frequently missed income tax deductions include the Earned Income Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Saver's Credit. These and other missed deductions can really add up. On January 30th, the Center for Professional Development and Training in collaboration with H&R Block will offer a one-hour brown bag lunch and learn session on "The 10 Most Missed Deductions." Bring your lunch and learn about deductions and credits that you might overlook. Don't miss this valuable information session.
This brown-bag lunch session is open to all faculty and staff. Soda and water will be provided. To register, call ext. 1707, or register online through the CPDT Web page. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and participation is limited.
For more information and tips on preparing income tax forms, visit the H&R Block website at www.hrblock.com.
Ask the Trainer - Make Your Life Easier: Use the Thumbnail Option!
by Tara Thompson, the Center for Professional Development and Training
How many times have you had to scroll down and up repeatedly on a document to get to the page you want? Make your "Word" life a little easier by using the thumbnail option. The thumbnail option allows you to view the pages of the document and click on the page you want. The thumbnail option minimizes the pages and places them on the left side of your screen. (To view more information about Microsoft Word 2007, visit the CPDT web page, and click on the course catalog for What's New in Windows Vista and Office 2007 online tutorial course.)
The steps for adding the thumbnail option in Office 2007 are below:
The first step is to click the View tab on the Ribbon.
Once in the view block, find the section labeled Show/Hide. Remember the labels are located at the bottom of the ribbon.
Click the box next to the Thumbnails option. This will immediately allow you to view all the pages of the document.
The steps for adding the thumbnail option in Office 2003 are below:
The first step is to click the View option on the Standard Toolbar.
From the View drop-down menu, select the Thumbnails option.
Thumbnails of your pages will now display in the left-hand panel.
You can now sit back, rest in your chair, and the scrolling bar can have a break.
Meet the Trainer - Diane Elkins
by Tara Thompson, the Center for Professional Development and Training
How did you get involved in training at UNF? I met someone at the Division of Continuing Education through the American Society of Training and Development. He asked my company to fill in for a trainer who left, and we've been doing training ever since. That was about 4 years ago.
What sessions do you teach? For CPDT, I teach Photoshop and Creative Problem Solving. For DCE, I teach Managing Multiple Projects, Web-Based Training: From Concept to Execution, and a number of Microsoft Office classes.
What are some of your hobbies? I'm an avid (borderline obsessive) flower gardener. My husband and I enjoy cooking and taking trips to the mountains. I also have a 1 year-old yellow lab who keeps me busy! (I'm usually trying to keep him out of things!)
What do you like most about serving as a trainer at UNF? Everyone I encounter at UNF is extremely friendly and professional. As a trainer, it is an absolute JOY to stand in front of a group of people who get along well, who love what they do, and who genuinely want to get just a little bit better at their jobs. I'm happy to help them reach that goal.
Diane Elkins has been named one of the Top 10 Young Trainers in the country by Training Magazine and now serves on their editorial advisory board. Read more about Diane in the article that appeared in Training Magazine's, May issue: www.managesmarter.com/msg/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003792280.
Ask ITS - What are some tips that will help faculty and staff have a better experience when using the technology in a classroom?
by Alison Cruess, Information Technology Services
Projectors:
- If a projector is turned off, it takes five minutes for it to cool down enough to be able to
power back on. For this reason, instructors should avoid shutting off the projector during their class. - To save lamp life, the projectors shut themselves down after two hours regardless of whether they are in use or not. If an instructor enters a classroom and finds the projector has been left on - it is recommended he or she shuts down the projector and powers it back on before the class begins. If this is not done, the projector could potentially shut down during the class if the two-hour limit is reached.
- If instructors need to switch from one output source to another (i.e. computer to document camera), they should press the appropriate button on the podium and wait 10 seconds for the device to power on and connect with the projector.
- When a projector is turned on it will occasionally display a warning indicating the filter needs changing. Instructors can disregard this message and proceed with using the projector. Projector filters are cleaned on a regular basis.
Office and Windows
- Currently the classrooms maintained by ITS feature Windows XP and Office 2003. As many
people know, Office 2007 (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) files are not compatible with Office 2003. While the computers in the classroom have Microsoft's compatibility pack installed and will open Office 2007 files, there may be some formatting features that do not display correctly. To ensure a presentation or document displays as expected, instructors should save any Office 2007 files as a lower version (97-2003). - Beginning in the spring, the classrooms maintained by ITS will have Windows Vista and Office 2007 installed. Instructors not yet familiar with Vista and Office 2007 can visit CPDT's web site to learn about the major differences and to view helpful training documents.
