There may be hope for University of Calgary students who are technologically impaired. Beginning Oct. 26, the Information Commons will become a guiding light to people who cannot operate a computer.
"We are starting off with Windows NT, Windows ’95, and Windows ’98," said Organizer Heather Weiland. "Basically, we want to get started with these, but we’re really open to suggestions from the students."
The classes are open to anyone who has a U of C ID card. This means that staff, faculty and graduate students can enroll.
"Our emphasis is on the undergraduates," said Weiland. "The whole idea of the Information Commons is whatever the students need to make technology work for them is what we want to work with."
The classes teach Windows programs such as Word, Excel and Power Point. They run for two hours with a half hour afterwards for questions.
"We’re going to keep them small on the first run through," said Weiland. "About 25 maximum to begin with, but after that we may open it up to 50 students with two instructors."
Turnout was relatively low for the first class, but praise from the students who attended was high.
"I found it really useful," said fourth-year Sociology major Marion Daniels. "It explained a lot of things that I’ve tried to do and wasn’t successful. They said that they [the Information Commons] would do intermediate courses if anyone was interested and I would definitely be interested in something like that."
The organizers hope more students will take notice of the workshops as time progresses.
"I would really like to see more students in these classes," said instructor Christine Earl. "I know what it’s like when you’re a student–you’re busy and you don’t want to sit down to an organized class for two hours. You do it once though, and you learn it."
The programs are free, and sessions run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the classrooms of the Information Commons, located on the second floor of the MacKimmie Library. Interested students need to apply to the Information Commons information desk or on the internet at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/IR/IC/courses.html.