Volume CXXXIII, Number 16 February 15, 2002 f

CIS offers training
NICHOLAS J. LoVECCHIO
ORIENT STAFF

Computing and Information Services will continue its highly popular training program this semester, with increased course offerings in software programs such as Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, iMovie, as well as in general computing tips. The courses are open to all students, faculty, and staff.

Adams 208, the classroom used for the CIS training courses. (Henry Coppola, Bowdoin Orient)

"Technology has become such a part of everybody's life. But, the skills needed to keep up with that technology most people have learned by the seat of their pants, as opposed to sitting down in a classroom and really learning the software programs," said Computer Training and Documentation Specialist Ruth Maschino, who administers the program.

"These classes were designed to fill in the gap, to give people the opportunity to learn a program from start to finish and to learn all those shortcuts and tips that make everybody's life so much easier," she said.

The program started in the fall of 2000, just after CIS hired Maschino to oversee the College's computer training programs. Maschino teaches many of the courses, but some courses are taught by other CIS staff members whose expertise is in the course subject matter.

Maschino said that the greatest areas of interest have shifted in the past year. Initially, the most popular courses were introductory courses, such as introductions to Microsoft Word and Excel. Now, though, there is greater interest in higher-level courses that deal with desktop publishing, such as classes in Photoshop and Dreamweaver.

CIS offers different classes each semester, largely based on feedback from people who have taken previous classes. For this session, 29 different classes are offered for a total of 33 seatings; though over the course of the year well over 100 will have been offered.

The written evaluations for all the courses have been overwhelmingly positive. The biggest problem, Maschino said, is not having enough seats to accommodate everyone who wants to take a course.

This is the first semester in which evening courses will be held, in order to accommodate more students who have classes in the afternoon.
In addition to classroom training, all students, faculty, and staff can get subscriptions to Element K, an online training program that allows users to learn programs at their own pace, whenever they want. Element K use has quadrupled in the last year.

CIS also offers one-on-one training and customized group training on an as-needed basis.

Anyone interested in training programs can contact Ruth Maschino at rmaschin@bowdoin.edu.