Training: Online Self-Paced Learning Resources

If you are looking for online computing tutorials on anything from using software like Word, WordPerfect, or Adobe Indesign to conducting better Web searches to understanding copyright issues check out these resources from UNL and other organizations. The outside resources have been selected because each site is actively updated, well organized, and easy-to-use. All resources listed are provided free of charge.

Resources from UNL

Creating Effective Presentations with PowerPoint, Teaching Skills Workshop
Lessons on effectively and efficiently using the basic and advanced features of PowerPoint. Includes a lesson on “Creating a Poster in PowerPoint.” Online class created by Lana Johnson and Pam Peters for the “Teaching Skills” workshop series offered for UNL Extension personnel in the Spring 2004. The tutorials cover PowerPoint 97, 2000 and 2002 XP versions.

Online Tutorials, IS Instructional Technology Group
The Instructional Technology Group (ITG) within Information Services has made many online tutorials available.

• Over 300 software and programming tutorials from Virtual Training Company (VTC), an online tutorial company. These tutorials are offered free of charge to UNL faculty, staff, and students. A username and password is required.
• Dozens of brief tutorials to help faculty, staff, and students get started using My.UNL (Blackboard).
• The Microsoft eLearning Library (MeLL) set of interactive Web-based training modules. Modules are simulations of working in a program and only work in Internet Explorer on Windows.
• Link to the "Get Started with the 2007 Microsoft Office System" website. The video demos are especially helpful.

Lotus Notes Help And Troubleshooting page
Links to Quick Guides for Lotus Notes 6 & 7, spamJam Guide, Sametime Instant Messaging instructions, and more.

CBA ITS Technology page
Instruction guides on Windows XP, Lotus Notes, Connecting to the Wireless Network, and more.

Selected resources from other universities and organizations

LTS Online Help Documentation, UW-Eau Claire
Concise, step-by-step guides for Microsoft Office 2007, 2003 & XP, Dreamweaver 8 & MX 2004, Adobe products (Acrobat, InDesign, PageMaker, and Photoshop), and more. All documents are part of The ITM Help Collection, which has been developed by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and is copyrighted by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.

WordPerfect Office Tutorials
WordPerfect Office Tips & Tricks
Both of these resources are provided by Corel. Tutorial topics include Top ten questions: table formatting, Working with images in Corel® WordPerfect® Office X3, Setting Up a Mail Merge, and more. Tips & Tricks include Reducing the size of PDF files in WordPerfect, Adding QuickWords in WordPerfect, How to Anchor a Picture with WordPerfect X3, and more.

Geekgirl’s: plain-english computing
Use the tutorials, guides, news, and other resources in the Windows, Internet, and Security Guides sections. The site is the sole work of award-winning Australian computer journalist, Rose Vines, who has been writing about computers since 1982.

Bare Bones 101: A basic tutorial on searching the Web
This tutorial provides an excellent starting point to learn about various search tools, general search tips, and information about leading search tools. Provided by the University of South Carolina Beaufort Library.

“Finding Information on the Internet” Tutorial
This tutorial provides more detailed explanations than “Bare Bones” and has some excellent comparison of search engine information. Topics go from “What is the Internet and the World wide Web” to “Evaluating and Citing Web Pages & Sites.” Provided by the Teaching Library at the University of California at Berkeley.

WebAIM
The WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind) site includes a “Getting Started” section to help everyone understand the issues, a “Popular Resources” section of tutorials on making HTML pages and all forms of “Rich Media” accessible, tools to help you evaluate Web page accessibility, and much more. WebAIM is an organization within the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) at Utah State University.

Beginners Web Design Tutorials by how-to-build-websites.com
Web Design Resources by killersites.com
The Beginners Web Design Tutorials is a set of seven instructional modules for total beginners and people who use programs like Dreamweaver, and want to learn what's going on “behind the scenes.” Especially helpful for people wanting to learn the basics of CSS, advanced HTML topics, and JavaScript programming.
The Web Design Resources site, which offers video tutorials for sale, provides selected portions for free. The site offers video tutorials on Web Design, Dreamweaver MX 2004 and 8, and Flash MX 2004 and 8.
Both sites are maintained by Stefan Mischook, author of the book “Creating Killer Web Sites.”

Crash Course in Copyright
Crash Course Tutorial
Provides information on Fair Use, creating multimedia presentations, copyright management, and more. Content written specifically for university faculty, students, and staff. The Crash Course Tutorial is especially helpful for learning about copyright basics in the distance learning context. Provided by Intellectual Property Section of the Office of General Counsel for the University of Texas System.

Healthy Computing
This website is devoted to helping users use personal computers comfortably. The site provides extensive ergonomic and environmental information. Provided by Lenovo, formerly the IBM Personal Computing Division.

Site evaluation and selection by Pamela K. Peters, Project Manager.

Last updated March 2008.