The Training Subcommittee has undertaken several activities this year. During the summer, a small group met to discuss what strategies to use to make training in technology more accessible and easier to deliver. Some barriers to training were:

• An embarrassment factor
• "Just in time" need
• Lack of time to focus on new skills during the term. Inservice is best.
• No standard outcome defined or publicized. Outcomes need to be defined by job and course program.
• No skill assessment available
• People don"t come to workshops during the term or sign up but don"t attend. This becomes a resource issue for the trainers.

Fall Inservice"s "Taming the Technology Tiger" was an informal afternoon with a circus theme. There were some fun activities like a fortune teller, dart games, and food to draw people in as well as twenty minute workshops on a variety of technology topics. It was open entry/exit so people could spend as much or little time as they desired. Raffle prizes for private consulting on a various topics such as setting up an instructor Web page and enhancing PowerPoint presentations with sound were given away. We also did a survey to gather input on future trainings (attached).

Based on the survey, staff have presented short workshops publicized in the Teaching and Learning Calendar on a large variety of topics throughout the academic year. Some sessions were very well attended at the first presentation but we probably saturated the market for topics such as "Working from Home". Additionally, a session on Blackboard was presented at Spring Inservice and was well attended.

Another idea was to do an email "Technology Tip" each week while classes in session. These very short, topical (and savable) suggestions have been very well received.

Based on the success of the "Tech Tips," we plan to continue with these next year. In addition, we will be presenting "Tool Time" during fall inservice as an expanded version of the tech tips. The idea is that some tech tips are better demonstrated than explained in an email. The demonstration may only take a few minutes, but really needs to be seen. Staff have brainstormed some ideas for these tips and an email survey will be sent out before Spring term is done to get feedback on which ones to present during "Tool Time." Another plus is that this will fit the drop in/out format and it will be less intense to produce than "Tiger."