[LIBRARYDIR] info on MS IT Academy from training

[Jennifer Dysart]

Sure!

From: librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu [mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Martin, Jeff
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 11:07 AM
To: an open discussion list for WA CTC Library Directors
Subject: RE: [LIBRARYDIR] info on MS IT Academy from training

Jennifer,

May I forward this message more widely to other lists for public and tribal libraries?

Jeff

From: librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu [mailto:librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu] On Behalf Of Jennifer Dysart
Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 10:38 AM
To: LMDC open (librarydir at lists.ctc.edu)
Subject: [LIBRARYDIR] info on MS IT Academy from training

I attended the in-person training at the state library yesterday, and thought this info might be helpful.  A lot of the training was focused on benefits to the libraries and library staff (as opposed to concentrating on direct benefits to our patrons).  The admin site is still in a beta state; it will be 1-2 weeks before we can log into the new site and do the work in the way we will moving forward.

First major benefit to patrons:  a series of online courses for digital literacy.  These are actually independent of MS IT Academy, free and available to all public without logging in.  They are available now at www.microsoft.com/digitalliteracy<http://www.microsoft.com/digitalliteracy>.

The bulk of the benefit to patrons are the e-Learning courses.  Patrons must use a MS account to log into MS IT Academy, and they must have an access code ("enrollment key") that they get from us.

A one-page quick start guide will be available as soon as the site's out of beta, but here's my quick notes on how we will get a student onto the eLearning courses:

*         Staff members log into the admin site ("E-Learner Administrator site, but they also called it the "Member Site." http://www.microsoft.com/itacademy ).

*         You generate a code to give to students (formerly called the "access code," but now called the "enrollment key" with the new beta system.  This can create some terminology confusion).

o   To generate the code, you create something called a "Learning Plan."  There are 250 different class areas, and you select which areas will show up on their front page.  The students can browse all of the classes and take whatever, but the "Learning Plan" puts some classes on the front page as default.

o   When you generate the Learning Plan, you say how many students are going to use that code--up to 500 people.

o   Important:  you only have to generate one code for every 500 students if you want!  If you wanted to help an individual, you could set up a code for 1 person and carefully select classes to show up on their home screen.  No need to, though.  I plan to generate a code for 500 users and pop it into our wiki, so librarians don't even have to go to the admin site.  I'll generate a new code when we get close to 500 users signed up with the first code.

*         You give the student
1) the "Learner Site" URL (beta, but I think will be http://itacademy.microsoft.com.),
2) the access code/enrollment key, and
3) the fact that they have to log in with a Microsoft account (could be hotmail, a "live" account, or, for us, their MS school email)

Things available to staff (accessed through the "Member Site"), and what the bulk of the training concentrated on:

*         Managing the E-learning codes (generate a code for 1 person or up to 500 people)

*         Pre-made lesson plans for workshops or classes.  I get the idea that the lesson plans give you a script, powerpoint, and when to put the students into the elearning classes as part of the workshop.

*         Access to Safari's online reference collection of Microsoft books.  This isn't for the public--there are 5 subscriptions available for your library.  They agreed that it would be appropriate to sign up a generic reference desk persona, but the login is for library staff, not the general public.

*         Access to the free certifications available for our staff (not for the public).

*         Access to the software available for library computers (50 lab licenses for MS Office to go on computers where people will be using IT Academy)

*         Marketing materials and other miscellaneous stuff.



Hope that's not TMI.

Jennifer


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