We understand that there can be barriers to learning outside of a normal class environment at your desk and would like to offer a few helpful tips to make your self-directed learning sessions more productive:

• Remove as many possible interruptions as you can by
• Turning off your email
• Diverting the phone
• Closing the door to your office
• Set aside an amount of time that you can realistically give your full concentration. This will vary from person to person, for some it is 20 minutes for others it is an hour.   We do not recommend more than 2 hours at a time.
• Inform others in your team that you are allocating yourself some learning time and do not wish to be interrupted.  It might help to post a sign on either your desk or chair to alert others that you are taking time out to learn.
• Set clear objectives of what you want to achieve in the time you have set aside.
• Have headphones available as several online learning resources have narration and/or music which you can choose to turn on or off.

Teaching Yourself Materails

The following 'teach yourself' materials are available for you to use:

• Teach Yourself Office 2007
• Teach Yourself - Microsoft Outlook
• Teach Yourself - Microsoft Word 
• Teach Yourself - Microsoft PowerPoint
• Teach Yourself - Microsoft Excel
• Teach Yourself - Microsoft Access
• Teach Yourself - Typing
• Working with Web Pages

If you would prefer to focus on improving your knowledge while removed from the interruptions of a busy office or feel that you would benefit from access to one of our IT training specialists, you may want to consider attending a Take Time to Learn Workshop.