how to teach a novice?

[GaryR]

ok, so my wife knows almost nothing at all about Excel, but she wants to learn so that she can get into a job doing admin or something. she's used it like twice in her whole life. But everytime i try to sit down with her and start with even the basics, she gets frustrated at how much there is to it and how powerful it can get so fast, and i get frustrated because i never really know where to start and how in depth to get with anything with her cause i'm fairly advanced.

who knows a really good book or a really good *free* online class for people that have never used excel before? I tried the microsoft.com tutorials but she got frustrated at how slow they went over the parts that she did know... grrr...


thanks!

 

[Joe4]

Courses are only good if you learn at the same speed as most of the class - and if the teacher is any good

Of course, you can really say that about any teaching method: book and on-line tutorials are only as good as their writers. So it helps if you can get some recommendations on specific books, teachers, tutorials, etc.

Personally, I have a hard-time learning from books. I like courses because I can stop the teacherask questions if I don't understand concepts, etc. To me, there is nothing better than the personal intereaction you can get from a class (something you really can't get from books or tutorials).

Typically, most of the classes I have taken only move as fast as the slowest learner, which can be frustrating at times, but I have never failed to come away learning a whole lot and getting me started down the path I need to go.

 

[cornflakegirl]

See, that's why I like learning here - you can go at your own pace, there are real examples, often with worked solutions, and loads of really clever people to ask when you get stuck. Why would I want to pay a couple of hundred quid for a course that won't be nearly as good?

 

[Joe4]

Emma,

I think that this site is a wonderful place to supplement one's knowledge, provided you have at least some "base" working knowledge of a program like Excel. But if one is brand spankin' new to Excel, this site will probably be very frustrating to them.

How would you answer a question like "I am brand new to Excel, how do I use it?" (note that the OP did say that his wife knows practically nothing about Excel).

Its kind of like a Dictionary. It is great place to look up new words and such, provided you know at least a little of that language. But if you don't speak any of the langauage, the Dictionary isn't going to be of much help.

 

[cornflakegirl]

I've never been on an Excel course, and until a couple of months ago, had never read an Excel book. I learnt how to use it by using it, by understanding my colleague's spreadsheets, and by coming on here.

Most of the basic stuff in Excel just works, stuff like SUM and AVERAGE. You don't need to be taught how to use them. Then it's stuff like VLOOKUP and SUMPRODUCT - and MrExcel is a very good place to learn about them, plenty of people asking questions about them. (Although you might need someone alongside to suggest suitable threads to start with.)

imho

 

[Kaps_mr2]

I haven't been on an Excel course. However I have a mathematical mind and that helps me with Excel.

Given that you've done CIMA that also suggests that you've something mathematical about you. May be that's why you find Excel fairly straightforward.

If you've haven't got an mathematical mind then I would guess that Excel is that much harder to learn and a college environment might provide the extra support that is required. Thanks

Kaps

 

[Joe4]

If you've haven't got an mathematical mind then I would guess that Excel is that much harder to learn and a college environment might provide the extra support that is required. Thanks

I think you have hit the nail on the head there. If you have a mathematical or computer background, you can probably pick up the basics of Excel fairly quickly. And most of the regulars on this site probably fall into that category.

But, what about the other demographic of population, those who have little mathematical or computer background (and are often times intimidated by computers & computer programs)? That is where I think the courses can really help. Of course, they can help use computer guys too! I still take them, just much more advanced classes now.

 

[cornflakegirl]

Yeah, that's true. I tend to forget that maths isn't obvious to everyone Even when one of the people it isn't obvious to is my husband. Must remember to go gentle with him!

 

[Kaps_mr2]

Yes - my VBA is based around the BASIC that I learnt at school 25 years ago !!!

 

[Kaps_mr2]

but I also think that the real bright stars have a creative mind that enables problem solving.

 

[Joe4]

Yeah, that's true. I tend to forget that maths isn't obvious to everyone Even when one of the people it isn't obvious to is my husband. Must remember to go gentle with him!

Sounds just like my wife. They say opposites attract, right?