Training Curriculum

Training Curriculum

The curriculum developed by TRI for the Libraries Online! project is directed toward training the:

(a) Technical Manager

(b) End-User Trainer

Technical Manager Training

The technical training for each of the technology managers at the grant recipient libraries consists of a hands-on four day training at the TRI offices and lab in Seattle. In four days, the technical training takes managers through building a model lab, using a server and a workstation.

These training sessions are small, with a limit of ten people; conducive to an informal atmosphere. The training sessions are as much a sharing of experiences and ideas as learning how to build a more secure and successful computing environment using NT server and workstation.

Two different classes are taught: (a) The Public Computing Lab Model; (b) The Public Computing Standalone workstation model. Participants are grouped together in a class session depending on the model the participating libraries plan to implement.

A typical class session outline and topics covered in the technical manager training:

Day 1 Morning	Welcome Overview of Libraries Online Program and TRI Overview of the Lab Model Hands-on use of the Model Discussion of the weak areas Local modification one can make
Day 1 Afternoon	NT Networking TCP/IP CAT-5 wiring NetBEUI/Netbios WINS server LMHOST
Day 2 Morning	NT operating Environment Where do Server and Workstation differ How Workstation and Server work together Loading NT server and Workstation Creating a Template User install account Roaming Profiles
Day 2 Afternoon	Centralized management of the Service Packs Installing Service Pack 1.0a Why not installing service Pack 2 Adding the NT Workstations to the Servers Domain Loading the applications onto the server for distribution The Application Installation Worksheet
Day 3 Morning	Loading the applications onto the workstation as the Template user account Creating 3 public user accounts (allapps, child and adult) Preparing the workstation(s) for public use
Day 3 Afternoon	Fieldtrip: Visit to a lab Visit to Microsoft Campus
Day 4 Morning	Policies and Profiles for the Public User Accounts Security on the Workstation and the Server NTUSER.dat to NTUSER.man Setting profiles folder to appropriate security
Day 4 Afternoon	Advanced topics DNS and Internet integration Firewalls E-mail SMS to manage large public environments

The above course outline and program description make up the first step in the technical education curriculum from TRI. Libraries implementing larger public computing environments based on the Public Lab model, require additional training. For those library systems and public institutions such as high schools, community colleges and universities, a second, four day class is under development. This class curriculum covers such issues as scaling an NT Domain to an Enterprise model, implementing SMS to strategically manage public workstations from a central location, and Web Based management of the server environment. This class also contains additional topics on NT networking and the ability to scale such a network, without bandwidth disasters.

Standalone Model

The curriculum for the standalone model follows much the same outline, while focusing on the smaller rural and county libraries. However a portion of the curriculum is spent on Internet integration using a dial-up ISP.

Day 1 Morning	Welcome Overview of Libraries Online Program and TRI Overview of the standalone model Hands-on use of the model Discussion of the weak areas Local modifications one can make
Day 1 Afternoon	Basics about local area networking Ethernet wiring (CAT-5) Protocols Internet terminology Picking an ISP Dial-up networking versus leased line Modem dial-up, ISDN dialup, trick one can play
Day 2 Morning	The NT Operating Environment Why NT workstation and not Windows95 Loading the NT workstation operating system Creating a Template install account
Day 2 Afternoon	Loading the applications onto the workstation The application install worksheet Creating 3 public user access accounts (allapps, child and adult)
Day 3 Morning	Preparing the workstation for Public use Policies and Profiles for the Public User Accounts Security on the Workstation NTUSER.dat to NTUSER.man Setting profiles folder to appropriate security Installing a local printer
Day 3 Afternoon	Fieldtrip: Visit to a lab Visit to Microsoft Campus
Day 4 Morning	Integration into the Internet Installing a Modem Installing an ISDN Adapter Installing DUN Profiling for ISP use Internet Explorer in dial-up mode Strategies in accomplishing the best connectivity.
Day 4 Afternoon	Advanced topics DNS and Internet integration Firewalls E-mail Managing standalone machines using RAS form a central location

End User Trainer

The end user trainer curriculum is an on-going development effort at TRI and has multiple parts and user targets. Much of this support will be in developing material which can be used by reference librarians or other user support staff, in assisting the patrons directly, or in conducting training sessions for patrons.

The first portion of class session material takes the form of pre-planned curriculum modules supplied to the trainers by TRI. Four examples of these modules are currently in final testing stage:

"How do I turn this dang thing on?"

"Introduction to the Internet"

"Surfing the Net"

"Word-processing basics"

Additionally, there are three new modules in the early development stage:

"Job hunting on the net"

"Reference tools on your computer"

"An Introduction to spreadsheets"

The second effort underway is the publication of easy to use end-user guides and getting started cards. The first in this series is the "Computer Primer V1.0" together with the following Getting Started cards:

Internet Explorer 3.0

Using Office95 Word and Excel

Using Office97 Word and Excel

The "Getting Started Cards" in plastic-coated printed form, together with a set of diskettes containing the digital form (in Publisher97 format) and the Computer Primer, were sent to 275 branches and trainers as part of the Libraries Online! program.

The third component of the training support effort is a set of classes that range in length from one to two days, which are specifically developed to be given to end user support trainers. The first of these classes is one day in length and focuses on teaching the trainers and support staff the basics about the Internet. As an example, the course teaches attendees that the unavailability of a particular website does not mean that the entire Internet is down. Others sections of this series concern basic machine trouble shooting and the creation of web content to support end-users.

This component of the training program also may take the form of one day classes in conjunction with State Library conventions, or other such centralized training opportunities, or other unique situations, as necessary.