by Mel Babb
The LearnKey Microsoft Word Interactive Software Training CD has quite a bit of good stuff packed onto the CD. Best of all, HAL-PC members get a 15% discount using the form that is located at our new Headquarters. However, a beginner or even someone new to the Learn Key interface would benefit from step by step printed instructions in how to use this program. But once this is mastered, great tutorial information is available and easy to get at. Once I found the help that explains how the program works, and had spent hours poking around in the program, I really liked what I saw.
You’ll need 7-10 MB of hard disk storage to load the program, 8mb RAM recommended, CD ROM and Sound Blaster Sound Card. If you have a multimedia computer bought in the last couple years you probably have this.
To get started, click the Introduction button and see a 2 minute video. There’s no way to pause or repeat a part of this explanation, although you can go back and see the whole thing again. It would be helpful to be able to print out the explanation for reference. When you click Exit you’ll go to the User Registration page (that’s what they call the screen). To get information about how everything works click Instructions. In the list that appears, the most important items for beginners are Registration and then Movie Pages, which give a two minute tutorial of how the course works. It would be very helpful to print this in hard copy for later reference. The information needed to get started could be easier to locate if it were clearly labeled with words and phrases like: In troduction, How to use this program, Skip this, Exit the course. The length of each lesson is 2 minutes, but it doesn’t say how many topics there are. Once registered, the program starts with a video introduction by Tom Badgett. Pressing the Directory button will open up the list of course topics.
What’s nice is you can take the course in sequence or jump around. As you complete each piece, it’s checkmarked. You can pause the screen or click the Directory button to pick something else in the list whenever you want. To practice what you’ve seen, click Challenge and pick a topic you would like to practice. If you don’t understand a term, click Search and scroll to find a definition.
To really reinforce your learning you have a way to open Word and try out the feature for real. Click the Interact button. Word opens and the LearnKey LifeSaver shows in the bottom right of the screen. Click on Tecah Me How and up pops a list of topics. Choose a topic and step by step instructions appear. If it’s still not clear what you’re supposed to do, click Coach Me and watch while the procedure is demonstrated for you. Then you can try it. The LearnKey LifeSaver is supposed to be available directly from the help menu in Word, too, although it does not show up on my Word menu. (I’ll troubleshoot that later).
All in all the CD is excellent. The information in the program is great. I do believe, however, that newbies will need some guidance in getting started. Once how the program works is mastered, learning Word will be a real pleasure.
Mel Babb, a HAL-PC member, is a computer trainer who has trained thousands of folks in over 20 different programs. She can be reached at 713/952-3374 or e-mail melbab@hal-pc.org.
E-mail me at webmaster@hal-pc.org with any comments you have and tell me what you want to see here.