Today I found two good websites for learning how to use computer software. In Pictures provides free tutorials for learning to use Microsoft and Open Office software as well as learning to write some basic html code. As it’s name implies, In Pictures provides all of its tutorials in pictures with descriptive captions.

The other software tutorial site that I found this morning, via Paul Hamilton, is Woopid Video Tutorials. Woopid provides video tutorials for learning how to use software on a Mac or on a PC as well providing tutorials for cloud computing programs like Google Docs. What I like about Woopid is the video tutorials are arranged sequentially in bundles. What this means is if you’re watching a video about using Power Point 2007 you can start with the basics and navigate forward in difficulty. Likewise, if you start in the middle of a bundle and realize that you don’t have enough knowledge to implement the concept being taught, you can back up to a video that will provide you with the background knowledge you need.

Applications for Education
Both In Pictures and Woopid could be valuable resources for teaching the use of basic software to adult learners as well as traditional students.