Tell us a little about yourself and your work.

I am a senior lecturer in the School of Culture and Communication. I teach English language and film, and research film, particularly Jane Campion’s films.

How did you get started working with Technocamps?

I heard of Technocamps from one of my colleagues. I realised that this would be helpful not only to the community but also to staff like me who were in the demographic that hadn’t had any formal training in school on certain tools like Excel. I had never really been interested in learning about these things, and I had never really had to use the tools (or at least I didn’t understand how they would be helpful to me).  Over the last few years, I have rethought my disinterest and realised that I was at a disadvantage in some administrative domains, not having this skill. So, when I saw the announcement for a short course, I  thought it would be ideal for me as an introduction.

Which part of the work with Technocamps has been most beneficial for you, and why?

I took the Excel short course. My role means I interact with other parts of the university that use Excel for data analysis, so this will help me interpret data and possibly use it myself going forward.  

How do you think the skills and knowledge provided by Technocamps are used in your field or day-to-day work?

I didn’t understand basic formulas and didn’t have the language of Excel, so I couldn’t even create basic spreadsheets. Now, I could do this and solve problems with it on my own.  It won’t be used daily, but it is an amazing skill to have for when I need it.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Courses like these are so useful, especially for people who have limited time, who don’t quite know what they can get out of a technology like this, but are inquisitive and need more confidence.