Kent State students, faculty and staff are able to learn new features in technology through workshops offered in the library.

Information Services started the workshops after a survey of the graduating class of 2013 found that graduating students wished they would have had the opportunity to learn more technological software needed for their classes.

The workshops began in March and ended the week before spring break.

The workshops are currently being offered again because of popular demand. These workshops will end Friday, having focused on Google apps and Adobe software.

Michael Kavulic, special assistant to vice president of Information Services, said the turnout for the workshops has been more than he expected.

“These workshops are pretty fantastic,” Kavulic said. “We put a lot of weight and effort into these, and to see the turnout is exciting. We’ve also seen some great feedback from people with ideas and wanting the workshops to continue.”

The workshops cover software programs and topics the Kent State community might struggle with, including Blackboard, Adobe software, Google apps and social media techniques.

Kavulic said students, faculty and staff are gaining knowledge in a different way from similar workshops.

“This workshop is really the first of its kind,” Kavulic said. “It’s very hands-on, and students come out of the workshop with a short, finished product by navigating the different tools in the software.”

Thomas Mahon, lead information technology user support analyst, teaches the technology workshops geared toward Adobe software and Google apps. Mahon said students and faculty have gravitated to the workshops because of their effectiveness.

“I think the workshops are interesting to students because they’re free, short and filled with information to get their schoolwork done,” Mahon said. “These are things they actually want to know.”

Business administration graduate student Kellie Kribel said she attended the Adobe Photoshop workshop because she wanted to use it more in her on-campus job.

“I deal with FlashPerks, and we use a lot of Photoshop,” Kribel said. “A lot of the things that were covered were things that I’ve already done or knowledge that I learned and can now apply.”

Kribel said she thinks the workshops are something the campus needed and something she encourages in the future.

“The other workshops that I’ve seen have been very informative and engaging,” Kribel said. “It would be nice to see something like this happen every semester because students can really benefit from it.”

Kavulic said he sees the technology workshops growing and reaching out to more students, faculty and staff as the sessions continue.

“Technology changes almost on a moment-by-moment basis,” Kavulic said. “I see us continuing to have to address those evolving needs, and this is one of the opportunities to do that. There’s staying power in what we’re trying to do.”

Contact Elizabeth Randolph at [email protected].