Power User Tips for AU Learning

Learning is part of the job these days, but each of us likes to do that job differently. And at AU, we want to support your learning needs and wants, whatever they may be. From adjustable speeds for class videos to powerful search features within class materials, check out these tips to help you learn faster, smarter, and on your terms.  

1) Use in-class search   

Most AU classes have a class video, a transcript, a handout, and a presentation, and you can do a keyword search in all of those materials at once using the search field above the Overview button on the class page. 

For example, say you wanted tips for managing sheets in Revit in the class, The Return of The Superb Guide to Easy Revit. You could type “sheet” in the search field and see that it’s mentioned 54 times in the class itself, 23 times in the presentation, and 46 times in the handout. Click the video tab to watch the class, and you’ll see all the instances of “sheet” highlighted in the transcript. Click on one of the highlighted words in the transcript and the video will automatically jump to that moment in the class video. And you’re not restricted to the terms you’ve searched on—click on any word in the transcript and the video will jump to that moment in the video, giving you a great way to skip to the sections of a class relevant to your goals.  

2) Accelerate (or decelerate) your learning   

On any class page, you can choose the speed you want to watch the video, from half speed (.05) to full speed and all the way to double-time (2x). Maybe you want to zip through the introductions at the beginning, then slow it down when the technical training begins? It’s all under your control.  

3) Turn on captions 

You can watch most AU class videos with captions if you want—just click on the “CC” button at the bottom of the viewer. This can be especially useful for professionals who use English as a second language and also be useful for English speakers watching a class led by someone who uses English as a second language. And some classes have captions available in multiple languages—you’ll see the language options in the menu when you click the “CC” button. 

4) Get your hands on the handout  

Most AU classes come with a handout created by the instructor, and many of them are as informative as the class itself. And you have a great toolset to navigate and explore each handout—not only by searching for keywords (see Tip #1 above), but also by using the tools in the top right corner of the display. Go full screen, print, download the PDF, or control your view using the “>>” icon. And all of those tips apply to the class presentations, too.  

5) Identify class assets in the Search view 

Depending on what format the AU class was, the assets for a given class will vary. For example, if it was a roundtable, there will probably be no video, but there may be a handout. Other classes may not have a handout but will have video.  

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to open the class page to know. You can see what assets are included without opening the class page. On the Search results page, just look at the icons below the summary.  

We live and work in a time of rapid transformation, and the pace of change won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Learning is key to adapting successfully. And learning is what we’re all about at AU.  

So what are you waiting for? Find the classes to help you to move ahead and learn on your terms anytime at AU.