Currently covering Abergavenny and Blaenau Gwent, however if you have a lot of work that needs doing I will usually travel further afield. I will teach and support you with your technological needs. I target my teaching to each individual student, I will always go at a pace you are happy with and I will tune in to your needs.
I started programming computers when I was ten years old and have kept up with technology ever since. I also have good people skills, and a natural skills for teaching. This makes me the ideal person to teach you about technology or even to do some work for you. I can communicate at all levels (I can talk to programmers, experts but also complete beginners and be understood – this is a rare skill).
Testimonials (More Testimonials)
Mike has helped us to improve our IT skills in many areas. Our understanding has increased enormously due to his ability to teach us in a step by step approach leaving us to manage our computer independently. At the same time he updated the security and simplified many areas. Thanks for being patient with us oldies! L&P, Lincolnshire
My Qualifications
- B.Sc. Computer Science (2.1) from Loughborough University
- Counselling (levels 2 & 3)
- Mindfulness (one year course)
- Psychology course
Hopefully these qualifications should demonstrate that I have both people skills and tech skills, which makes me an effective teacher. I have been told that I am good at explaining things to people. Even though I have a degree I can teach at any level. I will not make you feel small. We all had to start somewhere once, and I appreciate that that is part of the learning process.
Here’s some things you might want to learn:
Online Banking
Online Shopping
Social Networking
Technology is a Tool
Technology is a tool that is best used when it increases our productivity, or adds some genuine benefit to our lives.
Although technology can be an amazing tool half of all work-based stress relates to technology, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced stresses with technology at home too.
I have a degree in computer science but I also have qualifications in counselling and mindfulness and a background in helping people manage their stress. So my passion goes beyond just technology. I want to help you embrace technology in a way that benefits you and that relieves your stress.
My passion is in teaching and supporting people with technology that helps them get the maximum benefit out of it. I want to help you use technology so that it improves your life in some way. Benefits and improvements might include:
- Less stress (automatically manage spam calls on your phone, learn how to play with technology instead of being afraid of it)
- More organised (manage your digital photos, maximise the organisational capabilities of a smartphone, learn to use a spreadsheet for your finances,online banking, online bills)
- More connected with people (social networking if you’ve never used it, call friends and family abroad for free)
- Less connected with people (maybe you are overwhelmed and need to manage technology time so you use it more efficiently, which should lead to using it less)
Business Services
- Email setup
- Website design
- Privacy
- Data Backup
- Recover lost files
- Recover from a hacking attempt
Home Services
- Reduce spam emails
- Reduce junk mail (postal)
- Stop unwanted calls on both landline and mobile (and unwanted texts)
- Store information in a more organised way (using Evernote)
- Sort your photos more sensibly
- Learn how to edit photos (remove red-eye, remove blotches from old photographs, improve on grainy photos, or improve the colouring of photographs and much more)
- Set up a new computer / tablet / phone
- Recover lost files
Tutoring
- Sat Nav
- Smartphones (making calls, texting, blocking calls or texts, downloading and using apps, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, setting up a calendar / diary, using built-in sat nav)
- Online shopping (and how to do so securely, eBay, Amazon or any other shopping)
- Online safety (I can give talks on this or tutor individual users)
- Online banking or bills
- Computer lessons for complete beginners, intermediate or advanced
- Learn how to be more secure online and how to manage your passwords so you don’t forget them
- Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc)
- Learn how to research anything (family tree, favourite band, academic journals?)
Software Engineering / Computer Skills
- Programming: PHP, C++, C
- Databases: MySQL
- WordPress: WordPress.org and WordPress.com
- Applications: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Powerpoint), Evernote, GIMP, Photoshop, Skype
- Software testing (automated, for example using PHPUnit and other such tools)
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