On November 12, Eighty-eight Outreach staff from 12 departments participated in a day of hands on professional learning focused on using Co-Pilot to optimize usage of popular Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and Teams. The “Ready for Takeoff” event was sponsored by OU Outreach at the National Center for Employee Development Conference Center & Hotel, from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Full day participants received a certificate of completion from the workshop vendor New Horizons, a training division of Educate360. 

The workshop was organized in response to requests stemming from the 2024 and 2025 State of Outreach events and the 2024 Winter Event each focused on an aspect of growing the awareness and use of artificial intelligence across the college.  Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered tool that helps with individual work tasks.

Users enter a prompt in Copilot and Copilot responds with AI-generated information. The responses are in real-time and can include internet-based content and work content that users have permission to access.

Users get content relevant to their work tasks, and in the context of the Microsoft 365 app they're using.

Outreach brought in four New Horizons facilitators to work directly with small groups of 20 each throughout the day. Facilitators included Edward McCrae MOSE, MCT; Jeff Tatusko MOSE, DA-A, MCSA-BI, MOS Master, MTA, MCT, MCCT; Mike Martin, MCT, MOSE; and Ryan Randall MCT, MOSE.*

While there were some technical challenges related to the Copilot version installed on participants’ laptop devices, the overall experience was engaging and informative, adding to staff desire and capacity to integrate the Copilot artificial intelligence.
Some participants expressed interest in additional training to further enhance their skills. All expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn more and time to practice using the software.

*(MOSE – Microsoft Office Specialist Expert; MOS Master – Microsoft Office Specialist Master; MCT – Microsoft Certified Trainer; MCSA-BI – Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate – Business Intelligence; MTA – Microsoft Technology Associate; MCCT – Microsoft Certified Cybersecurity Trainer)