AI Mindset & Microsoft Copilot: From Curiosity to Confidence

April 21, 2026
8:30AM-12:30PM
Cost: 300.00 per person
Location: ECC Business & Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza, Union, MO, 63084
- Room BIC 128
PARTICIPANTS WILL NEED AN OFFICE 365 USERNAME AND PASSWORD TO FULLY PARTICIPANT IN THE CLASS OR THERE MAY BE APPLICATIONS THE TRAINEE CANNOT PRACTICE DURING THE COURSE TIME.

Course Overview

This 4-hour session helps professionals move from curiosity to confident application of AI through Microsoft Copilot. Participants will build an ‘AI mindset,’ explore practical capabilities across Microsoft 365, and learn to integrate Copilot into real-world workflows. The format blends conceptual learning with immediate, hands-on experience that is adaptable for both beginners and more advanced users.

Course Goals & Learning Outcomes

Understand what an AI mindset is and why it matters.
Gain foundational fluency with Microsoft Copilot—its strengths, limitations, and ideal use cases.
Apply Copilot effectively in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Develop confidence in prompt design, experimentation, and iteration.
Recognize key principles of ethical and responsible AI use woven throughout practical exercises.
Leave with a personalized ‘playbook’ of prompts and use cases to apply immediately.

Proposed 4-Hour Course Outline

1. Welcome & Skill Mapping (10 min)

Quick live poll: How often do you use Copilot or other AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.)?
Identify beginner/intermediate/advanced self-ratings.
Share course flow and how each segment will offer flexible ‘tracks’ or optional challenges.

2. Quick Win Warm-Up: Using Copilot in Action (20 min)

Facilitator live demo: Watch how Copilot can transform a messy paragraph or summarize meeting notes.
Participants try one simple prompt themselves right away.
Debrief: What surprised you?

3. Framing the AI Mindset (20 min)

Define AI mindset—curiosity, iteration, and resilience.
Mini-exercise: one fear + one hope about AI.
Reflect on the first Copilot demo and mindset shift.
Ethics touchpoint: introduce the concept of responsible curiosity—experimenting safely.

4. What is Microsoft Copilot & How It Works (25 min)

Overview of Copilot’s architecture, features, and licensing.
Discuss integration with other AI tools participants may know (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.).
Q&A to clarify differences and build connections to familiar platforms.

5. Guided Tour & Prompting Practice (45 min)

Word: rewrite and format reports.
Excel: analyze data, detect trends.
Outlook: summarize threads and draft replies.
Teams: generate meeting notes or follow-ups.
Participants choose between ‘beginner’ and ‘stretch’ prompts based on comfort level.
Ethics touchpoint: discuss data privacy when working with sensitive files.

6. Prompting Strategies & Experimentation (25 min)

Teach context → task → tone → format → refine.
Partner challenge: each pair writes and tests prompts on their own tasks.
Group reflection: what worked, what didn’t.

7. Role-Based & Real-World Use Cases (35 min)

Breakouts by interest: content creation, analytics, communication, or leadership.
Groups explore tailored examples and share results.
Ethics touchpoint: identify where AI outputs may need human oversight or verification.

8. Hands-On Exploration Lab (25 min)

Participants bring their own reports, data, or emails.
Facilitator circulates to support and challenge advanced learners.
Quick showcase: best prompt moments.

9. Wrap-Up & Playbook (20 min)

Share starter playbook of prompts by skill level.
Invite each participant to name one next-day action.
Share links to tutorials and Microsoft Copilot learning paths.