User:Jwmh
Hello, FG World! This is Joseph Herbert's personal user page.
I started volunteering with classes in November/December of 2012. (Many years ago, perhaps in ~2005, I had volunteered in the Build program.) Currently I am teaching the "Getting Started w/ your [FG CPU]" class.
I was fortunate enough to be born & raised here in P-town, and enjoy the outdoors (especially the mountains, forest).
My professional interests and passions go beyond strict technology, to include high-level Systems-thinking (e.g. infrastructure, whether people or things), and methods/processes for improvement. I also enjoy informal education, and facilitating the learning process (of course).
I am also working on developing new curriculum -- Darren suggested the great title, "Living in a Technology World." Essentially, this refers to aptitudes, or broad mindsets, of how to go about being proficient with technology. There's a lot of content and directions this could go! If you're interested, and have an aptitude for either education / human psychology / learning process, or tech, I would love to sit down over tea w/ you to help shape the course(s).
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teacher notes (getting started / adoption class)
ADD TO WIKI
Where students' PCs are kept, if they can't take them home same-day
- back of classroom on table
- should have First + Last name written on bag/box, etc.
- if they need a bag / cardboard box to carry in, they can ask at Receiving / Warehouse?
- need to ask/double-check with these groups if that's true.
CLASS FLOW IMPROVEMENTS
Delegate, delegate, delegate!
- Often, the teacher at the front is more aware of students getting "lost" -- faster than other instructors/assistant helpers in back of the class.
- ... So... if a student has a problem / is getting lost... Delegate to an assistant instructor! E.g., "Hey Alex, could you help Robin with his/her problem / question? Thanks!!"
Personal Feedback:
- Turning around more / facing class
- Checking in, interacting w/ students
- Glance at their monitors periodically -- ensure they're following along, and know how to do what you're demonstrating! (e.g. vs facebook)
Walk students thru useful 'projects':
- e.g., spellcheck in Writer -- misspell a word, etc.
- e.g., the "lifecycle" of a file: Creating in Writer -> Saving -> Closing -> Finding / Locating (use multiple methods to demonstrate this, incl. Catfish) -> Deleting -> Recovering from Trash -> Deleting & permanently removing...
- .... Talk about how it will continue to take up HDD space -- until permanently deleted from Trash.
Ubuntu Software Center
- Probably need a few examples of these
- Applications: Searching for / Installing / Finding & Opening
- e.g. Application Finder -- helps you locate!!
- Demonstrate this, e.g. with WINE
At every opportunity, mention a class related to X!
- Terminal / Command Line 1 (and 2)
- GiMP
- WINE
else?
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ISSUES TO FIX (verify?):
Default for .ODF in Xubuntu 12.04 is Abiword?
- --> needs to change Filetype association to LibreOffice
"Prepare for shipping to end-user" WIPES OEM PROFILE DATA
- ASK IF student has prior-owned this PC -- ESPECIALLY LAPTOPS!
- ADD WARNING TO WIKI (?!)
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QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE:
How to ensure students' questions are all, 100% answered / addressed? OR, redirecting & 'delegating', e.g. to assistant instructor, or to tech support, or as appropriate.
How to manage flow...
- papers / supplies, and where they're located
-> meta: location -> classroom layout, meta page for this?
- Hand papers / pens to students:
- e.g. ask students to write down their questions? if there are lots of students / newbies / questions....
- Hand papers / pens to students:
.... it can be very easy for the class-flow to get sidelined / railroaded... and how do you keep it on track?
- Talking / side conversations during class -- getting off track, distracted...
- need more ideas + TOOLS for this -- managing flow.
- Time spent on details
- what's crucial VS. what to sacrifice
- OR, in order of priority
- Need to document this (in syllabus wiki) for teachers
Tech / hardware problems
- How to mark & record problems that come up -- as they occur (rather than trying to remember / mark everything after class)
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IDEAS
Classroom
- cable organization (for lab PCs)
- overhead, drop-down cables (rather than run along floor)?
- would improve / prolong life of cables; ease of use...
Classroom meta wiki?
- locations of supplies, cables, etc.
- where things are kept
Teachers' meeting re: Class layout / performance / suggestions for improvement
- emailed Darren to setup
What is the instructor-computer (podium) login + pw to use?
- if multiple are available, which ones? What are the differences b/w those user accts?
- option for 'default' admin profile -- which gets reset to 'stock / OOB' each time, so has same options as students'? same appearance?
- maybe setup a VM?
- maybe talk to Ben?
System for presentations + asking questions
- e.g. web app / SaaS -- local or hosted
- chat / IRC?
- user (teachers') requirements? e.g., timeline of q's asked, for metrics & tracking
- when do students / classes tend to have the most issues?