User talk:Scellef/Laptop Hardware ID Instructor Guide

• Keywords/concepts for each section
• Program/education goals for the eval/ID section of the program
  • modularity
  • proprietary
  • trackpad
• Glossary
• A space for instructors to record teaching methods and ideas that have worked well for them in practice (for instance, I've noticed eBeth uses icebreakers in her classes, or useful strategies for helping people remember things, etc)
• Picture Appendix
  • Photos of all modular components
  • Anatomy diagrams (screen assembly, mobo, HDD, optical drive, etc)
• Review questions/exercises for each section
• tour of the build room, and
• Progress sheets for each builder that allows instructors to evaluate progress through curriculum, as well as required steps for signing off each section

• I think the curriculum should rely less on explaining, and more on hands-on exercises that lead to a clear goal or concept. For instance, I like the exercise with AC adapters. It seems that it is most easily adapted to this model. I think that concepts like varying voltage could be better explained at a different time. Keep it really simple, match voltage, same or more amperage, barrel size, and how to find where the power information is listed. More wont be retained by most, and folks will have to be reminded of these things on build shifts anyhow. For instance, using a higher amperage supply for troublesome machines would be better presented in a POST troubleshooting guild. What's most important is that instructors are aware of what steps are introduced in each step of the program, as not to overwhelm people. So maybe as an organizing strategy, separate teaching points into required knowledge, advanced information to be introduced at a later time (that can be introduced or alluded to if it helps people understand), and information that is more a point of interest or educational.

• I think one of the tricky parts about shifting the curriculum from the Build model at this point, is writing something that is informative, but isn't too complicated. This essentially reads as the text book companion to the exercises. Currently almost all of our time is spent instructing people in the steps themselves, without a conceptual background. From my work with Desktop builders, I worry about shifting too much to reading concepts, as a fair amount of Builders have a hard time absorbing information from reading, especially longer passages. We need to make clear what is taught by instructors, and what is up to the builder to work through. I see a sort of instructor 'text book' as extremely beneficial for documentation purposes, accompanied by picture appendix and the checklist for each section. Ideally the curriculum should overlap strategies for different learning styles, I think that's a huge weakness in the Build teaching materials now.

Questions:

• Are builders moving through the curriculum at the same rate?
• I worry about keeping people engaged during longer lectures

Lynnae 00:03, 29 August 2012 (UTC)