New at teaching night school

[bccodes]

I recently accepted my first teaching job at the local Voc-tech school.
It is a 72 hr night class for adults in comm electricity.I am trying to figure out how much or how little time to spend on electron theory. I feel its necssaryto cover it but don't want to get to carried away with convential versus actual electron flow. Its been years since i have had to deal with it much myself . I would like to cover but not spendthe whole first eve on it . I wonder if anyone would be willing to share thoughts or resources where I could find something that gets the point across without making a physicist out of everybody.Thanks in Advance

 

[76nemo]

I recently accepted my first teaching job at the local Voc-tech school.
It is a 72 hr night class for adults in comm electricity.I am trying to figure out how much or how little time to spend on electron theory. I feel its necssaryto cover it but don't want to get to carried away with convential versus actual electron flow. Its been years since i have had to deal with it much myself . I would like to cover but not spendthe whole first eve on it . I wonder if anyone would be willing to share thoughts or resources where I could find something that gets the point across without making a physicist out of everybody.Thanks in Advance

If you think 72 hrs. is too long, generously explain arc flash. You still think 72 hrs. is too long????? I think 72 hrs. of that subject is only the start of it. "YOU" are the teacher, "YOU" are responsible for their initial safety. Teach them just how electrons can run amuck!!! Scare the hell out of them with it, and then teach them how to work it safely. "You" are their teacher, safety should be taught from the get go! 72 hrs. may just be a briefing.

 

[cadpoint]

Teacher

Teacher

OD to the Teacher, Congrates...

Go get some Printer paper for Over Head Projection, or think about a CPU interface.

Mike Holt has a Section here on his Host Page, just for you... EAT IT UP!

Search all you local library's, on-line and in person.

Making them hungry, even thrist for the knowledge, thats really what teaching is about isn't it ?

Good Luck!

 

[raider1]

Are you responsible for making your own curriculum?

What is the objective of the class?

Is this an apprentice course or a class for non-electricians?

The only way to really answer your question is to know who you are teaching and what the objectives of your class are.

I teach the third and fourth year apprentice class at my local vo-tech. We use the IEC apprenticeship curriculum.

Electron flow is typically taught in the first year curriculum and I believe is typically a one or two day lesson. But the curriculum we use is based on a four year program with 2, 72 hour quarters per school year.

P.M. me if you want some specifics in regards to what I teach.

Chris

 

[mdshunk]

Are you responsible for making your own curriculum?

No kidding. I did two of these in time gone by, and the basic outline of the topics to be covered was pretty well laid out. Some areas were glossed over and some expanded upon, depending on what the guys there wanted to or needed to learn about. It's their class, basically.

 

[Fire Alarm]

If you're teaching from a textbook, I'd divide the chapters evenly to make it all the way to hour 72 in a consistent fashion. If some chapters seem weak, you can buff them up with info from the Internet.

Maybe build a wall with 2x4s and have them do some hands-on wiring. Plug it in and they can verify the operation of 3 and 4 way switches. Throw in some TV and Phone wiring if need be...

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

If this class if for electricians or people getting into the electrical trade, I would suggest using Mike Holt's book on Theory.
Some theory books go way too far for the needs of electricians. Mike's theory book is well laid out for electricians. You did not mention how long each night is.
I think that depending on the knowledge base of the students and how many questions they should ask, you can probably cover electron theory in 2-3 hours tops.

 

[mdshunk]

Since we're plugging books, "How to Teach Technicians Without Putting Them to Sleep" by Dan Holohan is fantastic.

I'd also recommend it to business owners or j-men with newly assigned apprentices. The description of the book is " If you’re in a position of having to pass on what’s in your head to technicians, you will profit from this book."

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Since we're plugging books, "How to Teach Technicians Without Putting Them to Sleep" by Dan Holohan is fantastic.

I'd also recommend it to business owners or j-men with newly assigned apprentices. The description of the book is " If you?re in a position of having to pass on what?s in your head to technicians, you will profit from this book."

Marc
I am not sure what you paid for it, but there is one on Amazon and it is $99.99.
That sounds a little steep for a book that is 202 pages.

 

[mdshunk]

Marc
I am not sure what you paid for it, but there is one on Amazon and it is $99.99.
That sounds a little steep for a book that is 202 pages.

I'm certain I paid no more than 25 or 30 bucks for it. It's a paperback. Might be out of print now. You can get one right from the author at www.heatinghelp.com

 

[bccodes]

Here is what I know. The curric they handed me shows "Ohm's Law and Power Laws" in the first 6 hours. Given that the first night is chewed up with a certain amount of intro and rules and all that I thought I would spend a half hour or so on basic electron theory and move right into an Ohm's law wheel . This course is called commercial /industrial electricity and I can only hope/pray that the 11 students that show up have had at least been exposed to some of this before. This will only be known to me after the breif intro session on the first night . If it gets real ugly I have obtained a Lock out /Tag out safety video in case I have to regroup for night 2. I figure thats the best place to start the safety portion regardless of wether they are currently in the field or consider it for a career change . No one needs to tell me that you can't teach all the need to know in 72 hours . My objective is to give them the best 72 hours I can

 

[Fire Alarm]

I once took a class in motor controls and was looking forward to some great stuff, but we had a guy in the class who had never wired *anything* and he drug the class down with his questions lack of knowledge. Totally ruined the class.

Turns out he sorted mail at the post office and wanted to know how a conveyor belt worked...

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I once took a class in motor controls and was looking forward to some great stuff, but we had a guy in the class who had never wired *anything* and he drug the class down with his questions lack of knowledge. Totally ruined the class.

Turns out he sorted mail at the post office and wanted to know how a conveyor belt worked...

I guess you can be glad he did not go postal on you!

 

[mdshunk]

I once took a class in motor controls and was looking forward to some great stuff, but we had a guy in the class who had never wired *anything* and he drug the class down with his questions lack of knowledge. Totally ruined the class.

I took an oil burner class like that once, and I had a not so nice discussion with "that guy" outside before the one class. No help. I got my money back when I finally complained and took it again later. I see now that that same school now has prerequisites to take many of their classes (either experience or other classes). I think it should be up to the instructor to ignore people like that, since it diminishes the value for the rest of the class. They're there to teach all the guys, not teach the dumbest guy in the room. Same goes for the smartest guy in the room, who's zooming past everyone else and leaving them confused. A good response from the instructor to those guys is simply, "We're getting to that in a bit", even if you're weeks from getting to "that".

 

[bccodes]

I ordered the Mike Holt theory book for twenty bucks. I guess I'll just pull something out of there to fit my needs when I figure out what the class knows and what there looking to get out of the course. Something between 10 minutes worth or maybe an hour or so. Thanks to all for your comments....bccodes

 

[zog]

Well as far as the electron vs hole flow theory goes tell them that neither is correct, neither electrons or "holes" flow, they dont move much at all, currrent is the transfer of energy from electron to electron, I used a newtons cradle to explain this to my classes.

The only thing I addressed about electron flow vs hole flow is that you can use either one you want as long as you use the same theory all the time and use the right rules for each (Left hand vs right hand)

AS far as "That guy", I know that guy, he is in every class I have ever done. The trick is to learn when to answer his question in class, when to say "I need to move on but see me on the next break and I will be happy to explain it to you", and when to just move on (Be careful with this, you have to be respectful). "That guy" is the hardest teaching skill to master, then you have the people that dont participate, you have to get them involved somehow, thats tough sometimes too.

 

[tom baker]

If this class if for electricians or people getting into the electrical trade, I would suggest using Mike Holt's book on Theory.
Some theory books go way too far for the needs of electricians. Mike's theory book is well laid out for electricians. You did not mention how long each night is.
I think that depending on the knowledge base of the students and how many questions they should ask, you can probably cover electron theory in 2-3 hours tops.

Yep. Mikes theory book is excellent. Plus is has the power point graphics to go with, buy enough books get the power point free

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

AS far as "That guy", I know that guy, he is in every class I have ever done. The trick is to learn when to answer his question in class, when to say "I need to move on but see me on the next break and I will be happy to explain it to you", and when to just move on (Be careful with this, you have to be respectful). "That guy" is the hardest teaching skill to master, then you have the people that dont participate, you have to get them involved somehow, thats tough sometimes too.

When I was in middle school, a couple of our teachers had a good "tool"/weapon for "That guy"...and it was "That guy's" choice.

a paddle or a swift kick in the rear. :grin: True story!!!

 

[zog]

When I was in middle school, a couple of our teachers had a good "tool"/weapon for "That guy"...and it was "That guy's" choice.

a paddle or a swift kick in the rear. :grin: True story!!!

I use an Airzooka if I see someone nodding off

https://www.vat19.com/dvds/airzooka.cfm

 

[Q-Ball]

Fluke has alot of product for instructors online for free. Give them a shot.