Teaching Classes at EVE University

See also: Teaching Department

This page is specific to EVE University. Other corporations or groups in the game may operate differently.
For a summary of EVE University's rules and code of conduct, see EVE University Rules.

Teaching is the main function of EVE University; our teachers and guest lecturers are some of our most important resources. Teaching is a rewarding activity in many ways, not least because it gives you the opportunity to educate thousands of capsuleers as they begin their journey in New Eden.

We are always looking for new volunteers willing to step up and teach what they have learned to a new generation of pilots.

Golden Rule
If in doubt, reach out to the Teaching Department via Discord (channel #educators-corner or PMs). We are always happy to help!

Becoming a teacher

While most of our teachers are current members of EVE University, this is not a requirement: we often have guest lecturers holding classes, workshops, and talks. Some of them even put an alt character into the University to continue their teaching on a semi-regular basis.

Why teach?

Give back to the community
Share your knowledge with the next generation of capsuleers
Develop your deeper understanding of areas of gameplay that are important to you.
Provide content.
Improve your real-life presentation and public-speaking skills.
Win monthly teaching prizes
Earn credit towards the Educator Medal (EVE UNi members only)

What is expected?

You do not have to be an expert in every area of EVE Online to teach classes, nor do you have to know every last detail of your particular specialty. If you have a good working knowledge of a specific part of the game that you enjoy, that's a great place to start. You should be comfortable with most aspects of your chosen subject, be able to present them in a concise and understandable manner, and be able to answer student questions.

Example knowledge for "Introduction to Exploration"

* Know the procedures: how do you become an explorer?

Know the mechanical parts: how do you scan down sites and hack them?
Know the meta: which ships and fits do explorers use and why?
Know tips and tricks: piloting tricks, safety rules, best practices, etiquette, etc.
Have a brief story or two to share! Provide some context for the students by sharing stories of complete failure or lucrative success.

EVE University teachers are held to high standards and expected to:

have a working knowledge of the subject area(s) they wish to teach, and the ability to effectively communicate that knowledge
comply with the standards outlined in this article.
act appropriately and set a positive example to students: EVE University’s general rules and guidelines must be kept.
continue growing as educators, be it through self-observation, constructive feedback from students, or mentoring by the Teaching Staff.

Running classes requires:

timely and correct scheduling (see below).
class-relevant content (slides, instructions for practicals/workshops).
access to our Discord. This is available to non-members, so out-of-corp Guest Lecturers are welcome!
- Contact the Teaching Department for any help you might need to make your class happen.

Support from the Teaching Department

An EVE University Class Library of ready-to-teach classes.
Assistance in creating your own classes or practicals. Just contact a Teaching Officer via Discord and they will be happy to assist you.
In-game resources for practicals (ships, BPCs, et cetera): you should not be out-of-=pocket for teachign classes for us
Mentoring from our Teaching Officers (optional).
Teaching assistance during your class, e.g. posting links, providing an in-game target to shoot/scan down, etc.
Constructive class feedback, gathered by students filling out the Class Feedback Form at the end of your class.

Choosing a topic

CORE classes

To make teaching as accessible as possible and to provide students with the proper basic knowledge to find their way in New Eden, the Teaching Department offers a library of ready-to-teach "CORE" classes. Most new teachers are advised to start their teaching career with one of these: they are easy to pick up, alwaqys needed, and relatively straightforward to teach if you have a working knowledge of the topic area.

Other classes

We encourage experienced and/or specialized teachers to develop and hold their own classes. Please check the EVE University Class Library for teaching materials on various topics that other teachers have already developed and shared with our department.

Reach out to the experienced teachers in the department for guidance and assistance with class development.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. A decent class that gets held is better than a perfect class that never happens.
Please use our slide template in our corporate branding, which we can provide.

Players outside of EVE University who would like to contribute practically by leading educational fleets can do so through the Guest Fleet Commander Program. This can be a good way to share and foster types of advanced content and gameplay that the University itself lacks the resources to provide.

Class format options

Different options (or better still a combination of formats) can be used for different types of classes:

Classic slide decks are a good way to present bundled up static information in a visual way.
Open Q&A lets students pick out the topics and problems most pressing for them.
Screen-sharing your EVE in-game view offers a great way to demonstrate things in real-time; our Discord classrooms are set up for this already.
n-game practicals gives students hands-on experience and works well for most topics.
Discussions, workshops, tutorials - feel free to suggest new and creative ways to best share your knowledge on any given subject!
To hold classes, we most commonly use Discord for screen-sharing, slide presentations and typed questions.
Additional options include, but are not limited to: Twitch streams, YouTube videos etc.

Choose the right way to present for you and your topic. It is common and natural to evolve your approach as you gain experience with the subject and better understand how students perceive the content.

Scheduling your class

Try to schedule your class at least one week in advance if possible, to give people a chance to hear about your class and plan around attending.
If you need support with resources from the Teachign Department, make sure you give them enough time to arrange them.
Try not to schedule a class at the same time as any other class. Check EVE University Calendar on EVE Uni's Discord server for available dates/times.
- If an overlap is inevitable, make sure you are scheduling it in a different classroom.
A Teaching Officer can check the calendar and schedule events on behalf of guest lecturers from outside the University.

Creating a Discord Event

Create a Discord Event for your class, there are detailed instructions on EVE University Calendar.
If you lack permissions to create an event, please ask the Teaching Department to do this for you.
Consider including the following details:
- What this class is, who it is intended for, how it might improve your game
- Event location (if it has an in-game element, or takes place on a different server / comms)
- Expected duration
- Topics covered
- Student requirements (is this entry-level? Any particular prerequisite knowledge / in-game skills required?)

In-game calendar

Teachers have the option (strongly encouraged) to add their class to the in-game calendar. This can be done if you hold the Student title, if not - ask a Teaching Officer.

Include "[CLASS]" as a title prefix, followed by the name/topic of the class.
Set availability to "Alliance" (preferred); the default is "Private", which only you can see. Do not tick the box labeled Important.
Set a realistic duration, leaving time for questions.

Pings

Please ping "@everyone" in the "#ping-class" Discord channel shortly before you start, and you can ping with advance notice beforehand.

(optional) "@everyone x hour preparing for Intro to XYZ"
(recommended) "@everyone Intro to XYZ starting now / in 5 minutes"

Rescheduling or Cancelling a class

Sometimes you need to change or cancel a class after it has been announced. Please use the following guidance for how to ensure your audience knows about the changes.

If you are cancelling your class, you can just delete the Discord Event, but please notify people, especially if it is short-notice
- If it is short-notice, place a ping in the #ping-class Discord channel, to @everyone, noting that the class has to be canceled.
- With more advance notice, consider posting a 'silent' ping in #ping-class (without the @everyone) and / or finding a substitute teacher
If you need to cancel a class in a repeating Discord series just cancel that specific class (it will show to viewers as Cancelled)
- You can do that by clicking the 'triple dot' menu next to the individual date in a series, rather than the whole Event
If you are rescheduling your class in Discord:
- Edit the Discord Event time, consider including 'RESCHEDULED' in the Event name or description
- If it is short-notice, ping the changes in #ping-class
- With more advance notice, consider posting a 'silent' ping in #ping-class (without the @everyone)
In-game calendar entries are entirely optional, but if you did create one, make sure you delete / reschedule it in line with your Discord Event

Holding your class - Preparation

Make sure your hardware and software is functioning as expected
Make sure you are comfortable with the content (slides, expected questions, examples etc)
If your class includes a practical, check you have the resources needed (ships, bookmarks, BPCs, materials etc
Prepare yourself: have water on hand, check that any notes you need are present etc.

Holding your class - During class

Take your time (and drink of water). People tend to talk faster when they are excited/nervous, so slow yourself down, breathe, and enjoy
Follow a clear structured path; try not to jump all over the topic
Leave room for questions after relevant 'chunks' of your class content and at the end.
It's okay not to know something. Perhaps see if someone else knows the answer, or chase it up aftyer the class and get back to the student.
Be assertive. It's okay to say 'we need to move on' etc to keep things on track. Make frequent references to the EVE University Wiki as needed and drop links in the Discord classroom channel text chats.
The good teaching guide offers more detailed advice on preparation and delivery

Holding your class - Discord streaming

Word of caution Please make sure to not stream any of your personal data on accident. It's probably a good idea to use a clean browser, desktop background, et cetera, to protect your own privacy and the class's decency.

To present slides (or share in-game views) we use the EVE University Discord #classroom-alpha or #classroom-bravo below, (click to enlarge):

Joining a Classroom Chat Channel - Click the Chat Bubble Shown in a Red Box in the Image

Be sure to open the chat for the class by clicking the "Show Chat" button in the upper right corner of the classroom channel! This is where students will ask questions during the class, where you can drop links for further information and more!

Holding your class - Feedback

Ask your students to fill out the Class Feedback Form at the end of the lesson. The form is pinned on the Discord channel #teaching-general.

Reflect: what went great? What will you improve upon next time? Does the material need tweaks or edits?

Now that you have made it to this point, well done, and thank you for your service!

Useful resources