Teaching Classes at EVE University: Difference between revisions

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Teaching is the main function of EVE University, which is why our teachers and guest lecturers are some of our most important resources. Teaching at EVE University 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 EVE pilots.

If in doubt, reach out to the [[Teaching Department#Current Staff|Teaching Department]] via [[Discord]] (channel #teaching-general or PMs). We are always happy to help!}}

* Give back to the community, share your knowledge with the next generation of capsuleers, foster your playstyle, and provide content for yourself and others.

* Learn by teaching your chosen topic. Advance your own understanding of the subject matter and hone your real-life presentation and public-speaking skills.

* If you're a member of EVE University, teaching can earn you credit towards the [[Medals|Educator Medal]], the [[Cross Campus Initiative]], and [[Titles|Progression Titles]] like Sophomore and Graduate.

'''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 speciality. If you have a good working knowledge of a specific part of the game, that might be the right topic to teach. 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.  

{{CollapseBox|Example knowledge for "Introduction to Exploration"|

* Know the procedures: how does one go about "doing exploration"?

* Know the mechanical parts: the process of scanning down signatures and the hacking minigame

* Know the "meta": which ships are favoured and the basics of common fittings.

In general, EVE University hopes that its teachers will:

* have a working knowledge of the subject area(s) they wish to teach, and the ability to communicate that knowledge

* act appropriately as a member/guest of the University and set a positive example to students: [[EVE University Rules|EVE University’s general rules and guidelines]] must be kept.

Actually running classes requires:

* class-relevant content (slides, instructions for a practicals/workshops).

* access to our [[Mumble]] and [[Discord]]. These are available to non-members, so Out-of-Corp Guest Lecturers are welcome!

** Contact the [[Teaching Department#Current staff|Teaching Department]] for Discord rights and any help you might need to make your class happen.

* A library of ready-to-teach [[Classes|CORE Classes]].

* Assistance in creating your own non-CORE classes or practicals. Just contact a [[Teaching Department#Current staff|Teaching Officer]] via Discord and they will be happy to assist you.

* In-game resources for practicals (ships, BPCs, et cetera): we see no reason for you to also pay ISK on top of your teaching efforts. Just get in contact with us and we'll try to figure something out!

* Teaching assistance during your class, e.g. posting links, providing an in-game target to shoot/scan down, etc. Just approach any member of the [[Teaching Department#Current staff|Teaching Department]] if this sounds useful.

** Please note that the presence of a Teaching Officer is '''mandatory for any guest lectures'''.

* Constructive class feedback, gathered by students filling out the [http://www.eveuni.org/classfeedback Class Feedback Form] at the end of your class.

==Choosing a topic==

===CORE classes===

In order 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 [[Classes|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 and teach if you have a working knowledge of the topic area.

===Other classes===

By their very nature, CORE classes do not cover all areas of interest and expertise in EVE Online. We encourage experienced and/or specialized teachers to develop and hold their own classes.  

* If you are looking for ideas, [[here is a list of past classes]] you might want to consider.

* The [[Teaching Department#Current Staff|Teaching Department]] is here to help!  Reach out to the experienced teachers in the department for guidance and assistance with class development.

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 which the University itself lacks the resources to provide.

== Format options ==

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

* Screen-sharing your EVE in-game view offers a great way to demonstrate things in real-time, and our Discord classroom is set up for this already.

* Organizing in-game practicals gives students hands-on experience and works well for some topics. (If you require ships/materials for these the Teaching Department is more than happy to help you out and foot the bill!)

 

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  

 

* Try to schedule your class at least one week in advance, to give people a chance to hear about your class and make time in their schedule to attend. If you are expecting support for ships/modules or other manufactured items this is a minimum requirement and not optional.

* Check the UNI in-game calendar for available dates/times. Do ''not'' schedule a class at the same time as any other class or event.  A Teaching Officer can check the calendar on behalf of guest lecturers from outside the University.

* The teaching department asks that we avoid overlap of classes.  Classes shall be considered a two hour block of time, reserved on a ‘first come first serve’ basis (first class to post on the calendar, or be scheduled in the forum for OOC lecturers who cannot access the Uni calendar).  Please do not schedule a class start time, where a class is already scheduled to start inside of two hours in either direction.

===Forum announcement===

* Post an advert as a new topic in the [https://forum.eveuniversity.org/viewforum.php?f=72 Scheduled Classes Forum], using the standard format described below.  

* If you do lack access to this forum, please ask the [[Teaching Department]] to do this for you.

 

 

Short description of what this class is. Maybe who it's intended for, how it improves your game, etc. Feel free to copy from historical class announcements for the same class!

 

[color=#00FFFF]When:[/color] Thursday 12th January, 20:00 EVE Time

[color=#00FFFF]Where:[/color] Mumble and Class (EVE Uni)

 

[list][*]list points

[*]some more list points

[*]even more list points

[*]add more list points with the [ * ] prefix

 

[color=#00FFFF]Student requirements:[/color]

[list][*]Mumble registration and access - make sure you have Mumble sorted out and operational well before the class begins. Use this guide for set-up: [url=https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Mumble]EVE Uni Mumble[/url]

[*]Access to the [url=https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Attending_classes#Public_Discord]EVE Uni Discord Classrooms[/url]

[*]If students need specific ships, or need to be in a specific place, here would be where you say that.[/list]

 

Additional information: This class is primarily lecture, delivered in Mumble and the Class (EVE Uni) channel, followed by Q&A. There is no practical component.</pre>}}

Create a class announcement on the in-game EVE Uni calendar (provided you hold the [[Sophomore]] title; if not, ask a Teaching Officer).

 

* include a short outline of the class and a forum link in the description.

# (mandatory) "@everyone Intro to XYZ starting now/in 5 minutes"

 

 

===Beforehand ===

** Prepare an agenda to be followed, even if you're not using slides to stay on track.

* If your class includes a practical, check what you need:

** Prepare the ships/materials needed, or check they have been delivered as expected.

** Prepare the environment. For instance, many practicals benefit from having established bookmarks to streamline activities.

* Prepare yourself: have water on hand, and double check that any notes you need are present.

=== During class ===

* Be early and start on time

* Follow a clear structured agenda; don't jump all over the topic

* Take your time (and drink of water). People tend to talk faster when they are excited/nervous, so slow yourself down and breathe.

* Leave room for questions after "chapters" of your class and at the end.

* Be assertive. Do not shy away from banking certain questions for later or referring to additional classes/materials so you can stick to your lesson plan.  Make frequent references to the EVE University Wiki as needed and drop links in the [[Discord]] channel #class-questions. For guest lecturers, a Teaching Officer can assist you in this.

* Do not be afraid to ''not'' know something. Get back to students on questions that you don’t know or see if someone else in the class knows the right answer.  

=== Discord streaming ===

To present your slides (or in-game view) we use the [[Discord|EVE University Discord]] channel #class-presentations.  This requires either one of the Discord roles “Teacher” or "Guest Lecturer (OOC)".  A member of the Teaching Staff can assist with these permissions.

 

Once you have the required permissions follow these steps (click to enlarge):

<gallery mode=packed heights=300px>

=== Evaluation ===

Ask your students to fill out the [http://www.eveuni.org/classfeedback Class Feedback Form] at the end of the lesson. The form is also conveniently pinned on the [[Discord]] channel #class-questions. Note that the class date/time field in this form is currently broken, so ask students to select "Other" and fill in the class topic and date in the comments field.