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Good teaching guide: Difference between revisions

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Neville smit (talk | contribs)
Neville smit (talk | contribs)
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* what you might need to cover depending on questions that get asked.
* what you might need to cover depending on questions that get asked.


Eve University's [[:Category:Syllabi|Syllabus Library]] is a great starting point for this. With any luck, you'll find a pre-prepared class syllabus that you can crib from. These are a great resource, so use them. They'll help to jog your own memory of what needs to be covered and also helps classes taught to have a more uniform feel to them.
Eve University's [[:Category:Syllabi|Syllabus Library]] is a great starting point for this. With any luck, you'll find a pre-prepared class syllabus that you can crib from. These are a great resource, so use them. They'll help to jog your own memory of what needs to be covered and also helps classes taught to have a more uniform feel to them.  If you see corrections or improvements that can be made to any existing syllabus in the Library, please add them.


If your class does not yet have a syllabus in the library, then you can create a new one.  Use [[Syllabus_Template|this template]] as a starting place - open the Edit window, select and copy the template text, and then close it without saving.  Enter the name of your new syllabus in the search bar, and then select the option to create a new wiki page.  Paste the template text into the edit box, and save it.  You can then edit this template for your new syllabus.
If your class does not yet have a syllabus in the Library, then you can create a new one.  Use [[Syllabus_Template|this template]] as a starting place - open the Edit window, select and copy the template text, and then close it without saving.  Enter the name of your new syllabus (e.g., "ClassName 101") in the search field (upper right corner of the wiki screen), and then select the option to create a new wiki page.  Paste the template text into the edit box, and save it.  You can then edit this template for your new syllabus.


However, don't just print out the syllabus and then advertise and run the class.
=== Class notes ===
Have you ever tried presenting someone elses work? It is always harder to give a presentation that you didn't write yourself. Preparing a presentation, or even simply reordering the points in a way that makes the most sense to you, leads to a presentation that flows better and feels more natural as you present it, and so it will feel more natural to your audience as they listen to it.


Have you ever tried presenting someone elses work? I give client presentations and training presentations regularly at work and one thing I can honestly say is that it is always harder to give a presentation that you didn't write yourself. Writing a presentation yourself, even simply reordering the points to an order that makes the most sense to you leads to a presentation that flows better and feels more natural to you as you present it, and so more natural to your audience as they listen to it.
So, even if you are starting off with a syllabus from the Library, go through the following steps.  Expect to spend an hour of preparation for an hour-long class.


So, if you are starting off with a syllabus from the library, I'd still go through the following steps.
The best way to prepare for your class is to compose some class notes.


All in all, I reckon I spend an hour or so preparing for an hour long class.
Class notes come in many forms. The level of detail in class notes will depend on your personal preference. At the least, they ought to contain:
 
=== Class notes ===
The best way to prepare for your class is to write out some class notes.
 
Class notes come in all forms, I prefer to use a notebook, other people I know use a text document of some form. The level of detail in class notes will depend on your personal preference. At the least, I think that they ought to contain:
* Major headings of the topics you want to cover
* Major headings of the topics you want to cover
* Sub headings to remind you of the order you want to cover things
* Sub-headings to remind you of the order you want to cover things
* Notes to remind you of the points you want to make.
* Notes to remind you of the points you want to make


As an example, here is a section of possible notes for a class on research and production:
As an example, here is a section of possible notes for a class on research and production:
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** ...</div>
** ...</div>


Nothing earth shattering but it helps the instructor to remember to cover all the points and gives an order. I find that by giving a few bullet point items to cover, I still speak fluently and I don't simply read out my notes (as there are no full sentences to read)
Nothing earth shattering here, but it helps the instructor to remember to cover all the points and gives a logical sequence to do so. By preparing a few bullet point items to cover, you can still speak fluently without simply reading your notes.


So, you've got your class notes, you're almost ready for the class. You know what you want to cover but students have an annoying habit of asking questions that don't quite fall within your neat class notes.
Once you've written your class notes, you're almost ready for the class. You know what you want to cover, but students have an annoying habit of asking questions that don't quite fall within your neat class notes.


=== Additional notes ===
=== Additional notes ===
Depending on the class, there may be little need for additional information. However I'd hazzard a guess that most classes have related topics that you might not intend to cover, but you might be asked about.
Depending on the class, there may be little need for additional information. However, most classes have related topics that you might not intend to cover, but that you might be asked about. Think through these related topics, and prepare some short notes. It will help you to manage the class and deal with questions - and also make you look smart.
 
A final stage of preparation for a class is to think through the related topics and prepare some short notes on those topics that might come up. It will help you to manage the class and deal with questions and also make you look good.


For example, for a production and research class, I might not intend to cover POS use in great detail beyond using them for high sec research but I would prepare a seperate page of class notes on all aspects of POSes. Clearly there is no need to go into as much detail as you would have for your main topics, as an instructor always has the "beyond the scope of this class" option, but giving a general idea of a related topic if you have time can add real value to your class.
For example, for a production and research class, one might not intend to cover POS use in great detail beyond using them for high sec research, but you could would prepare a separate page of class notes on all aspects of POSes. Clearly, there is no need to go into as much detail as you would have for your main topics, as an instructor always has the "that is beyond the scope of this class" option, but giving a general idea of a related topic, if you have time, can add real value to your class.


As another example, for a class on caldari ships - basically a run through caldari ships, I also prepared a set of notes on shield tanking (active and passive), railguns and missiles, plus drones and ECM. Nothing detailed but if the question came up, I wanted to be abe to cover the subject in a structured manner and cover the main points.
As another example, for a class on Caldari ships - basically a run-through of each type of vessel, you could prepare a set of notes on shield tanking (active and passive), railguns and missiles, plus drones and ECM. Nothing detailed, but if the question came up, you can then cover the main points.


=== Final preparations ===
=== Final preparations ===
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* Supplementary notes to help deal with questions
* Supplementary notes to help deal with questions


The final thing that you might consider doing is to prepare a Note in-game of all the websites and items that you might want to link during the course of the class in the order you'll want to link them.
The final thing that you might consider doing is to prepare a Note in-game that lists all the websites and items that you might want to link during the course of the class - in the order you'll want to link them.


== Giving the class ==
== Giving the class ==