Course or object?
Teaching in a trade school I am quite often faced with the dilemma of identifying what my final product should be, the fully trained student or a completed product, in this case a boat. I realize through careful planning I should be able to realize both objectives but two factors often make this difficult, the varied skill levels and needs of the students and the complexity of the varied designs on which we work. I have erred in the direction of providing an experience for the students but sometimes it is at the cost of the experience of completion. Any ideas as to addressing this situation?
Yes. Try the less is more approach. Build fewer boats. Thus you can complete both the boats and the students education.
Hi Warren,
Good question. As you mentioned you are striving for a balance between skill development and completion. Having taught in the construction technology field I can understand the pressure of completion. I would suggest that you keep as number one in your mind the skill development of your students. I had to remind my technology center that I was in the business of training students not building buildings. I selected projects that would enable my students to gain the needed competencies during the training period. When completion becomes the number one goal we are moving out of the teaching business. Also, I to had such a variety of skill levels that forced me to focus on basic skill development before I could move to the next level.
Hope this helps. If I don't understand your situation please give me more details and I will be glad to offer further suggestions and/or discussions.
Gary
I find that in creating a "competent beginner" out of my student, I have also succeeded in having a final project. It might be that I am just lucky teaching in the health care field, as we do not genereally have a final project per say. We deal in the realm of readiness and competencies for the unknown.
All that aside, it has been my experience that the goal of the Private Postsecondary world is really to create a student who, when thrust into the their discipline, will thrive as a beginner at the level they are trained to.
Hi Erich,
You last paragraph says a lot. That is our goal. Well prepared entry level professionals that can compete in their career field. After that growth can and will occur through experience and personal goals.
You have captured what we are about.
Gary
I agree with Lew. I would teach them to build the left half of the boat and that they can assume that the right half is identical.
