Classic class dilemma, need advice
In March, I’m offering a 3-class series on digital cameras, which will basically be my Geek Out, Don’t Freak Out! class on steroids. All attendees will be required to attend all 3 sessions of the class, since the classes build on each other.
- Session 1: Standard Geek Out class, all hands on with the camera and manual, in the Conference Room.
- Session 2: Downloading and organizing photos on library Windows XP machines, patrons use their own cameras and cables, in the Computer Lab.
- Session 3: Editing photos using Picnik, attaching photos to webmail, possibly playing with Flickr (time permitting), in the Computer Lab.
Problem: I like to teach hands-on classes, because in my experience, people learn best that way. I suspect this class will be popular (everyone who’s ever come to a Geek Out! class has asked for something like it). I can usually take up to 15 people in the Conference Room for a Geek Out! session. However, there are only 6 stations in the Computer Lab, and we don’t have enough laptops to do more people in the Computer Lab or in another room (yet). This means that the class limit would sadly need to be 6 people, which is disappointingly low. And, I won’t have time to offer this series again (or the classes as individual sessions) until September at the earliest.
Ultimate Question: So, do I limit the class size to 6, and try to offer it again as soon as humanly possible, or do I have 12 people share 6 computers?
Addendum: In the event of computer sharing, there will be “switch” time, so that each person can try the same thing on their own (which, incidentally, could make the lesson plan much simpler). I’m figuring the pairs will be able to help each other out, so that the non-driver will have something to do. However, I also know that there are people who don’t like to share machines for anything. If I go the shared machine route, it’ll be plastered all over the promo materials that patrons will be sharing computers, so that patrons can decide if this is the right class environment for them.
Thoughts?
Tags: classes, digital cameras, Geek Out Don't Freak Out, Reading Public Library, work
Sounds familiar of most edu envirionments.
I’d go with shared machines and encourage as much interaction between the couple as possible, and actually build that into the feedback they have to give, i.e. “how well did your partner cope with… ” etc..
Learning is better when social..
However, I’d change the semantics from “shared PCs” to “Teamwork Building Class”.
Hope that helps.
Chris
This could work or totally backfire: would patrons be able to bring in their own computers? I suspect that people coming to this class won’t have laptops, so the idea may be dead in the water, but is it worth asking?
I think sharing can work well. As you say, the pairs will be able to help each other out.
I totally disagree. One person, one computer. Typically, no matter how well or not the pair know each other one ends up dominating the hands-on portion. (Conventional wisdom states that one will take over but I’ve found that one usually gives in, i.e. “I’ll just watch”. Either way, the end result is the same and one of the pair looses out on the experience.)
I’d say go with shared computers, or taking turns, anyway. They may be able to help one another out, and you can always ask for feedback at the end of the class so they feel they have a chance to complain if they don’t like it.
I’ve never had a problem with people sharing computers here, but their expectations may be lower.
Chris: I always try to encourage people to interact, and I think the patrons are catching on (I allow a good amount of “helping each other” chatting in the class, and they seem to be very, very comfortable with it now). However, I don’t know that “Teamwork Building Class” will go over with our particular patrons. Straight-forward, to the point, mean-what-you-say language works better, and just coming out and telling them they’ll be sharing a computer with someone else makes the most sense expectation-wise.
John: It’s a space issue. The lab is very tiny, and while I’d like to knock down the wall and make it bigger, we can’t (badly placed windows and heating elements). I have, on occasion, adding a laptop at a makeshift station #7, but I can’t really add more. Someday, we’ll have more laptops, and I can teach bigger classes in the Conference or Meeting rooms, but for now, it’s not possible.
Michael: No one “just watches” in my classes, because I don’t allow it. Even if a patron is working with a Netguide, in class or in an appointment, they know that the patron *always* drives. That’s why the class size is normally limited to 6, so that there aren’t any excuses. In this case, there will be physical getting up and switching places, so that the other patron can drive the mouse.
Laura: I’ve only allowed sharing a few times in my classes, and while everyone gets along just fine, they don’t seem to learn as much.
Andrea–
Great class idea!
I teach the basic computer and basic internet type classes at my library, and I find that I need to limit to 7 people (the number of computers we have.) Sharing of machines does not work out as I hope, as people are just “watching”, not actively engaged and then have a tendency to start conversations which is distracting in our small lab.
My question would be how do you get people to attend each class? Do you have a percentage that drop out by the end. Glad you posted this entry. I am putting together a four part computer basics series, and I am struggling with similar issues: size, ensuring people attend all the classes, etc.
Maura: On the rare occasion that people are sharing a machine, I myself make a point of stopping by the couple and having them switch at certain points, or having them both show me something. Although, in an ideal world, I can have one of my more experienced Netguides mediate that interaction, so that I can continue teaching the rest of the class.
Most of my classes tend to fill up with long wait lists. We have people sign up, but I always call or email the rest of the class and tell them that they should feel free to stop by the night of the class, since we often have no-shows, and the drop-ins tend to fill up the classes nicely.
Having the Netguides take on the basic class materials one-on-one has really helped class attendance, which I realize probably sounds odd. This is the first time I’m doing a series of classes, all of our other classes are stand-alone, 1.5 hour sessions. When I first started (and long before the Netguides), the basic classes were offered more often, would fill up on the sign-up end, but then *maybe* 3 of the 6 people would show. Through the Netguides, patrons get one-on-one attention on their schedule, which makes them way more motivated to show up, and I can offer more advanced classes that fill up more quickly and have fewer no-shows.
OK, the decision: limit the class to 12, and have people share. I’ll definitely update on how well it went afterwards. Thanks for all of your input!