Technology being used in a Secondary School Classroom.

[Daniel]

As a Secondary School teacher I am finding that some of the students pay little or no attention to what is being demonstrated during skill building exercises. It depends on the mix of students in the class.

I am developing a series of slide shows showing the step by step process used to develop wood and metalwork projects or parts thereof.

Using a Canon A200 digital camera to take images at 640*480 resolution, each slide is then processed in Microsoft Power point to create a slide show.

The slide show can then be turned into a hard copy with notes for a visual display in plastic sleeved folders or can also be turned into a website using Power Point, but my preference at present goes to Ulead Photo Explorer 8, it develops beautiful web image shows.

At present the students can only view one Power Point slideshow at a time because I have locked the computer but with the web image show option they will only have access to Internet Explorer which will allow me to link each web slide show via a homepage allowing the students to view the slides they need to see the most.

You might think it’s a lot of trouble to go to but once up and running it will take very little to maintain and there is nothing worse than demonstrating a process only to find afterwards that very few were paying attention and then each student wants your individual attention to solve there problems.

Now I can tell the students to look at the hard copy or go to the computer and view the web show, if you do not understand then come back to me I will explain it to you.

Some still come back but that’s what I am there for, to meet everyone’s learning needs. It just means the ones that need me the most get my attention.

I will provide an image of one of the slides when I figure out how to attach an image to a message.

Daniel

[Daniel]

Hopefully the image displays.

Daniel

[Grue]

Hi Daniel,

Looks like you are doing some great work!

If you are interested in going further with this type of project you might get some help and hints on on-line learning at http://www.learnscope.anta.gov.au/LearnScope/home.asp
Takes a while to get into this site but there's some good stuff there.

If you'd like to share your lessons with other Aussie teachers, we'd be pleased to have you join http://groups.msn.com/IndustrialArtsTeachers
An Aussi group for IA teachers, good place to exchange ideas like this one.

For links to Industrial Arts information, I have a large list of links to IA resource sites on www.metalbashatorium.com there's stuff on wood, metal, plastics, musical instruments, D&T and more (just updated). Happy to put a link there for anyone with a relevent page.

Regards.

Glenn

[Fantapantz]

A great idea in principle, but in practice would it work? Being in the same field I would have the following doubts.

Isn't the skill of being able to follow verbal instructions and concentrate when shown a process being negated?

In the workplace your employer isn't going to give you the amount of information you're giving to students.

The skill of listening and concentrating is probably the most important thing you can teach a student. Advanced questioning techniques and asking the problem students to demonstrate the process to the class is usually enough to gain their interest.

The process sheets you are doing is changing the 'monkey see monkey do' into 'monkey close his eyes and daydream while showing total disrespect for both the teacher and his/her education, and monkey make lots of extra work for teacher.'

Don't forget the power of the detention. First six weeks of the semester and I was averaging over 30 detentions per week. Now I'm down to about one a week. I can leave the classroom and count on the students doing the right thing cause they know that the smiling friendly teacher can turn into a total bastard at the push of the button (and there's a feather trigger on that button).:D

[Grue]

Trouble is we are being forced, by curriculum, to integrate (from the NSW syllabus) the following in our teaching programs:

Equity Strategies, Aboriginal Education, Anti Racism, Gender Equity, Learning Difficulties, Multicultural Ed, Gifted/Talented, Computers/Technology, Environmental Education, Information Skills/Library, Mass Media, School to Work and

Employing Literacy Strategies: Reading, Writing, Talking and listening

Integrating the following text type: Report, Narrative, Explanation, Discussion, Recount, Procedure, Exposition (Arguments), Response (to artistic work), and

Employing Numeracy Strategy / Priorities.

While including all this we have a list of prohibited items:
angle grinder, disc> 100mm
automotive pit
belt sander (portable powered) >75mm belt
chain block/block and tackle
combination woodworking machines
foundry equipment
grinder (fixed), fitted with wire brushes
GTA (TIG) welding
jointer (planer)
nail/stapling machine, staple> 20mm
power plane (portable powered)
powered sheetmetal machines
router, radial arm
router, table (fixed)
saw, radial arm
saw, circular (portable powered)
saw, drop and slide
spindle moulder

Triton was banned some time ago.

A risk assessment must be made on all procedures in the workshop including the use of hand tools using WorkCover guidelines.

My bet is other States will follow, and in time, we'll end up doing simulated ww on a computer.

Glenn

[antman]

Hi Daniel and Grue,

I am not a teacher but my wife is and she is finding the same problems in her areas with the 'cotton ball' syndrome. I guess a few comments, for what they are worth....

When does a person begin to accept responsibility? Certainly if it isn't being allowed to be taught at school where will it be learnt? What is more any of these people that are no longer allowed to operate a tool under supervision can go and buy one off the shelf a Bunnings!! Are we going to stop minors from buying powertools like spray paint??

How can you learn to drive a radial arm saw by simulation or theory? There are plenty of people out there now that can play cricket on Playstation therefore they assume they can play it for real??!! :confused:

Finally, and I guess this is the positive thing that can come out of this, and is what you are doing, there is scope of different strategies for teaching. This means creative, outside the square thinking. This has to be a good thing. :)

Good luck with it!
Anthony

PS - If it is OK, I will pass the link for the MSN Industrial Arts Group onto a mate of mine that is a Industrial Arts teacher at the High School here in Narrabri.

[DPB]

I admire teachers. I don't envy them their jobs nor the challenges they face in maintaining discipline.

However, Fantapantz, I am very disturbed when I read a posting by a teacher who doesn't know how to spell.


the amount of information your giving to students.

The word you use, and you make this mistake twice, is the possessive pronoun. I believe your intention is to use the contraction "you're", short for you are.

The word "ussually" should only have one "s".

The pronoun "i" should be capitalised.

:D Wow!!! I always wanted to do that - correct a teacher. What a buzz!;)

[DaveInOz]

DPB

Write out 100 times:
'I will not expose the ignorance of the faculty, or engage in further smart arsery at their expence'

Tee Hee :p :D

[derekcohen]

Daniel

You can contact me, preferably off line ([email protected]), if you want to discuss ideas/probems of presentation to children. This is something I do know a little about (unlike woodwork) since my day job is as a paediatric clinical psychologist, and I have a strong interest in how children learn.

I do think you are on the right track with a visual presentation. One of the problems with our educational system is the emphasis on verbal/auditory learning, and this is not particularly helpful for many children, notably those that experience difficulty following instructions that involve sequential information. Something like a comic strip (called a "pictogram") would be the way to go.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Fantapantz]

DPB

It is sumthin abowt reeding a komputter screan. Knowmatta how muny times i reed sumthin on th komputter i can not pic up misteaks until i print it out.

I red my pryour agin and agin and i juste cant sea any misteaks.

And dont korekt me agin or i wile make u sweap owt th tool cubboardz.

And letz get th english teecher 2 mayk a lapd dovtale (6 pin) and sea how they go.

[DPB]

Touché ! (I think that's how you spell it.):)

[Grue]

youse awl need a spool chicken ewtilty.

Glenn

[Eastie]

Back in tech school we had two young blokes who took a liking to each other, one with a roughing gouge the other with a mallet. I still remember looking through the window as the teacher came back into the room (after being out the back sizing some timber). At this point the situation was a standoff with the two slightly inured kids being the only students remaining in the room, everyone else suddenly showed signs of intelligence and fled through the door or the windows.
With one swift movement the teacher took the smaller of the two (with the chisel) by the back of the collar and threw him over one of the benches. No sooner was that kid airborne than the other, now slightly unsure of his immediate future, was sent reeling backwards into the wall, parting with his mallet.
A few stitches in both arms for one, a case of concussion and broken ribs for the other. The teacher was questioned why he left the room, no thanks for putting himself in danger to stop two kids from killing each other. Who'd be a teacher?

This, along with sticking a screw driver through my hand were the eye opening moments of tech school woodworking for me. For all the working hours I can't recall one power tool/ machinery accident. We used routers, drill presses, lathes, and from form 4 the brighter of the groups were taught on the buzzer, bandsaw and thicknesser.

There’s much to be said for the Ill-conceived removal of tools and skills from schools. I’m glad I had the opportunity to use both hand tools and machinery, unfortunately like others I can see it being phased out. I guess there will continue to be a need for trauma surgeons for the people who miss out on the basics, buy the power tools at the hardware store and go home with no real knowledge of the pitfalls.

[Fantapantz]

My best accident in a classroom was a kid who "stabed himself in the forehead with a chisel". His hand slipped while paring a joint, try to figure that one out....................:)

[silentC]

1/4" chisel. Rounding a pin on the end of a chair support rail. I have a permanent reminder of lesson #1, don't point it at yourself, it might go off.