Teaching IT once per week

bridest

Hello,
I've a leaving cert class for 1 hour of IT once per week.

Any suggestions of what I could do with them?

I was going to start by getting them to do posters for Friendship week, but was thinking they could sign up for codeacademy or something similar.

Suggestions greatly appreciated

thanks

jordata

Coding is great but not for everyone. I have found (through educating adults) that it less daunting to use real life examples.

You might be able to spend a session or 2 showing them how computers and internet can help them out day-to-day. Try a scenario like maybe buying a car. You might find a car online on a car dealer website. Then use motortax.ie to fins what the annual tax might be. Then get an insurance quote and use one of the bank's on-line load calculators to find what the monthly cost might be.

Similarly you might show how if they were to try an run a fund raiser how they might set up a facebook event, make a spreadsheet of people to invite, do a mail merge to send them letters. Use linkedin to connect to other people with the same interests.

You'd be surprised when you start the discussions. They will come up with great ideas them selves.

Good luck.

bridest

jordata wrote: »

Coding is great but not for everyone. I have found (through educating adults) that it less daunting to use real life examples.

You might be able to spend a session or 2 showing them how computers and internet can help them out day-to-day. Try a scenario like maybe buying a car. You might find a car online on a car dealer website. Then use motortax.ie to fins what the annual tax might be. Then get an insurance quote and use one of the bank's on-line load calculators to find what the monthly cost might be.

Similarly you might show how if they were to try an run a fund raiser how they might set up a facebook event, make a spreadsheet of people to invite, do a mail merge to send them letters. Use linkedin to connect to other people with the same interests.

You'd be surprised when you start the discussions. They will come up with great ideas them selves.

Good luck.

Thank you very much, great idea about the fundraiser. Facebook is blocked here, but could get them to use their phones! (supervises of course)

doc_17

Maybe a good few of them would like to use it for project work, especially if it's a LC class?

jimmycrackcorm

Have a look at Google blockly.

mtoutlemonde

bridest wrote: »

Hello,
I've a leaving cert class for 1 hour of IT once per week.

Any suggestions of what I could do with them?

I was going to start by getting them to do posters for Friendship week, but was thinking they could sign up for codeacademy or something similar.

Suggestions greatly appreciated

thanks

To be honest, I'd stay away from making posters with leaving certs - I'd be more inclined to do this with first years. Leaving certs will have plenty of project work to do or to just have a break during the day.

If I was in your position, I'd show them things in Microsoft Office. There are lots of things to show them even in Word that they wouldn't be familiar with. You could get them to make and give a presentation to the class - good for third level prep.

Coding/Website design/Digital storytelling. It all depends on your own expertise.

jimmycrackcorm

Have a look at Google blockly.

bridest

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

To be honest, I'd stay away from making posters with leaving certs - I'd be more inclined to do this with first years. Leaving certs will have plenty of project work to do or to just have a break during the day.

If I was in your position, I'd show them things in Microsoft Office. There are lots of things to show them even in Word that they wouldn't be familiar with. You could get them to make and give a presentation to the class - good for third level prep.

Coding/Website design/Digital storytelling. It all depends on your own expertise.

Thanks, I'll suggest a few sites to them , I've experience with web design, so maybe get them to try codeacademy and give a presentation as you suggest.

I've also LCA ICT , for their task I'm thinking of getting to them create a database, write a report etc. But also thinking would it be possible to get them to improve a businesses social media presence, check statistics at the start, plan a marketing campaign , look at what types of posts work best for engagement and write a report on the improvements they made and plan/ reflect on what internet marketing could happen in the future for their chosen business!

mtoutlemonde

bridest wrote: »

Thanks, I'll suggest a few sites to them , I've experience with web design, so maybe get them to try codeacademy and give a presentation as you suggest.

I've also LCA ICT , for their task I'm thinking of getting to them create a database, write a report etc. But also thinking would it be possible to get them to improve a businesses social media presence, check statistics at the start, plan a marketing campaign , look at what types of posts work best for engagement and write a report on the improvements they made and plan/ reflect on what internet marketing could happen in the future for their chosen business!

Be careful with the LCA students - don't expect too much from them. Tiny steps are better than huge leaps. From my initial reading of what you want to do with LCAs - it seems a bit heavy for them and it will be over the heads of the students. I'd download the syllabus and stick to that. Again, most of the LCAs will think it's a 'doss' year so maybe the typing of a small letter is enough in their eyes. If you're trying to do things that they don't have an interest in or don't understand - they won't do it and arguments will follow.

I'd say simple web creation or blogging would interest them more. Even searching for tractors to buy on DoneDeal would be more interesting and set for their level. Or showing them how to place an ad.

mirrorwall14

Excel. Teach them how to use it. Its very powerful

Spend a class explaining how important password protection is. Literally show them the maths behind it so they understand why its important