We have designed our Arduino Bootcamp for Teachers to support two main objectives:
- Fast paced, outcome driven learning aligned with our Learn-Test-Do method.
- Ensure that the graduate teachers can take what they learned and use it in their classroom immediately.
During the bootcamp, participants gain access to instructional materials (video lectures and PDF notes). These materials implement the “Learn” component in our Learn-Test-Do approach. The video lectures contain short instructional segments and demonstrations of key skills. The PDF notes are downloadable and printable distilled versions of the video lectures that the participant can use to reinforce their learnings, and as a quick reference when needed. The bootcamp participant may use these notes in their classroom, as they see fit. You can print them out and give them to your students, or bundle them with activities that you create.
To implement the “Test” component in our Learn-Test-Do approach, participants in the bootcamp take short challenges in the form of multiple choice quizzes. We have written each quiz question to test the participant’s comprehension of the content they have just learned. This provides the opportunity to self-correct any weaknesses early in the learning process, instead of proceeding with un-noticed gaps in knowledge. In a high-performance learning environment, learning mastery and leaving no gaps behind is paramount.
The most important component in our Learn-Test-Do approach is, of course, the “Do”. Doing is both the best way to learn new skills and perhaps the only way to demonstrate that you have conquered them. All the work that the participant does during the Learn and Test steps culminates to applying the new knowledge in a practical project. As the participant gains skills, projects gradually become more complex, constantly challenging the learner to grow.
Projects give the bootcamp participant the opportunity to apply what they learned in a practical situation. They also have the opportunity to go beyond what they learned through mini research projects, with the objective to, over time, gain learning independence. By working through practical mini-projects, the participant is also exposed to situations that can test their grit and perseverance.
Incorrect wiring, software bugs and defective components are part of normal life in electronics and the creative process. Problem-solving is where some of the most valuable learning takes place, but this is also an area that is neglected in structured curricula, and very hard to present in instructional materials, if possible to do so at all. Problem-solving is best experienced, and project work is a great place to do that.
All these materials are available to participants during the time of the bootcamp. But the benefits don’t stop there. Participants graduate with a licence to use these materials in their classroom. Think of this as a limited site license. The participant can use these materials in a class that they personally teach.
They can print individual pages and hand them out to their students in support of the teacher’s custom curriculum, or they can adopt the bootcamp’s curriculum for their class. You can assign a mini project to a group of students and provide the relevant PDF notes to support the group’s efforts. Or you can modify a bootcamp mini-project to suit the circumstances. The bootcamp teacher’s license is flexible enough to allow for a wide range of use in a variety of environments.
There is also provision to expand the coverage of the license across a school. If you are interested in this option, please contact us.
Are you ready to start learning by doing? Read more about our Arduino Bootcamp and discover how we can help you get all the tools you need to take your teaching to the next level of higher education. Book a free 30 minute consultation with us now and start doing!