Be a Course Instructor: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Be a Course Instructor (view source)

Revision as of 21:26, 22 March 2022

No change in size ,  22 March 2022
Move FAQ up
(change headings to bold text)
(Move FAQ up)
Line 49: Line 49:
#[[File:Create-a-course.webm|none|thumb|A walk-through on creating a course on Spaceport as of March 2022]]<br />
#[[File:Create-a-course.webm|none|thumb|A walk-through on creating a course on Spaceport as of March 2022]]<br />
#Once your course has been made, you can create classes to make it available to members
#Once your course has been made, you can create classes to make it available to members
==Why become an instructor?==
'''Your Makerspace stays financially solvent'''
Members who use tools stick around longer. Members stick around = more recurring revenue
Students often pay money to access training. Protospace uses that money for tool repairs and even new tools. You made that happen!
'''Your Makerspace community uses tools better'''
Makerspaces with knowledgeable makers have tools use tools properly. Tools will break less, are maintained better and may even be actively improved by those that want more out of them.
'''Your network gets bigger and serendipitous'''
Protospace attracts a bunch of neat people. Running courses is a great way to meet many of them. This makes coming to space more fun and friendly.
Better yet, you're immediately in their good graces by helping clear them on a tool and making their projects a reality. The effects of [https://conceptually.org/concepts/6-principles-of-influence/ reciprocity] are real - maybe they can do something to help you that you don't know about until you meet them.
'''Your Makerspace gets cooler tools'''
Tools that no one uses can't justify the space they take up. Those tools end up falling into disrepair and end up being sold or junked.
By having a reliable and robust group of trainers and knowledge sharing, we can justify getting cool new tools because the training infrastructure is in place to teach members how to use it. Members who use tools will demand they stay around and in good working order.
'''Teaching makes you more knowledgeable'''
Teaching well requires a strong grasp of the subject. Forcing yourself to teach forces you to understand the subject better - simplifying your own understanding, articulating it to the less experienced, concocting new ways to describe ideas are all ways that deepen and broaden your understanding of a subject.
Every now and again, someone you trained will continue down the path you set them on and teach you something you didn't know. This has happened numerous times at Protospace already!
'''Your Makerspace gets better in ways we can't conceive of'''
Member training is an essential element to acquire new members and keep Protospace running as churn inevitably happens. Historically, training has fallen to a small group. That group is quite passionate about Protospace, which is why they do so much training. But those members have fun ideas for Protospace too. If they are stuck training courses, they have no energy doing another improvement - maybe they want to build or improve a tool we already have, contribute and setup a new tool or build an improvement to the space.
The more members that take on training, the lower the opportunity cost is for all members.
'''Ego boost'''
Nothing keeps down imposter syndrome like empowering a bunch of people to use a tool they never thought they could before. Not just anyone is capable of using said tool, let alone showing others how to.


==Common challenges, FAQs and solutions==
==Common challenges, FAQs and solutions==
Line 173: Line 134:
===Someone is using a tool that I need to run a class on===
===Someone is using a tool that I need to run a class on===
Classes take priority over projects. Politely let them know you're about to run a course on it and to finish up. If they give you any difficulty on that, contact a director.
Classes take priority over projects. Politely let them know you're about to run a course on it and to finish up. If they give you any difficulty on that, contact a director.
==Why become an instructor?==
'''Your Makerspace stays financially solvent'''
Members who use tools stick around longer. Members stick around = more recurring revenue
Students often pay money to access training. Protospace uses that money for tool repairs and even new tools. You made that happen!
'''Your Makerspace community uses tools better'''
Makerspaces with knowledgeable makers have tools use tools properly. Tools will break less, are maintained better and may even be actively improved by those that want more out of them.
'''Your network gets bigger and serendipitous'''
Protospace attracts a bunch of neat people. Running courses is a great way to meet many of them. This makes coming to space more fun and friendly.
Better yet, you're immediately in their good graces by helping clear them on a tool and making their projects a reality. The effects of [https://conceptually.org/concepts/6-principles-of-influence/ reciprocity] are real - maybe they can do something to help you that you don't know about until you meet them.
'''Your Makerspace gets cooler tools'''
Tools that no one uses can't justify the space they take up. Those tools end up falling into disrepair and end up being sold or junked.
By having a reliable and robust group of trainers and knowledge sharing, we can justify getting cool new tools because the training infrastructure is in place to teach members how to use it. Members who use tools will demand they stay around and in good working order.
'''Teaching makes you more knowledgeable'''
Teaching well requires a strong grasp of the subject. Forcing yourself to teach forces you to understand the subject better - simplifying your own understanding, articulating it to the less experienced, concocting new ways to describe ideas are all ways that deepen and broaden your understanding of a subject.
Every now and again, someone you trained will continue down the path you set them on and teach you something you didn't know. This has happened numerous times at Protospace already!
'''Your Makerspace gets better in ways we can't conceive of'''
Member training is an essential element to acquire new members and keep Protospace running as churn inevitably happens. Historically, training has fallen to a small group. That group is quite passionate about Protospace, which is why they do so much training. But those members have fun ideas for Protospace too. If they are stuck training courses, they have no energy doing another improvement - maybe they want to build or improve a tool we already have, contribute and setup a new tool or build an improvement to the space.
The more members that take on training, the lower the opportunity cost is for all members.
'''Ego boost'''
Nothing keeps down imposter syndrome like empowering a bunch of people to use a tool they never thought they could before. Not just anyone is capable of using said tool, let alone showing others how to.


==Make it easy to run classes==
==Make it easy to run classes==
Retrieved from "https://wiki.protospace.ca/Special:MobileDiff/5847"

Navigation menu