[Trainer-Talk] Teaching curriculum questions/intro

[misty LH]

Hi Greg, 

What great questions! I am pretty new to the field also (a little over a year), but I will try to help you. 

We use (and update) existing exercises from other instructors,  as well as creating our own lessons. I personally like using the JAWS surf's up training for the beginning of Internet training, though others do not. But for the most part, our lessons were gleaned from various places and tweaked as needed.

I would also love to have access to a list of core tech competencies for employability, so if no one else is able to assist (us) with this, I will be happy to collaborate with you to form a list.  I am having trouble understanding our typing requirement of 25wpm for my class, when average job descriptions (in our area) requiring the use of a computer require closer to 45 wpm. However, a great number of people explained that I would probably never have an adult complete typing class in order to get into the AT class if I set the bar that high... I'm still considering changing the requirement on a case by case basis...

I teach VR classes in small groups- 3 students max. However, I believe if you have the time and resources for one-on-one instruction, that would be ideal. Everyone learns at a different pace and has individual needs that may not be met in a group setting. If you are teaching older adults- especially with no recent computer experience- one on one (in my opinion) is really the only way to provide meaningful instruction as a majority of older adults have additional challenges as well, such as memory or hearing impairments, or even physical impairments which would reduce their ability to attend a class. 

Final word of advice- find a way to assign homework, even after class ends. I email my older clients between our visits to help them exercise their tech muscles. I'll send e-cards. I send job links to previous VR clients. The point is to encourage continuing to use AT skills after class has completed because if they don't use it, they lose it. 

I hope this helps you. :) Have a great day! 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 22, 2016, at 2:22 PM, Greg Aikens via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
> I'm brand new to the list and brand new to my job as an assistive tech instructor at the Center for the Visually Impaired in Atlanta. My background is working as a TVI teaching blindness skills to K-12 students who are blind and visually impaired. I have taught a lot of tech to children but the center-based setting with adults looks a lot different and I have a few questions.
> 
> We have a computer curriculum developed here at the Center that is in desperate need of updating/replacing. As I am gathering info on existing resources, I wanted to ask what other trainers are using to teach Jaws/Magic and MS Office. Are you writing your own stuff? Using the training bundle from FS? Pulling from a variety of sources? Any suggestions are appreciated.
> 
> Also, to guide the curriculum process, I'm looking for a list of job related tech competencies that clients will need, preferably from an established source. I'm not necessarily looking for something specific to blindness but a list of tech skills that all job seekers ought to have. The list of objectives from our current curriculum misses a lot of the relevant skills today related to internet use, cloud-based collaboration, mobile computing, etc. Does anyone know of such a list or where I might look for one?
> 
> Finally, is anyone teaching tech in group classes? Our model has been for each student to work at his or her own pace and work individually. I would like to work in some of the benefits of collaborating and group interaction into the classroom and would be interested in hearing if others have had success with group classes.
> 
> Thanks for any and all advice. I look forward to learning and collaborating on this list.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Greg Aikens
> Senior Assistive Technology Instructor
> Center for the Visually Impaired<http://www.cviga.org/>
> 739 West Peachtree Street NW
> Atlanta, GA 30308
> 404-875-9011 ext. 4285
> 
> [Title: CVI Logo - Description: CVI Logo]<http://www.cviga.org/>
> 
> CVI<http://www.cviga.org/> empowers those with vision loss to live with independence and dignity.
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