Best Practices for Teaching IT Essentials

Best Practices for Teaching

IT Essentials (A+

Curriculum)

Sharon Hain

Instructor – Mesa Community College

Ohlone College

May 2013

Agenda for May 2 Webinar

a. Introduction to Cisco's IT-E curriculum b. Best practices for teaching ICT curriculum c. Integrating standards d. What’s available through the

Cisco Academy (NetSpace)

IT Essentials 5.0

Content Overview

© 2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

The Cisco IT Essentials (ITE) curriculum offers a hands-on, career-oriented learning experience with an emphasis on practical activites to help students develop fundamental computer and career skills. IT Essentials helps students prepare for entry-level ICT

(Information and Communications

Technology) career opportunities and the CompTIA A+ certification, which helps students to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and advance their careers.

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Here are some examples of working environments and jobs that may be available to students after completing this course:

• A corporate or mobile environment with a high level of face-to-face client interaction. Job titles include enterprise technician, IT administrator, field service technician, and PC technician.

• A remote-based work environment that emphasizes client interaction, client training, operating systems, and connectivity issues. Job titles include remote support technician, help desk technician, call center technician, IT specialist, and

IT representative.

• Settings with limited customer interaction where hardware-related activities are emphasized. Job titles include depot technician and bench technician.

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Features and benefits available in the NetSpace™ learning environment include the following:

● Curriculum can be accessed on mobile devices

● Improved user interface experience

• Easy to use, intuitive navigation

• Ability to control size of fonts, chapter text area, and media area

● Course management flexibility for instructors

• Ability to add course content, including videos, documents, and links

• Ability to add assignments

• Ability to modify, add, and reorder quizzes

• Ability to reorder course chapters

● Communication and collaboration tools, including groups, discussion threads, and course calendar with automatic notifications

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● Students develop working knowledge of how computers operate and how to assemble them through lab activities .

● Students gain confidence in working with the components of desktop and laptop computers by learning the proper procedures for hardware and software installations, upgrades, and troubleshooting.

● Learning materials and labs feature new and updated relevant topics including the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, mobile platform delivery capabilities, client side virtualization, and expanded networking and troubleshooting information.

● Hands-on labs and the

Virtual Laptop and Virtual Desktop learning tools help students develop critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.

● A mobile OS simulation tool enables students who do not have access to mobile devices to complete course labs. This tool simulates the hands-on configuration experience of mobile device operating systems.

● Cisco® Packet Tracer simulation-based learning activities promote the exploration of networking and network security concepts and allow students to experiment with network behavior.

● Online assessments provide immediate feedback to support the evaluation of knowledge and acquired skills.

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Provides engaging interactive experiences with:

• hands-on labs

• rich assessments

• simulation activities

• virtual learning tools

Is delivered in Cisco NetSpace with:

• improved user interface

• improved learning and teaching experience

• enhanced features and functionality

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• Aligned with CompTIA A+ ( 800 series ) exam topics

− two (2) A+ Practice Certification Exams included

• 12 curriculum chapters with:

− approximately 180 hands-on labs, worksheets, and/or activities

− 8 Cisco Packet Tracer activities

• 12 chapter exams with:

− approximately 600 Assessment Items

− 11 Skills-based Assessment

− 1 Skills Review Exam

− 1 Practice Final Exam

− 1 Checkpoint Exam

− 1 Final Exam

© 2013 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public 9

Course Chapters and Goals

Ch. 1 Introduction to the Personal Computer

Goal: : Describe a personal computer system

Ch. 7 Laptops

Goal: Describe how laptops are constructed, basic configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Ch. 2 Lab Procedures and Tool Use

Goal: Demonstrate safe lab procedures and proper tool use.

Ch. 3 Computer Assembly

Goal: Demonstrate safe lab procedures and proper tool use.

Ch. 8 Mobile Devices

Goal: Describe operating systems, basic configuration, maintenance, security, and repair for mobile devices.

Ch. 9 Printers

Goal: Demonstrate range of procedures required for printers.

Ch. 4 Overview of Preventative Maintenance and

Troubleshooting

Goal: Explain the basic rules of preventive maintenance and the troubleshooting process.

Ch. 10 Security

Goal: Explain importance of security, describe procedures, and perform security measures.

Ch. 5 Operating Systems

Goal: Install, upgrade, navigate and troubleshoot various operating systems.

Ch. 11 The IT Professional

Goal: Describe the communication and related skills needed by an IT professional.

Ch. 6 Networks

Goal: Describe, create and maintain a network.

Ch. 12 Advanced Troubleshooting

Goal: Perform advanced troubleshooting procedures on computers, operating systems, laptops, printers, and networks.



• Provide study guides to help students concentrate on important topics as they read the curriculum.

• Study guides will force the students to read the curriculum, which in many cases they are reluctant to do, and also provides them with review documents when done.

• My suggestion on creating study guides is to make them useful for the students as a review document when done.

• Find and incorporate videos as often as possible to emphasize or review topics.

Preview always!

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• When doing labs, provide more teacherinspected checkpoints. High school students often have a lot of enthusiasm and don’t pay as close attention to details as they should.

• For example in Chapter 3, Lab 3.1.2.4, change Step 3:

Step 3

Apply a small amount of thermal compound to the CPU and spread it evenly.

NOTE : Thermal compound is only necessary when not included on the heat sink. Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer for specific application details.

ADD: Have your instructor check this step before installing the heat sink/fan assembly. ________ (teacher initials)

• When doing any lab, add more inspection points or add reflection activities.

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• Based on time in class, have students work in teams to do worksheets and other-in class activities.

• For example, from Worksheet 1.2.1.11 -

Research Computer Components, provide information that might help the students get started such as Internet sites and computer store ads. Younger students (early teens) don’t often have the sophistication needed to do this.

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• Where possible, provide a “show and tell” box of components. These components can be passed around during lectures for closer inspection.

• Collect components from systems that perhaps don’t work or solicit them from friends, co-workers, and computer repair shops. Try to get as much variety as possible along with components that are a new as possible.

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• Create a pegboard display to hang in the classroom with components.

• Get as many components as you can and tie wrap them on the board.

Label all the components.

• Also, you can mount individual components and label them.

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• Give quizzes before exams to help the students be successful.

• Go through online exams and make sure you have addressed all topics in class lectures and labs. Then create quizzes that help students “get ready” for online exams.

• You may want to use the mastery learning concept of making sure students have mastered concepts before moving on to new concepts.

This can be achieved by allowing students to take exams more than once.

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• Where possible, use your students to help other students and teachers with computer issues.

• Determine the skill level of your “geek squad” teams and solicit work where possible from computer users on your campus. This activity might be dictated by your school’s policy of

“who handles equipment repairs.”

• I have actually had students work for extra credit or for donations to our club fund.

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Madeline Hunter’s Effective Elements of Instruction :

1) Anticipatory Set - A short activity, dispatch or prompt that focuses the students' attention and ties previous lessons to today's lesson.

2) Purpose - An explanation of the importance of this lesson and a statement concerning what students will be able to do when they have completed it.

3) Input - The vocabulary, skills, and concepts to be learned.

4) Modeling - The teacher demonstrates what is to be learned.

5) Guided Practice - The teacher leads the students through the steps necessary to perform the skill using multiple modalities.

6) Checking For Understanding - The teacher uses a variety of questioning strategies to determine if the students are understanding.

7) Independent Practice - The teacher releases students to practice on their own.

8) Closure - A review or wrap-up of the lesson.

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• Consider offering “drop-in” repair sessions where the community and staff can get their computers diagnosed and perhaps repaired.

• This validates students’ skills and can help them with customer services skills. Use these experiences in place of some labs or for extra credit. This can be integrated into programs where service learning is needed.

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• Many labs offer a step-by-step approach to learning. As students become more knowledgeable, consider moving away from that format to a more independent learning format.

Find activities on the Internet for the students— ask them to read and discover what has to be done. This involves more critical thinking skills.

• Assign some labs as homework when time is an issue.

• If students have access to computers with appropriate software, they might be able to do some labs outside of class or in a computer lab. These should be labs that require responses to activities so you can verify that the labs were really done.

• You might want to incorporate more “reflection” if labs are done outside of class.

• Worksheets can be done outside of class to save class time for labs that need to be observed.

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• Do role playing for practice of communication skills.

• Create customer service situations where students will have to respond. Have one student play the customer (read a script you provided) and the other plays the technician.

• Videotape where possible for class review.

Have student observers respond to how the situation was handled and could be improved

(if necessary).

• If time is an issue, use the Discussion feature of NetSpace.

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• Move students from team activities to individual activities where possible so they don’t rely on a partner to help them complete labs. This will depend upon the number of lab computers available.

• If you have enough equipment, have students do more advanced labs individually to test their skill sets.

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• Provide suggested free utilities and resources that can be used for troubleshooting and repair.

• www.ninite.com

• www.filehippo.com

• www.cnet.com

• Have students research free utilities that help solve problems. They can test them and write up a critique. This further tests their problem-solving skills along with writing skills.

• Use the Discussion feature of

NetSpace to further enhance troubleshooting skills.

• Considering offering students free software through a Microsoft

Dreamspark partnership.

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• Provide extra credit for students who repair computers—have them write a summary of their experience.

• This can help them start their own repair service. Have them use the six steps in the troubleshooting model when they write up their reports.

Step 1 Identify the problem

Step 2 Establish a theory of probable causes

Step 3 Test the Theory to Determine cause

Step 4 Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem and Implement the

Solution

Step 5 Verify Full System Functionality and

Implement Preventative Measures

Step 6 Document Findings, Actions, and

Outcomes

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Writing

• Ask students to find an article related to a topic being studied. Ask the students to indicate new vocabulary terms learned, identify at least 3 key points, and then write a short abstract of the article.

• Ask the students to write a technical article about a curriculum topic that could be understood and followed by a non-technical person. If you want to improve upon a student’s speaking skills, have them do this in front of the class.

• Use the Discussion feature of NetSpace to have students write up reflections.

Reading

• Students will be reading the course curriculum. However, to aid in this activity, design activities that ask critical thinking skills throughout lectures and activities.

Perhaps pass out 3 x 5 cards for them to use to answer questions. Collect and grade if necessary or have them use it as a “ticket” to get out of class.

Math and Science

• Troubleshooting as regards computer repair is the ultimate test of a student’s skills. Ask the students to identify logic principles and apply the scientific method to troubleshooting (change only one variable at a time).

• For IT Essentials,

Skills USA

is the appropriate CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization) to include in your program.

• Skills USA is a CTSO serving more than 320,000 high school and college students and professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health occupations.

• Students learn technical skills in the classroom and then have an opportunity to compete in regional, state, and national contests.

• Skills USA also gives students the opportunity to learn leadership skills along with participating in community service opportunities. These skills are important to fine-tuning career skills but often difficult to teach.

• Check out websites such as http://globalstewards.org/computers.htm

and http://earth911.com

.

• Become your own donation center; solicit donations from individuals and businesses in your community. Your students can do this as a community service project in order to enhance computer skills.

Working on donated computers provide your students with real-world experiences in upgrading and troubleshooting. Refurbished computers can be donated to schools and non-profits when done.


Updated Cisco Packet Tracer activities designed to:

• provide simulation and visualization capabilities

• facilitate teaching and learning networking technology concepts

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Two standalone tools are supported in ITE 5.0:

• Virtual Desktop Activity

• Virtual Laptop Activity

Designed to provide:

• Interactive learning opportunities

• Virtual “hands-on” experience

• Virtual disassembly and reassembly of desktops and laptops

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Sample Module

Online curriculum is easy to read, easy to navigate, and contains pictures and interactive activities to clarify topics.






Best Practices for Teaching IT Essentials

Best Practices for Teaching

IT Essentials (A+

Curriculum)

Agenda for May 2 Webinar

IT Essentials 5.0

Content Overview

Skills USA

Sample Module

Online curriculum is easy to read, easy to navigate, and contains pictures and interactive activities to clarify topics.

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Best Practices for Teaching IT Essentials