Dallas Makerspace Curriculum

[Draco]

Continuing the discussion from BoD Agenda 09/17/2018: Disallow Tips in Class Descriptions:

On another topic

The rules do state for honorariums that “Instructors must provide a syllabus or detailed outline of the class to be eligible.”

Classes are not required to be honorarium.
Also, a syllabus is different than a Dallas Makerspace Curriculum.
Key Differences Between Syllabus and Curriculum
from https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-syllabus-and-curriculum.html

On another topic

for a 50-80 minute class, this point is inconsequential. It would be more relevant to a 5-10 class series. Which is very hard to do at the Space (having tried several times as witness).

I know some instructors have been successful.
For example @nicksilva has done series of classes.
@thespacemaker has done series of classes.

I think it can be done and there are techniques to making it work.
The biggest problem, is people showing up for the next class in the series.

Nick has an interesting idea, in that while the course has many sections, not all of them are required.

We can have a curriculum that brings many separate topics around the same subject.
I think the main benefit is having a resource of instructor materials available for these classes.
We don’t loose the classes, once the instructor leaves or tires.

And people know that we will be teaching these classes more than a one off.

[talkers]

I know some instructors have been successful.

For example @nicksilva has done series of classes.

@thespacemaker has done series of classes.

Nick’s classes are either an extended class or a 2 part.
Adnan’s are 2 parts.
The ones I have tried are 5-6, and have some students waiting on part 6. And this was with me offering 3-4 sessions of each part.

@Draco You need more data for this argument.

The biggest problem, is people showing up for the next class in the series.

Agreed. Unlike a college class, too many of our members/students have other interests and commitments to subscribe to a series. It is understandable, and so frustrating.

Re a curriculum. I have created such for Laser 101 and 102. It’s up to each instructor that teaches these classes to follow, expand, improve. or differ.

Please note the other part of the thread.

We, as the Dallas MakerSpace, do not employee teachers. They are contractors. This limits greatly what we “mandate” they teach, and even how they form their classes.We cannot even tell them when to teach. Instructors chose their own schedule.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/employee-or-independent-contractor-know-the-rules

[Draco]

We, as the Dallas MakerSpace, do not employee teachers. They are contractors. This limits greatly what we “mandate” they teach, and even how they form their classes.We cannot even tell them when to teach. Instructors chose their own schedule.

We don’t have to mandate people teach or how they form classes or when to teach.
We can create a window for the class to be taught. Just like contractors have a window to get into the new space and do their work.
In fact, some classes DO already have time windows to be taught or the loaned item has to be returned.
We can encourage certain classes and help plan classes and series. And teach people to teach.
We also can set a regular list of classes that are regularly taught.
Contractors can preform within a guideline. You can say we need this sink installed and tell them where to install it and when the available time windows are. And if they install it on the ceiling, we can ask for them to fix it.

[Draco]

There are several that are 3 parters

Resin-Wood Hybrid Sphere Creation- Session 1 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/6960
Resin-Wood Hybrid Sphere Creation- Session 2 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/6996
Resin-Wood Hybrid Sphere Creation- Session 3 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/7442

Beginners Throwing Class Part 1 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/7603
Beginners Throwing Class Part 2 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/7604
Beginners Throwing Class Part 3 - https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/7605

But really what I am talking about is something like creating a series of classes relating to the subject that many instructors can teach because the class structures are already laid out and ready to be taught. Ideally can be used as a template to create the class and provides the instructor with all the resources and a list of things they need.
And if someone doesn’t want to take one they can skip it … or just take the one they are interested in.

Arduino: The Basics
Arduino: Sensing the World
Arduino: Making things Move with Motors
Arduino: Interfacing with RGB Light Strips
Arduino: The RGB Clock
Arduino: Voice Command

etc

And because they are templated classes we can list all of the times that class is available no matter the instructor.

Arduino: Making things Move with Motors
Tue Sep 6 7pm - 9pm - Interactive Classroom - taught by Joe M
Wed Sep 7 6pm - 8pm - Purple Classroom - taught by John Q
[Request more times] button

Arduino: The RGB Clock
[Request Class] button

Then it goes into a list of classes requested and/or emailed to a list of instructors. Then they can choose to schedule the class via the template.

We can also have that [Request Class] button automatically pressed every so often for some classes.
Those are the classes that we want as a educational organization to teach. Among them would be the required classes.

[heyheymama]

IC-Rulings-12272011.pdf

IRS Rulings on instructors with regards to independent contractor vs employee characterization.

Should the Board be making any changes to DMS’s relationship with its independent contractor instructors without professional advice?

@Kriskat30 @LukeStrickland @dr_cee @Photomancer @Diplomat

[Raymond]

I published a PowerPoint template out on the wiki that is designed to help a person who is new to developing coursework. Follow the steps, follow the slides, and build your courseware.

It’s not hard, but it can be daunting for a beginner to know what to do and how to build it. If anyone has questions on the template, I’m happy to help answer them.

Feel free to change out the Vector logo with whatever your committee uses.

https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/VECTOR_Committee_Training

[Draco]

Well, I’m certainly not making the changes. I’m just suggesting- wouldn’t it be cool if … type things
Much of it would have to be fleshed out and made sure that it was still independent contract. But first, do we even want such a system. I don’t know. What would it look like? How would it work?

I do think that because the instructor gets to decide what they want and the time, place, what student restrictions and gets to change the description … that it still is a contractor but certainly we can check with someone at some point but first, we need to brainstorm the idea into existence.