Learning Peripherals

Learning Peripherals
Oct 27, 2001, 10:28am

Mrs. McCurdy and students gather around students teaching classmates about scanners.

There is an old axiom that says "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." This concept is supported by psychiatrist, educator William Glasser whose research concludes that we remember 10% of what we hear and 90% of what we teach to others.
Mrs. Susan McCurdy applied this theory to technique with her Third Intermediate C technology class. Students divided into groups to learn about PC peripherals. Each group must become expert in the function of one peripheral; the digital camera, scanner, modem, DVD drive, printer or the internet. Students then use this expertise to make an instructional presentation to the class applying their chosen technology.
Presenting groups should include some hands-on training for their classmates and prepare to be a resource for the rest of the year on the operation of the peripheral they have studied.

Students worked together on the details of their presentation to the class.

Mrs. McCurdy provides students with a list of evaluation questions for the presentations. This evaluation sheet becomes the framework for students to use in focusing on the important points as they teach and learn.
The follow-up class had students jig-saw into another arrangement with one expert from each of the initial groups. This expert then teaches the individuals in the new group. In this scenario, hands-on is required of the learners with the expert giving only verbal instruction.