Need ideas

[dbullard]

I would love to get some of your ideas from fellow computer IT ethusiasts that have experience in the industry.

I give a computer support class in a private trade/college school, they learn how to become computer support technicians and after that A+ certified .

The students have class every day and the days last 6 hours. Sometimes we are finished our theory and they complete the labs and exercises quite quickly. This leaves us sometimes with an hour or so to go. The administration does not appreciate it if we let them go early.

All of that to ask my question. Based on your experience do you have any suggestions on long term projects they could do and come back to off and on during the week. Computer shopping and researching components is out of the question as they have done this enough.


Thanks

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

 

[coffee]

How about some hands on repair training on old computers? Troubleshooting software errors (that you create)? Removing viruses, ect ...

Dealing with customers -
coffee

 

[Kitten Kong]

I agree with Coffee, also they could learn soldering, dc jacks, old motherboards, ripping and rebuilding laptops etc.

On the laptop side of things, remembering where all the screws go for one thing, asking them to think of different ways, they can use to place the screws back in the same place. Things like making templates of the parts, putting a pin hole in where the screw goes, then place the screw in the hole. Doing this for say the mobo plastics, then keyboard, etc.

On the virus side of things, what programs to use, and when, will they be learning to remove viruses via programs, or manually, or a combination of both. Never to rely on a single port of call in virus / malware removals.

Customer service, how to troubleshoot over the phone, deal with irate clients.. List is endless.

 

[bertie40]

........ like making templates of the parts, putting a pin hole in where the screw goes, then place the screw in the hole. Doing this for say the mobo plastics, then keyboard, .....

That's what I do. A4 paper on top of a bit of foam (from some packaging).

I draw a mickey-mouse drawing representing the base of the laptop, often ridiculously out of proportion, then I draw little circles where the screws are.
I then attack those drawn circles with a scalpel blade, as I find these slits retain the screws nicely.

As I proceed, I also write little notes on it as well. Also the occasional iPhone snapshot.

As for the course, you could pose a Sherlock Holmes question. Describe a fault and ask the "stoods" to write down their step-by-step resolution.

The most intuitive answer gets a prize. Ie. the local lady-of-the-night's telephone number.

The most ridiculous answer gets to stand on a table performing the Miley Cyrus Twerk.

Edit : not sure which is better, winning or losing.

Or role-play. Get someone to act as a belligerent sex crazed customer and/or discuss how the tech would handle it.
Via a trip to the drug store obviously

Seriously though, communication skills and diplomacy count for a lot in this biz. There's more to this lark than computer skills.

 

[Vicenarian]

Does your community have a computer disposal/recycle center? Maybe see if you can get a bunch of broken laptops/desktops and fix them, and then give them away to schools, etc?

And/or teach them about Windows OS architecture/advanced system functions, etc. ... delving deeper into how the registry works, the various system files and how they work, etc.

 

[JustInspired]

Lan party!!!

 

[Markverhyden]

Back when I worked in the Oil Business one of the positions was training. And the company I worked for was a MASSIVE believer in practical exercises. Not only did each student have to make a presentation of some type during the classes but to get certain promotions they had to do their own "original" work. Much like graduate students have to do a dissertation as part of their matriculation.

Give them a pile of computer parts (but no case) and have them assemble a system and load an OS. Alternatively sabotage a system to see if they go through the proper procedures.

Also try some role playing. Ticked off customer vs the tech type of scenario. Up-selling some extra services. Those are very real world scenarios.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Lan party!!!

That is pretty much what we did at BOCES. We would get done early and play counter strike. Our instructor was pretty cool.

 

[callthatgirl]

I'll give you a copy of my remote support ebook and have them do an hour of day of practicing remote support techniques, software, repairs, customer service skills, etc.

Those kids, sad to say....might be working a call center job after school and will need this education.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

How about every day you go on yahoo answers and you pick a question (or few questions) that already has some answers. The students job will be to explain why each answer is wrong....and in the unlikely event that there is actually a correct answer...nope nevermind thats not going to happen.

 

[bertie40]

.....Those kids, sad to say....might be working a call center job after school and will need this education.

Have them all recite the classic mantra 100 times

"Your call is VERY important to us, please hold"

..... But it has to be said with "feeling"

 

[dbullard]

Thanks

All of you are very helpful thanks so much!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Lots of practice building...building...building.

Physically assemble many different types of computers...break down old computers completely, and then reassemble the hardware.

Increased difficulty...put all the various computer parts together in one pile, have them select compatible parts...assemble.

Install different operating systems. Learn how to install the operating system properly, including drivers...how to install drivers, how to work in Device Manager.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Malware...how to clean it.

Basic networks...like a home network behind a home grade broadband router.
Basics of network components and services.
Basics of DNS for outside the network..as well as inside the network.

Peripherals of computers...external USB drives, and printers, multiple monitors.

Basics of server hardware....get real server hardware, with hot swap drive bays, multiple power supplies, rack mount, tower....and show them the basics of hardware RAID controllers and how HDDs are dealt with.

The basics of what a "Windows Server" does...touch on active directory, how workstations connect to them, etc.