Back to School

My classes finally started again last week. So far things are running a little smoother this year than last year. As with last year I've already had many students who are scheduled for other classes at the same time as mine. This occurs partly because the schedule runs from week to week in order to accommodate the large number of visiting professors who come to teach for a week or two at a time, partly because I have students from different years (normally they are all in the same classes based on their year), and partly because the Deans from the different departments don't seem to communicate very well when scheduling courses that include students from different majors (like mine).

So, things are confused as always, but on the bright side I was much better prepared this time around and was able to hit the ground running. Year two is always easier. You've already done the hard work of adapting to your school and community and had a year to prepare courses and figure out what works and what doesn't. In spite of ongoing confusion I'm finding that my new Dean this year is pretty easy to work with, and since he has a PhD in computer science he's generally pretty sympathetic.

I'm teaching two classes at the moment.

My first class is Informatique de Base (Basic Computing) which is a basic computer literacy class required of all new students. However, since the course ended up being scrubbed early last year, we're starting it all over again for the second year students. My job is easier this year since the new Dean and another computer professor they hired last year have split the course with me and are now sharing the load.

We divided the students by major. I am teaching the students from the Theology, Education, and Nursing programs. The two other professors are splitting the students from the Business and IT program (which is the largest group). In the end we'll all have about the same number of students. I may have slightly more at the end of the day.

The course covers basic operations (turning a PC on and off, using a keyboard and mouse), essential Windows (Menus, Desktop, Windows, Files and Folders, common functions), Office Applications (word processing and spreadsheets), and the Internet (search engines, Email, and security). We'll mostly be using Windows and MS Office but I may get insurrectionary and start showing the students OpenOffice once they've got the basics down. I'm using Firefox for the Internet section instead of Internet Exploder.

Since my courses could be cancelled early or I could end up stuck without power for days, I've learned my lesson from last year and am jamming all the crucial parts of my computer course into the beginning: Basic operations and essential Windows material, Word, and Internet. If that's all I get through, fine. If I have time I will into more detail in these areas and cover Excel and maybe PowerPoint.

I also have some material I can teach on a blackboard, so if we lose power I can still get some work done. I've got lessons on Windows, the Internet, hardware, and computer maintenance in reserve in case I get stuck. If need be I can also do some of the office lessons on the board (for example, I can explain concepts like rows, columns and cells for Excel on a blackboard).

I've also written a short manual for the course with chapters on each of the subjects above using lots of pictures and short, clear explanations of basic concepts and functions. Years of experience writing software manuals for my previous employer came in handy here. Well, except for the fact that I had to write the whole thing in French. Hopefully this will both help them study and serve as a resource they can keep after the class is over.

Since I can't print it and give out copies (school won't pay for it) I put it in pdf form and am going to stick it on all the machines in the lab. Students that have USB keys can take a copy of the manual and print it themselves at one of the office boutiques in town. Since most Cameroonians don't own computers, many towns have small shops (often just a guy with a PC and printer) where you can pay to have documents typed and printed.

My second class is General English. This is a much harder class for me to teach. For one thing, it's huge. I have over a hundred students jammed into a big sweaty mass in one room. For another, I didn't have a background in teaching English when I came here and wasn't well prepared for it. I did some ESL tutoring for Literacy Volunteers of America before I came here, but this is very different. Finally, the students are at different levels. Some speak English well. Others don't know a word. I'm trying to aim somewhere in the middle, but it's challenging.

I've designed the course as a basic grammar and vocabulary review. Since it's only a 45 hour course basic is about all I'll have time for. I taught the first class in both French and English (to try to ease the beginners into it), but switched to total English immersion by the third class. Since I had to go through the pain of immersion during my training, I've decided to inflict it on my students as well. Besides, it works.

So, that's what I'm up to at the moment.