The apprentices have returned for week two and this is usually the week when they find their feet, get to know each other and start to test the waters of the tafeSA environment.
Typical past behaviours
Building
- Late to arrive
- More talking over each other and general interaction
- Distractions in the theory sessions
- Body language retreats into barriers and unwillingness to work
- Leaders emerge in the group, (good and badish) not bad really more anti-learning, past bad experience with learning symptoms
- Asking when the smoko is at 8:30am
- Late back from breaks
- No equipment for work (tape measures, pencils, scale rule), that’s all they needed to bring, it’s not a lot to remember
- Dragging the chain when it comes to practical work in workshop. (So they don’t have to go back to work)
- Standing around in the workshop chatting and not working consistently.
These are the past traits.
This years behaviours.
Question? Has the CB-A project altered or had any effect on these past behaviours and if so what effect?
Answer: Yes the behaviours of the students have been directly effected by the new Action and Assessment for learning changes to delivery methods.
What effects?
The mixing up of the units of competency being delivered and placing them into real life or work situations has brought an interest out in the students. Again time in the classroom was spent engaged with discussions and experiences at work that related directly to their own experiences.
The sessions are lighter and more relaxed, participation come easier and the wait times have come down even after only one week to around 6 – 10 seconds, not the 15 seconds in the first week.
As a result of the relationship building of week one, student felt more at ease discussing the things they wanted to learn about or are having problems with. Their work also appeared to be more important to them, they knew we would all be assessing it each morning and that was a motivator to do the job right.
Behaviours and body language were discussed and around the room students became aware of the types of communication their own and others body language was delivering and what it can mean to others. These discussion opened up an appreciation of what they do see and read from this form of communication and
DAY 1: Tuesday’s session (short week), back blocking and butt joints, Calculations, Communication, Read and interpret plans. Not exactly riveting for students in the trades
But the basic skills that are required to be a competent trades person.
Through out the old session plans and asked:
- What would you like to know about those units?
- Why are we learning them?
- How do they fit into everyday trades people’s lives?
- What happens at work?
- Why do these things happen?
- Are they right and do they work?
- How do you know they are right?
- Where would you go or how would you find out if they were right?
- Do you know what a competent person does, looks like and knows about these units and how do you know that?
This applied to all of the topics.
Day 2: Wednesday morning session
Power point of Back Blocking and Butt Joints, the how, what, why, when and where of it.
Typical Questions:
- What issues came up as a result of installing back blocking and butt joints?
- How should we or can we overcome these?
- What would you do different next time?
- Where are the specifications for this found?
Plans
PDF’s of plans on computer and LCD big screen TV
Discussed main features and common information
Sheet numbers, builder’s details, license number and a.b.n., contact details, property address, lot number, north indicator, frontage, set backs, existing of building orientation & position, approval dates and signatures and scale.
Elements of plans
Title box, name of sheet/plan, scales, symbols, measurements and object names (WC etc)
Types, purpose and uses
- Site plans and Artists impressions
- overall, scale 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000
- Floor plans
- Used by W&CLining students
- Scale 1:100 mainly good detail not too small
- Elevations
- Roof detail, ceiling heights, window locations
- Materials used outside, tiles, bricks etc
- Sections
- Details of hidden structures, roof trusses
- Bulkheads, wall construction elements, etc
- Scale 1:100
- Details
- Larger detailed plans of specific complicated important areas, junctions of walls and floor, ceilings and walls, windows, footings, etc Scale 1:20, 1:10
- Hydraulic, roof, wiring, etc
- Plans of specilised details, fire systems, data and electrical wiring, roof structure layout, joists, trusses, etc, scale 1:100
Common symbols, keys and layouts of plans
Symbols are kept as common as possible to all plans to make identifying things simple and recognisable. Layouts too are standardised to help in this also.
Measurements, indicators and sheet types
Activity
Brought out “Large Plans” 30 sheets for commercial building, cleared desks and formed a group around them spread out on two desks.
Identify structures, scales, sheet names, builder’s details, North indicators, measurements of rooms, window names and placement, symbols, ceiling heights, fitted cupboards, window details, grid ceiling set up, contour lines and civil works plans,
Discussion lasted approximately 25 minutes just prior to smoko (a time that is usually difficult as students are hungry and restless).
Outcome good initial recognition of elements, symbols, sheet layouts and details, measurements and structures. Maintained focus and interest in-spite of the hunger and caffeine addictions.
