Tech Directions - March 2008 - (Page 21)

An engineer came to my room at lunch the same day to pick up a bag of buttons with a “TygerPride Prototypes” (our official name) sticker on it and an invoice made using an accounting program I learned just for this occasion. A week later, the company had changed the design slightly and we made 10 more buttons for another $300. Since then, we have made other parts for many local companies. My supervisor came to me one Monday, saying that he had been at a family reunion over the weekend. He met some third-cousin’s mother’s favorite nephew, or something to that effect, who had a drafting business. During their conversation, he mentioned my machine and what it could do and that his relative should look me up. The first job I got from this particular company was the biggest object we have ever made. The customer sent a file that had to be redrawn so that it could be made in two pieces. No problem. Contact cement welds ABS. I try to make parts the same day I get the drawing and send them out ASAP. Our new customer was happy and our program deposited a check for $260. We made some revisions, sent them, and received a check for $460. Since schools are nonprofit institutions, this was a donation for the company. Win–win. Those are just a sample of the many jobs we have done since people have started finding out about my program. thing at a time. Letting them listen to their music on headphones keeps them happy and quiet, and makes their peers jealous. (I can’t keep students’ friends out of my room between classes, and I don’t try.) Training So, what goes on in my class that seems to attract students? Drawing, for one thing—lots of drawing. My students each had 100 separate grades the first grading period of this year. Many of the drawings become models from the 3D printer, which allowed them to handle their work. I keep my related time as brief as possible to give the students time to work out their own problems with drawings. The text I use is perfect for the learn-a-little-do-a-little format. Traditionally, CAD starts with 2D drawing fundamentals, but now I start with 3D—a big WOW factor. Dual monitors impress, too, with plenty of space for tool bars on one screen and a drawing on the other. Of course, the students soon realize they can keep track of their music on the other screen. That’s OK with me since I now realize that students today really can do more than one CAD drafting dollar If students do something really above and beyond, like helping another student without being asked or some exceedingly fine drawing or unique solution, I might award them a CAD Drafting Dollar, which they can use toward a drawing grade. These become cherished possessions, since I don’t give out many. I encourage students to keep them until the end of the grading period for use in a “grading emergency.” This provides a cheap thrill and good PR, since students tend to leave their Drafting Dollars out on their desks for all to see. They don’t know when they might receive a Drafting Dollar but are always aware that they could get one, and the intermittent reinforcement keeps them motivated. Community service is part of Skills USA, so I make it a part of the curriculum, getting students out of the classroom on school time. Last year, we helped the Salvation Army box Thanksgiving dinners on the day before Thanksgiving break. That resulted in a front-page article with a photo in the local paper. Before we met to move groceries, the class had breakfast at a popular fast food restaurant. Since they didn’t have to be there until 8 A.M., they could sleep in a little, which I’m sure got back to their friends. We also recently had an opportunity to combine architecture with community service. The construction trades class builds Habitat for Local newspaper article with a “Learn More” box generated interest and business. www.techdirections.com PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION/CAD 21 http://www.techdirections.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Directions - March 2008

Tech Directions - March 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology’s Past Technology Today Mastering Computers HDTV—Understanding the New, Dealing with the Old Technical Studies Lead to Dream Career Fill and Fund Your CAD Classroom with These Exciting Strategies STEM Progress in Katrina’s Wake School Web Site of the Month Spring Spotlight More than Fun

Tech Directions - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.