Workshop Materials

Workshops are almost always supported by teaching materials. Here’s a list of kinds of materials you might need for your workshop. Make a list, and we’ll help you create each one of them. Some of these can be things for people to take away from your workshop, as reference materials, or they can be things that are only for use during the workshop

Software tools

  • install disks, drivers, programming environments, editors
  • sample programs & materials
  • reference documentation

Documentation

  • Exercises/walkthroughs (including diagrams or howto’s)
  • Reference Documentation
  • Presentations
  • Resources for further explorations (including website bibliographies, more samples,  books, magazines, etc)

Hardware materials

  • electronics components (resistors, LEDs, boards, etc)
  • modeling/construction materials
  • laptops
  • special data/power cables

We might not have all of these ready to hand, and some of them will have to be constructed or purchased. It is best not to depend on workshop attendees bringing anything other than a laptop; if materials have to be purchased we often offset the cost by allowing attendees to purchase the materials to take home after the workshop is over.

Things to do:

  • Decide on a lesson plan first
  • Create/design the materials you need (including installation instructions)
  • We’ll help you acquire any hardware, and assemble it
  • Package it before the workshop (there are a bunch of ways you can do this: burn to disk, print, put on a flash drive, etc. pick whatever works for you)
  • Allow people to get a hold of it before the class (put it up online somewhere)
  • Budget additional time before the workshop officially starts or during the workshop to help people set themselves up

Once we’ve done all this, we should be ready to decide on our space & infrastructure requirements.