Developing Tutorials (for Maptime and beyond!)
PLEASE interrupt if you have questions!
This is a talk about developing Maptime-style tutorials.
A lot of this advice can be carried over to non-Maptime tutorials that are beginner-focused.
Just FYI :)
What are some elements of a Maptime tutorial?
Maptime tutorials are beginner-focused.
Maptime tutorials are related to maps and/or geospatial concepts.
Maptime tutorials have a hands-on element.
Maptime tutorials link to places with more info.
Maptime tutorials are FUN! :)
Since the
first time we did this, the number of
Maptime tutorials has grown
exponentially.
Lots to start with!But not everything has been done. Let's brainstorm. What are some potential tutorial topics?
AWESOME! Y'all are so smart. :)
Things to consider when picking a topic:
Time.
Audience.
Hands-on-ability.
REMEMBER: Beginners make the best teachers!
Anxiety is normal. Impostor syndrome is pervasive. You must stay strong!
"My life is a tomato."
Feeling confident and happy?
Great! Let's get into it.
How is a Maptime tutorial structured?
There are many different ways to do it. Today I will just be showing you my process. Feel free to fork and customize!
For purposes of today, we will be discussing a tutorial about using BART.
STEP ONE: Define your terms and your purpose.
Beginner-friendly means no assumptions. ANY word that is technical should be explicitly defined.
For example...
What is BART?
BART stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit. It is public rail transportation in the SF Bay area.
What is public transportation?
Why might you want to use BART?
... and so on.
On this note, think about how you get information from the crowd.
"Everyone here knows what BART is right?" vs "Who here can tell us what BART is?"
STEP TWO: Break down the process into several steps.
There should be a logical flow to your description.
For example...
Before we enter the station, we need to purchase a BART ticket.
BART has variable pricing per stop. This means your trip cost will be different depending on your origin and destination.
... and so on.
STEP THREE: Note the nuances.
When it comes to geospatial, there are many ways to do things.
Note your preferred methods for doing things and keep in mind the alternatives.
For example...
There are two options for paying for BART: you can buy a ticket, or you can use a Clipper card.
Clipper cards can be preloaded from a bank account and used on multiple types of transit beyond BART.
BART tickets are purchased in BART stations and can only be used on BART.
... and so on.
STEP FOUR: Make it real.
Incorporate as many real world examples as possible.
Use pictures!
It usually takes several times of explaining something to facilitate understanding, and we all learn differently.
The more ways we show/teach something, the more likely it is that people will keep learning!
This also includes the MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do:
HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES!
For example...
Let's figure out the time of day it would take the longest to travel from Castro Valley to Richmond and the time of day it would take the least amount of time.
What is the most expensive trip you can take on BART?
... and so on.
STEP FIVE: Sum it up (and add some encouragement!)
At the end of the day, make sure to recap what all was learned.
Also, everyone who came did some hard work! Be sure to give some (virtual) pats on the back.
Finally, provide links for people to learn more. Plus your contact info!
For example...
What did we learn today?
We learned what BART is!
We learned the different ways we can pay for BART!
Great job! You all are champions!!!
... and so on.
Some more things to keep in mind:
Pause periodically to ask if anyone has questions.
If someone asks a question and you don't know the answer, that's okay! Odds are someone in the room can answer it. Feel free to defer.
Having presentation slides is a
good idea. I use
Big for my slides.
Be sure to
put your slides on the
Maptime GitHub so other Maptimes can use them.
If you're
unsure what to teach, there's a list of potential topics
here.
(But really, if you're excited about it and it's about maps, you're probably good to go!)
EXCELLENT! Let's get our hands dirty.
We are going to do a super fun exercise!
Presentation time!
Next steps:
Build out the tutorial you just outlined!
Ask us for help!
Pat yourself on the back! You are awesome!
Keep learning. Do it through teaching! It just gets more fun.
Thanks!