Running a class

Before the class

Make sure you have the details for the Zoom account, talk to Barny if you need them ([email protected]). You will need to open the call and admit anyone joining the session

Half an hour before the class volunteers should join to run over the agenda and make sure that everyone knows what is happening. At this point:

• Make sure that all volunteers are named properly with their name and role (e.g. Volunteer Name - Zoom Admin, or, Volunteer Name - Tech TA)

• Make all volunteers Co-hosts so that they can go between breakout rooms

Start of Class

The first 15 minutes are for technical issues. Use this time to check that all attending students can hear you and speak, encourage everyone to turn their cameras on. This is a good time to do introductions.

Introductions

Introduce yourself and then explain some introductory rules on using zoom:

• Please mute yourself when not speaking

• Please turn on your camera

• Explain how to use the chat feature

• Identify if anyone is using their mobile and encourage them to use a laptop where possible

Once you’ve done this, elect someone to introduce yourselves and then elect another person. As you go round the entire class this allows you to make sure that everyone can hear and speak. If someone doesn’t reply, message them on Zoom to see if they are having difficulties.

If there are any technical issues then work with other volunteers to rectify them. If they persist then elect a volunteer to go to a breakout room with the student so that they can work on the issue.

Icebreaker & talk from current student

There may or may not be anything to do here, please check with the volunteer leading the icebreaker.

Technical lesson Set-up

Before students are sent out to their groups please ask students to rename themselves according to their progress in ‘intro to coding’ they should be divided into the following groups (depending on numbers):

• Completely new, has not started

• Sololearn 1; Has completed a Sololearn tutorial

• FreeCodeCamp 1; Has started on the freecodecamp tutorials

• FreeCodeCamp 2 (When enough people); Has started on landing page or tribute page

At this point technical volunteers should have joined if they hadn’t at the start

Technical Session

During the technical session there will be multiple groups split up as above, before sending students and volunteers to rooms tell them that if their room is the wrong one for their level to leave the room and return to the main room. If possible remain in the main room to redirect students who drop out of the room or lose connection and have to rejoin the call. If not possible then remember to check the breakout rooms list to see if anyone is 'unassigned'

Break

During breaks bring everyone back into the main room

Technical Session 2

Send everyone back to the rooms they were in unless any ask to go to new rooms. At this point they should be informed that the rooms will remain open beyond the end of the session but that volunteers will leave so they are welcome to remain and work together on any challenges.

Tips and Tricks

1. Labelling is your best friend. Make sure all volunteers are labelled by their role and students add where they are up to in the course (Sololearn, FreeCodeCamp etc.)

2. There is no way to communicate between rooms except for announcements, check in on breakout rooms from time to time to make sure they are all set up.

3. Broadcast announcements to breakout rooms to give warnings before closing breakout rooms.

4. If you make someone else host you need to ask them to make you a co-host and vice-versa.

5. It is always helpful to create extra breakout rooms even if you don’t use them as you can’t make new ones whilst some are open. (They may be useful for volunteers needing to solve problems 1 on 1).

6. Remind students that they need to register online to get the best out the ITC workshop on the day.

For any further questions, please ask the Lead Instructor as seen on the schedule.