Lecture vs Lab Time

[Charles Davis]

On average, how much lab time do you give students vs. lecture time?

Our classes are 4 hours each. We plan for 1 hour formal presentation (lecture, demo, etc) and 3 hours assisted lab time for projects.

Lab time is spent monitoring students, and helping them 1 on 1.

From time to time during the lab, we may demonstrate certain issues to the entire group.

[Michael Reynolds]

Hi Charles!

In our "pure" mastercam class, we do it very simmilarly, but we have 2 hours of formal lecture per week. I don't necessarily stand (or sit) and lecture the whole time, though. Sometimes I make up a "tutorial", go thru it on our display projector, then have them work on it while I walk around and help those who are stuck. During our lab time (3 hours per week) I'd like them to do the "set up, download, and run" part of the course, but often that time is partially used on the software.

As a matter of fact, I'm in the middle of a "trim 1,2,3, divide, open pocket, contour, multipass, depth of cut" kinda tutorial for tomorrow.

Additionally, when I test students in the mcam class, I never give a written (multiple choice, T/F, etc.) test. I give them (typically) an ortho view of a part and have them do both the top, front, side, iso views(xform, translate, between views), and give them directions on what machining has to be done, and they are tested on the drawing as well as the tool paths. They save their work to disk, and I grade them based on what the instructions were.

(we don't get into solids in a 3 credit hour class)

Hope this helps!!

Mike R.