Next semester (Jan) I start teaching network cabling (copper) and next year fiber optic. I can't assume anything about the students experiences with electronics, meters, soldering, circuits, blueprints, standards, tools and you get the picture. I have a "gondola" full of used Cat-5, VGA cable, and laptop power supplies to use to what ever purpose I want on top of Raspberri pi, components and space in what I've just inventoried in the lab to reinforce the class requirements. Has anyone used model railroading to teach a class of 25 teenagers 16yo+ skills? Mulling around the idea of covering the curriculum and standards to include actual network items, obligatory, but to increase their wire stripping and soldering skills for example, having them solder (and critique) power drops from joiners, track (later). There will be an end purpose to a possible school project (cross curriculum) so there is a sense of satisfaction/achievement vs components that will only be seen in class. Still have to get them through the tool safety portion but that gives me time to create connections locally. I would appreciate any inputs relevant to group engagement. I taught aircraft maintenance courses in the USAF so mechanical, electrical, and safety isn't new to me.
It seems like an interesting idea. Digitrax Loconet uses RJ-12 connectors, which are similar to the CAT-5 standard. I'm not sure is VGA is explicitly for model railroading, but you may be able to disassemble the cable and use the wires inside for other purposes as well. What is the focus of the class? You mention network cabling, but is this class aimed at engineers, IT technicians, or contractors who may be installing it? Are you teaching a programming language, or is this a lab/shop class just focusing on wiring construction? My main concern with using model railroading as a class project is the amount of non-wiring work that needs to get done to have a functional railroad. Even drilling holes for the feeder wires can take a good amount of time, depending on how many sets you need. I can easily see this become a project where you will need to spend a lot of out-of-class time preparing for the next lesson. School administrators might not be too happy with you spending so much time 'playing with trains' both in and out of class. I've done some engineering classes in high school and college, and having a lab with a cool end product made it enjoyable. Last year, I had a class where one lab was CAD, the next lab was G-code and milling, and then the last lab was injection molding, so we were able to create a small molded item over the course of a semester. You may be able to do something similar with model railroading. If the class involves any kind of coding, you could use the model railroad as sort of control or automation demonstration, where the wiring labs helped build a signal or track circuit system.
Blessings to you @COHiker06 for your want to teach job skills to young people. My neighbor is a retired Pastor and is working with disadvantaged teens to teach them the basics of hand tool use. Most of his students grew up in fatherless homes and have never held common hand tools in their hands or worked any sort of repairs or construction. Some kids are interested, some not. It's quite a challenge. Worrisome that we have a segment of our population that has little education and no apparent job skills. I'm glad that there are people out there like you, my neighbor and others who are helping young people at all levels.
That is about how I learned about working wood, from Mothers Father. That lead to working metals, from those willing to teach. My Father wanted me to be a farmer. I enjoyed working on the food. But not what it turned into.
I've also been criticized for teaching young people how to properly operate metal cutting machines and measuring tools. Now finding those willing to learn is getting harder.
It would seem to me that model railroading is an excellent resource for teaching many, many useful skills. It will be interesting to follow your progress with the class.
Hey Mr. Trainiac The certification curriculum is ordered and on the way so I haven't gotten my hands on it yet but the intent is physically installing cable, component connection, testing the network. The kits are suitcase styled plug-n-play simulators. As for the students, they're 16/17yo and I can't assume anything about their skill set. Drilling holes in wood and sheetrock is a skill I need them to learn along with tool selection (masonry bit vs metal bit vs wood bit), stud finders, hole saws, screwdrivers, and hammers especially when it comes to pulling cable in existing walls. And labeling the runs!!! Fortunately, the transit time of the kits gives me time to cover standard tool/workspace safety material. I did the electrical/HVAC grunt work as an apprentice when I was a teen and as a apprentice in the USAF so I know they need the dirty work experience. I also soldered/tinned wires while attending a 3-surface-level electronics soldering cert course in the USAF for circuit card repair. Tinning wires gets boring and teens (myself included) will spend more time when they've "mastered" melting solder, turning a spool of soldier in to a massive glob I'm shooting for repetitive skill development, something they can critique amongst themselves with a contribution to a direction toward a small scale staging yard as a beginning.
