Ground Briefing: Chalk or Computer?

[BlueRobin]

I am wondering if a laptop would be a viable option for my forthcoming FI rating.

Is the use of powerpoint/electronic ground briefing becoming more prevalent? Is it is considered passe? Who still chalks and talks?

PowerPoint in my view can generally distract or mesmerise the subject if not done properly. But I would imagine over-complex diagrams and the inability to draw could be confusing too?

[17thhour]

im not an FI

but i'd go with the chalk and talk.

all very well having a flash powerpoint, but sod's law says that it will probably break when you want to use it:ugh:

plus ur not stuck using to same slides if someone doesn't understand, you could draw different perspectives etc without having to format and all that jazz.

although you could have an exeptionally good powerpoint, half the time you'd need a bloody type rating just to set everything up and hope it stays that way for your whole FI journey.

gd luck with whichever you use though!

When im doing my FI it will prob be chalk/board markers though.

[VFE]

Breaking down what you're talking about, if possible on the powerpoint, would be an advantage as far as I can see. Building up the picture with increasing complexity thru the use of different pages? Sounds good! As long as you leave plenty of time for the information to be digested by the pupil that is. This valuable absorbtion time would normally derive from the time it takes you to chalk it out so you will have to add that in which can be the hard part.

Less is often more and the temptation is to waffle when giving a ground brief - bad news for your student! So if you can master the pauses (as important as the words you use) then I personally see no problem, although this is only my view. Think Miles Davis, not Dizzy Gillespie.

Best thing to do is ask your FIC instructor whether this is something that will be acceptable for the ground brief section of your FIC test. In practice on the job it could only be an advantage for you and the student if you ask me. Provided yer fancy pants pooter gear actually works on the day... as the previous poster has mentioned! ;)

VFE.

[BigEndBob]

Why waste time writing on the board when you could sketch the brief out on a piece of paper and then give it to the student?

Always seemed a shame to write out a brief then rub it off the board.

Computers would be good to show small video clips, if you can find some material out there. Such as the King videos or make your own.

[deice]

How did FIs manage to teach their students before Bill Gates? Does anyone really think powerPoint is the solution to good teaching? I've been creating ppt crap for ages in my day job, for all purposes imaginable, but I rarely use it myself. It really requires that you know what to put in there and what not to put in there. If you can explain using your body, a pen, paper and model then you don't need an electronic wizz box. Think about what you're trying to get across, practice what you're saying and how you display it, by drawing, using a model or something else and with time you'll find a good combination of tools that doesn't involve a frikkin PC.

NASA banned the use of PowerPoint after the Columbia disaster apparently...

[FlyingForFun]

If you're thinking about the FIC, and the FI test, then the only answer is to ask your FI school their opinion, and if necessary they can ask the examiner his opinion.

As for real life, do whatever works for you. As this thread grows, it will contain lots of advantages/disadvantages of each method, which you should take on board. It will probably also contain lots of comments along the lines of "the whiteboard is the only way to go", or, conversly, "technology is the only way to go". Ignore these comments and make up your own mind!

For me, it's the whiteboard every time. I can personalise it to the actual student, or I can elicit answers from students and write them in the order the student gives them in. But that doesn't mean it's the only way to go, and I can see advantages in other methods.

FFF
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[TurboJ]

I use all methods in order to teach - it varies from student to student;
I had a guy who did not understand a word or picture I was trying to get across about VORs and radials........until I loaded Microsoft Flight Sim onto my lap top and demonstrated them on the sim.

It worked brilliantly and I now wish I had used it earlier -

I now use FS2004 all the time for IMC ratings as its so much easier than trying to explain on a whiteboard. Its also more relevant as these people only have two lessons a month, so its much more relevant and a more practical method of briefing.

[hugh flung_dung]

For most briefs I sit next to the stude with a model and a few sheets of A4 paper and build-up the story. For Nav I find the white board useful (because it's bigger!) and for relatively complex things that need good pictures (like asymmetric theory) I use prepared pictures on acetate - these can either be projected on an OHP or used on top of a piece of paper.
(BTW, I've been in the IT techie business for 30 years but avoid presentation software unless it's a large audience, and even then I'm dubious of the value of it).

HFD

[DFC]

During your FIC the Methods of learning and classroom techniques elements should give you a good grounding in all the things you will use to teach. i.e. Whiteboard, Chalkboard, Overhead Projector, Powerpoint, Magnetic figures, Briefing Cards, Workbooks etc etc

Thus you will get an opportunity to try each classroom aid to learn the advantages and disadvantages of each.

I would recomend that you do not limit yourself to a single classroom aid until you have been given the oportunity to learn about the various aids available.

Even then you will probably find that your training will be completed using a variety of appropriate aids at each stage.

Regards,

DFC

[foxmoth]

I have all my briefs on PP, as long as they are good PP presentations and you know them then they work very well, cutting down on time spent drawing and allowing more attention to the student, you do however need to be able to do presentations on the board and sometimes augment the PP with drawings on paper or whiteboard.

[fireflybob]

Some interesting points on this thread too:-

Powerpoint or maybe not? (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=293468)

[lady in red]

As an FIC provider, I teach the students to use all the possible media. I think that Powerpoint works fine for certain of the long briefings and lectures, but it is very difficult to make it work for a pre-flight briefing. Writing on the whiteboard or a piece of paper nearly always work better. We also have a full set of OHPs that can be used as required for briefings or lectures. I encourage student instructors to make some of their own OHPs too so that they can illustrate exactly the points they want to make.
If your course provider does not have all the equipment to try out, then maybe it is worth thinking again about where you do the course. Incidentally the examiner i use the most really loves Powerpoint for lectures.
Hope this helps.

[Dan Winterland]

Is it a lecture or a lessson. A lecture is more of a mone way thing where the teacher can stick to a script. A lesson should elict responses and provke questions. Without a flexible method of referring back or introducing new material, powerpoint becomes very limited as a teaching aid.

[pablo]

Hi!
Just my humble opinion... but whatever you do... avoid those boring monotonous lectures, and stay clear of dicates!
Depending on the subject, material available, audience, etc... one method may be better than other. Another thought, is that the use of one method doesn't preclude the use of others, they're a complement.
For me, Powerpoint or the overhead projector work very well, and just chalking little details and needed/requested explanations. Giving students a few sheets about the subject is practical too. Anyway... for the occasional and individual briefing, as someone else said, a few A4s in a table may be the best option. All this worked for me as student, is helping me through the FI course, and I will use it to actually teach students.
Then, although it seems obvious, don't overlook your pronunciation, entonation, "clasroom space management", enthusiasm/self confidence and eye contact. If you don't pay attention to these little things, even the best method (or combination) may become useless.
One thought that helps me regarding this issues, is the idea that you are selling knowledge, so you have to make sure by all means that the student is buying it. I.e. think in a mix of what you think that would be more "popular" and what the student may be more willing to "buy" (ask yourself too "would I buy this?").
Hope this helps!

Rgrds / Pablo

[BristolScout]

I agree that one should be prepared to use all media in the overall instructional context but a preflight briefing is an intensely personal thing which needs to be tailored to that particular student's strengths and weaknesses. Writing as one talks, whether on whiteboard or paper allows the necessary flexibility which pre-prepared stuff, be it powerpoint or OHP, does not.

On a purely practical level, writing words is foolproof. Time is always at a premium when briefing, so firing up the laptop and enjoying the occasional system glitch can be embarrassing.