At AET Labs, our goal is to set you up for success. The combination of expertise and quality of products that we offer helps instructors select the best possible solution for their labs while giving their students the tools they need to be successful in today’s competitive workplace. Teaching about 3D printing systems can be a big challenge. That’s why we’d like to offer some of our favorite tips for how to effectively run your classroom and get your students the information they need.

• Get to know your students. The more you know your students, the better they’ll learn. If you invest in them, learn about their struggles, and offer to help, they’ll be much more likely to remember what you’re teaching.
• Engage your class. Ask questions of your students in a way that creates conversation. Listing off facts one after the other is one way to present information, but having a discussion with your students will ensure that they’re actually taking an active part in what they’re learning.
• Be consistent, but don’t be afraid to branch out from your normal style of teaching. If class gets too predictable it can be really hard for students to stay engaged.
• Let students work together. Teaming up can be a great change of pace in the classroom that allows students to bounce ideas off of each other, explain concepts in a way that perhaps you can’t, and get their brains working in a different way.
• Be cool. Because teaching can be a stressful endeavor to undertake, just remember that although you are the one teaching, your students are just people. Remain calm and be yourself. Your students will appreciate it.
• Lead by example. If you teach your class with a great mood, there’s a good chance that it will be contagious. Students who see that their teacher is enjoying what he or she does will stay interested. Watching someone love something is infectious.
• Give plenty of positive feedback! This one can’t be overstated. Giving your students positive comments has been shown to be incredibly effective and build self-confidence that will be necessary in the workplace.
• Take questions regularly. This ties in with the idea that you should be creating dialog with your students. Allowing them to question you often gives them a way to think through a concept that they might otherwise miss.
• Be available for your students. Make sure that you give your classroom options outside of your meeting to answer questions one on one or simply just discuss the topics covered in a more relaxed environment. Some students dislike group discussion so this is perfect for them.

We hope that these tips have been helpful. Remember that AET Labs provides technical support, training and workshops, and curriculum resources and be sure to take advantage of anything that will be helpful to you. We know that digital fabrication, 3D printing systems, and career training are not easy tasks for instructors to tackle. Contact us today and let us provide you with the help and resources that you need to be a better teacher!