Labs are step-by-step exercises that students can perform to learn how to perform a task. Labs can also provide the aspect of experience if it is repeatedly done, which creates confidence.
In an article on formative assessment (http://www.edutopia.org/formative-assessment-part-two) the author points out several important aspects of getting immediate feedback.
Formative assessment is not for the teacher; it is for the student — the student is the one “forming” herself; the opposite is summative, or “game over,” assessment. The role of the teacher is to provide the student feedback and the opportunity to improve by repeating the task.
In order for an assessment to be formative, students must be able to
* see what they are aiming at (a clear expectation).
* see immediately if their actions meet the target (detailed and timely feedback).
* make corrections on their next turn (multiple opportunities for success).
If you take this as a foundation, you see that there are 3 critical factors for students who are in the process of learning Linux.
1. Labs Provide a Clear Goal
Having many labs, some of our manuals have 60 labs, are essential for learning in small segments. Labs should provide clear directions on how to accomplish precise goals. The labs need to lead the student on a road that they clearly understand leads to success. Having created labs to be used in a training situation over 11 years now, one thing I learned was that the labs need to be short, something that can be accomplished in 15-20 minutes. That length of time provides a challenge and offers reward based on one goal not multiple goals. One thing that I have seen with the 45 minute labs is that some students struggle early in the lab and bail out by not finishing the lab. Face it, learning Linux, especially from the command line is a real challenge for today’s graphically orientated users.
2. Labs Provide Immediate Feedback
Feedback, especially immediate feedback is essential. One thing that we have created is the use of a VMWare image that has built in scripts that students can run that assess the labs. That achieves two important aspects of what most people need when participating in Linux Training. First, immediate feedback for the student is provided by the script output so they know if they have succeeded in the lab. Second, the output is sent to a central location where it is tabulated to provide feedback to the company that hires us to do training so they know that the students have participated in the labs and are able to perform the task that they were trained for.
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3. Labs Allow for Second Opportunities
Students need to be able to repeat the lab in case they made an error. We encourage students to repeat labs until they reach a success level. This means either providing time in class or having them work outside of actual class time. The scripts that we use are available for students in and out of class so that they are able to make corrections and get better scores which are provided to their employers. We also encourage students to repeat labs as a way of building confidence. Confidence in important when you have problems. A confident Linux admin will make fewer mistakes than an admin who is nervous about their abilities in a crisis. I have always wondered why employers do not force their IT staff to repeat critical tasks often so that they are prepared for problems.
Conclusion:
If your Linux Training goals do not provide labs for training your staff then you need to evaluate where you are going. Linux administrators are developed by having hands on tasks that they can learn one step at a time.
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