This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Agile Buzz by James Robertson. Original Post: Training questions Feed Title: Cincom Smalltalk Blog - Smalltalk with Rants Feed URL: http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com/rssBlog/rssBlogView.xml Feed Description: James Robertson comments on Cincom Smalltalk, the Smalltalk development community, and IT trends and issues in general. Latest Agile Buzz Posts Latest Agile Buzz Posts by James Robertson Latest Posts From Cincom Smalltalk Blog - Smalltalk with Rants

First, the material - we tried to cover way, way too much. In an intro course, we tried to take people from no Smalltalk knowledge at all to building a complex GUI and domain in 4 1/2 days. I clearly recall people sitting - eyes glazed over - by mid Wednesday. We got to a point of information overload by trying to do too much, too fast. I don't think this problem was specific to our course - it seems somewhat endemic to the industry.

We had the chance to revisit the material and redesign last year, so I encouraged our course designer to go light on the lecture and heavy on the workshops - I figured that the instructor should introduce the topics, give a brief explanation, and then have the students dive in and get their hands dirty in labs. That's how this new course is set up. Which leads to an interesting dispute:

Some of our European partners and employees have voiced the opinion that we went too far away from lecture and "why" instruction. That was purposeful, but it leads to a question from me - is it the case that - especially in German speaking Europe - lecture based courses that are heavy on the "why" are better receieved than the more hands on course we have designed? I've not actually taught any courses in Europe, so I don't have the first hand experience necessary to say yes or no. Is there a cultural difference here or not? Any and all feedback appreciated