As of today, DSNY7 is taking their turn presenting "Learn What the Data School Learns," a session where data school trainees each give a 45-minute presentation on a subject they have learned since joining the data school. I wanted to reminisce about my experience preparing and presenting my topic, Introduction to LODs.
To begin, I chose Intro to LODs because we had recently learned about them, and I felt confident in my understanding of the subject. Initially, I needed to consider what I deemed essential about the topic. I reviewed the teaching lesson plan and identified key topics: understanding how the Fixed function is written and its functionality, how Tableau interprets the function, and simple methods for integrating the function into dashboards.
With these three objectives in mind, I had to determine how to structure my teaching. One aspect I would alter in hindsight is treating these topics not as three separate lessons but as three subsections of one comprehensive lesson. I utilized a PowerPoint to illustrate writing the Fixed Formula, created exercise problems to demonstrate how Tableau interprets these functions, and then transitioned to Tableau Desktop to showcase the applications of these calculations.
During the presentation, I encountered unexpected downtime while attendees completed the exercises. I found myself searching for ways to remain engaged, grappling with the anxiety of assessing my performance while observing others work.
If I were to teach again, I would ensure a more cohesive lesson plan. This cohesion is vital because it helps participants understand the rationale behind each part of the lesson, rather than simply progressing to the next segment. I would also aim to utilize the downtime productively, rather than standing idly by. Nonetheless, it was a good experience and some people after the event was over, told me that they loved my lesson, and they learned a lot for them, and it will be useful to them.