PERSONAL PAPER IBEW LOCAL 3 Electrical Apprentice...How Electrical Essay

PERSONAL PAPER IBEW LOCAL 3 Electrical Apprentice...How Electrical Theory Class should be more of a hands on learning class the - Essay Example By stimulating my mind, not only does my interest and desire for what I am working on or with grow, but my learning is also affected in as much as I will learn and retain more information. Whereas in the case of lecturing only, it leaves the mind the opportunity to wander and not absorb as much information as it could. Lectures, books and training videos are all excellent sources to glean information. The problem remains, without a more hands-on approach, the information will likely become stagnant and ultimately forgotten. It is my desire to be an electrician, and forgetting vital information is not an option. In addition, I think it is essential in the overall learning process that by using a more hands-on approach, my teacher will also create an atmosphere of learning how to handle myself in a hazardous situation. If my teacher only gives me the education on how and why electricity works and acts as it does, how am I, in such a volatile environment, going to learn how to handle my self and act or react appropriately? My teacher is very highly educated, is fully aware, and understands the activity of electricity. That is vital, but it is equally important that I learn how to demonstrate what I have been taught in a safe, calm and professional manner. Often, people who have not received enough hands-on training overreact, panic or create a feeling of dread when they realize the true dangers they are dealing with. According to Dr. Michael Burke of Tulane University, this feeling is referred to the â€Å"dread factor†. given a more hands-on â€Å"training environment, †¦[we] are faced more acutely with the †¦dangers of the job and they are †¦more motivated to learn about such dangers and how to avoid them.† this applies to everyone in my class, because our actions and words will have a large impact on how we handle a given situation, and could be the difference between life and death. The hazards that any electrician faces are dauntin g, but with proper training and understanding, they are highly attuned to what is going on around them and act accordingly. In a more hands-on learning setting, it is more motivating to the apprentice to learn and use the knowledge gained. Hands-on learning also provides a social aspect to learning that would otherwise not occur. This social construct provides more details concerning the hazards and consequences of not acting or reacting responsibly. People in general are motivated by self-preservation and not knowing and understanding potential dangers is perilous to them as well as others. This lends itself to another aspect of hands-on learning that a lecture simply cannot provide. We as humans understand our weaknesses, no matter how strong or weak we may perceive ourselves to be. This understanding of our vulnerabilities is key to understanding how we learn. It is a huge motivator to learn actions, words and feelings that are unfamiliar, and address them in a controlled environ ment where a â€Å"life-threatening† situation is occurring. This way of learning will not only improve knowledge of electricity, its components and capabilities, but will also show, through experience, how to handle volatile situations.