Teaching a Wheel Throwing class Online

[scottiebie]

I don't know how this course was approved.  I saw a college ceramics course offering of a pottery wheel throwing class being offered for this Fall 2021 semester.   The college still wants courses to be taught online.  Either synchronous or asynchronous learning.  Is it possible to teach what was a live-in person, hands-on course before the shutdown, be taught online where most students don't have their own personal pottery wheel or access to a potter's wheel where they can work and practice at home?

[neilestrick]

I don't see how you could teach wheel throwing without each student having a wheel at home. Are they planning on sending wheels home with the students? Most people can't just put a wheel in their house like it's a lamp. It's a major deal to set up a home throwing area.

[Pres]

Even with every student working at home on a wheel, it would be difficult. I have taught several adult groups where folks have had some Utube experience, have worked on the wheel, and formed really bad habits because they missed some of the really basic beginning steps. A good teacher can identify poor throwing habits when with the student, demonstrating correct form, correcting bad arm positions and helping the student to realize the amount and variation of pressure used when throwing. Some of these may be corrected it 2 way video is available, but still not the same as in person. 

I have also had adult students that took in person classes at colleges. Seems that the numbers of students in beginning throwing classes are daunting, and that a student may be overlooked. I could help these folks get on the right track with a little adjustment here and there. Biggest fault of most was what I call "chicken winging" where they bend their elbows incorrectly.

 

best,

Pres 

[Bill Kielb]

Aside from all the equipment and space challenges, the perspective of a camera is limited. I think good instruction takes time and keen observation during  the entire process from multiple angles often in real time. It’s really rough to teach a physical dexterous skill effectively by video. And that doesn’t even consider the challenges the student will face staring at a monitor trying to learn.

Each one teach one, a fundamental  of  human learning.  Each one teach many, a way to broaden the inclusion.

I suppose it’s a course, likely diluted in value but a course. Using the words synchronous or asynchronous is today’s lingo to make it sound more thought through ………..I suppose.

Still maybe an opportunity where none exists presently.