Explaining Tech to People

[Gegger]

So I'm going to have to do a lot of teaching tech this summer.

I was looking for some ways to explain tech to people in words.

ex:

HDD is a filing cabinet

SSD is a really close filing cabinet

RAM is what is on your desk

Cache is what is in your hand

etc etc

 

It doesn't have to be about RAM and Storage either

 

So, what are your ways of explaining tech stuff to people?

[Sorenson]

For ssd vs HDD i would layout like 5 boxes and have one student go out and grab the box one at a time when walking, then do the same thing with a student who is running. 

 

For ram I would say image a car was driving back and forth, and for cache say like a jet. 

 

Kids learn a lot better if you can show them a visual aide.

[Jurrunio]

what kind of people, like age and background?

[Gegger]

1 minute ago, Jurrunio said:

what kind of people, like age and background?

background: idk

age: 7-16

[Shreyas1]

Can't you just say something like: RAM is short and term, Hard drive and SSD are long term but SSD is faster?

[Jurrunio]

5 minutes ago, Gegger said:

background: idk

age: 7-16

Cache = knowledge in your brain

RAM = knowledge in your last minute notes before a quiz

SSD = knowledge in your textbook

HDD = skills you've forgotten and need some time to pick up again

[Gegger]

2 minutes ago, Shreyas1 said:

Can't you just say something like: RAM is short and term, Hard drive and SSD are long term but SSD is faster?

well i could, but you know, it's probably easier for younger kids to understand (in my experience) with something physical to connect it to

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

use solitaire to explain ram

[Gegger]

2 minutes ago, dgsddfgdfhgs said:

use solitaire to explain ram

*insert wat.png*

ik what the game is, but wdym?

[Gmoneyinthebank]

1.Logical Gates

2.Instruction sets linking code to Gates

3.Programs using instruction set to get action

4.Parts of computer (b/c now you don't need an allegory for it to make sense)

[Gegger]

2 minutes ago, Gmoneyinthebank said:

1.Logical Gates

2.Instruction sets linking code to Gates

3.Programs using instruction set to get action

4.Parts of computer (b/c now you don't need an allegory for it to make sense)

the first 3 is what minecraftedu is for  

[Gmoneyinthebank]

If you're in the UK you could take them to see the Megaprocessor.  

 

[Gegger]

Just now, Gmoneyinthebank said:

If you're in the UK you could take them to see the Megaprocessor.  

 

rip i'm in the US, and i'm not allowed to take them off the property

[mr moose]

You might be trying to get too technical.  Keep it really simple.   Most kids don't need to know how a computer works, but more how to use it and how to treat it.

 

 

What is your curriculum?

 

[Gegger]

1 minute ago, mr moose said:

You might be trying to get too technical.  Keep it really simple.   Most kids don't need to know how a computer works, but more how to use it and how to treat it.

 

 

What is your curriculum?

 

computer hardware and "programming" (scratch)

[mr moose]

1 minute ago, Gegger said:

computer hardware and "programming" (scratch)

to 7 year olds?   What's the curriculum outcome brief?

 

 

[Gegger]

3 minutes ago, mr moose said:

to 7 year olds?   What's the curriculum outcome brief?

 

 

i don't even know, this particular course will be 11-16 yrs, but i get the curriculum the day before *screams*

but then lego wedo exists for 7-11 years old

[mr moose]

3 minutes ago, Gegger said:

i don't even know, this particular course will be 11-16 yrs, but i get the curriculum the day before *screams*

but then lego wedo exists for 7-11 years old

If you don't have a curriculum or outcome expectations how can you plan? 

 

I would keep it as simple as possible.  If you have to explain memory and storage then use those exact terms, ram is working memory for the brain (CPU) and storage is where files are saved for reference (like a library or reference book).  Unless your pedagogy specifically requires an understanding of cache or any other part of the pc then I would avoid it.  Simple equals less confusion.  Technical accuracy can be left for enthusiasts and college. 

[Gegger]

Just now, mr moose said:

If you don't have a curriculum or outcome expectations how can you plan? 

 

I would keep it as simple as possible.  If you have to explain memory and storage then use those exact terms, ram is working memory for the brain (CPU) and storage is where files are saved for reference (like a library or reference book).  Unless your pedagogy specifically requires an understanding of cache or any other part of the pc then I would avoid it.  Simple equals less confusion.  Technical accuracy can be left for enthusiasts and college. 

i don't know how they expect me to plan, but thanks for the advice!

[mr moose]

Just now, Gegger said:

i don't know how they expect me to plan, but thanks for the advice!

you're welcome.

 

 

[Teddy07]

4 hours ago, Gegger said:

So, what are your ways of explaining tech stuff to people?

 

Keep it simple and short because most people don´t care anyways how their tech works. They are especially not interested in too many details. They just want the devices to work. HDD or SDD? Doesn´t matter as long as they are happy with the performance 

[minibois]

I usually explain RAM as short term memory, HDD/SSD as long term memory (SSD's being faster than HDD, but HDD's just having a larger capacity at certain prices).

 

I usually explain the CPU as a car, which can go at a certain speed and in this metaphor explain a program like a road. Something simple like Office applications are a road where you can only drive slowly, while video editing is a road where you can drive much faster. That means a fast car (CPU) can excel on a road (program) where you can drive fast.

 

The CPU explanation works better when saying it in real life, on paper it looks more complicated than it really is.

[SwiftXShadow]

Ram - is your short term memory and nerves
Motherboard - is your spine
CPU - is your brain
GPU - is what gives your eyes the ability to see color, the ability to see movement and see in 3d.

PSU - is your blood and heart

Fans - is your sweat

Mouse and keyboard - are your arms and legs

Speakers - are your ears

Monitor - is your eyes

Case - is your bone structure

HDD - is a 70 year olds long term memory

SSD - is a 20 year olds long term memory

 

Human = Computer

 

"Teacher whats a spine?"
*Oh yea.... the little shits dont know even basic biology*

[Video Beagle]

Back when working on my MS in Telecommunications, we did co-classes with business school Info Management students. This was like 20 years ago, WAY early web days... for a class project, a built a web site dictionary to translate tech terms and ideas into things they could understand.  Stuff like processor power vs speed as like a truck carrying lots of stuff slowly, vs a sports car carrying few things quickly.

Networking, IP Addresses, ports like apartments, mail boxes. snail mail addresses (obviously you'd have to explain what snail mail is to people for that to work today )...

 

Like harddrive/ssd vs ram... that's a book vs what you've remembered in your head. Sometimes you need to load more things into memory, so you flip thru the book.  Hard Drive vs Solid State.... hardback vs paperback....

 

No analogy is perfect, and they break if pushed too far, but you can usually get general ideas across.

 

 

 

[AlexanderAckroyd]

29 minutes ago, SwiftXShadow said:

Ram - is your short term memory and nerves
Motherboard - is your spine
CPU - is your brain
GPU - is what gives your eyes the ability to see color, the ability to see movement and see in 3d.

PSU - is your blood and heart

Fans - is your sweat

Mouse and keyboard - are your arms and legs

Speakers - are your ears

Monitor - is your eyes

Case - is your bone structure

HDD - is a 70 year olds long term memory

SSD - is a 20 year olds long term memory

 

Human = Computer

 

"Teacher whats a spine?"
*Oh yea.... the little shits dont know even basic biology*

This is the way that I thought of putting it.