|
The BRATS
Even before the RSGB considered running its, voluntary attendance, training courses for instructors, the BRATS' original principle Lead Instructor ( now would be called the Registered Instructor) had been in many hours of consultation with teachers, who are in main stream education, who train teachers to be good teachers and their conclusion is that the BRATS training methods and course study materials are the embodiment of all current good educational practise. The RSGB have confirmed (Jan 2005) that trainers from the BRATS do not have to attend the RSGB Train the Trainer course in order to provide good training.
The BRATS had been running training courses since the start of the FLC in Jan 2002 and this website has been the back bone of the training since then and completely re-written in 2024 due to syllabus changes and the web site continues to be updated as fresh ways of expressing the information come to light and to re-act to further changes in the syllabus from time to time..
The BRATS Club courses are no longer in place but detailed knowledge of this subject, and with membership of the BRATS club ,Brats registered Instructors are available to help your understanding. At the BRATS Club, there is not just one mentor available for all the course(s) whether it is at Foundation, Intermediate or Advanced level.
Successful courses
For a training course to be successful not only must it achieve passes by the students but the students must know that this self-training web site is being run for their benefit and is tailored to their needs and abilities.
The structure of the BRATS WEB site has been discussed with educational professionals (those who teach teachers to be teachers) and they consider that the BRATS method of teaching takes into account the modern methods of teaching and with simplified and practical explanations for a hobby topic. All this has gone down well with the students over the years.
The goal of all courses is for the students to pass the exam and to enjoy the learning of the knowledge to enable them to pass.
Students like a variety of tutors teaching them. Think back to your school or college days - how often did you have a teacher / lecturer that you did not like and thus you did not enjoy the topic. By use of our self-traing web-site, the success rate of your learning will increase. The BRATS consistently achieve 100% and have a team of mentors.
You will have areas of amateur radio that may be you enjoy and those that you find a bit of a bind or where you know your knowledge is more limited. The best courses are provided by those who enjoy the topic that is being presented.
Practical demonstrations
Students like practical demonstrations. There is no easier way to put a point across than by finding a way to explain the topic than by a practical application / demonstration.
Field day / weekends are ideal opportunities to do just that - whether it is showing the changes in propagation, operating practice, EMC or even the simple things like putting a wire antenna together and attaching the feeder and then of course using it.
Student participation
Ensure that you enjoy participation -- the hobby is all about participation / conversation and exchange of opinions on principally technical topics. Sometimes a student will be able to explain a topic, which they have just grasped, to another student - encourage this but do check that the information is correct.
Make it fun
Test your knowledge by using the BRATS club equipment to show that you have understood the sections.
Amateur Radio is a hobby and not a way of life. See the fun side of the hobby.
Intensity of courses
You must properly judge how much information you are capable of digesting before the next section comes along. This is not difficult at Foundation level as about 12 hour study should see a student well on the way to a pass but at Intermediate level it is suggested that a minimum of 36 hour study would be needed to be on tract for a pass - but the good mentor will judge what time interval must elapse between self-training sections.
For the FLC the BRATS have in the past adopted a two day study course but now it is found that students can do most of their study at home and then seek inspiration from mentors at club meetings where any difficult points can be talked through. Further practical tests ensure that many of the technical topics can be touched upon to give the student confidence.
As far as the ILC goes we found that students wanted a very slow approach - one presentation per month on a different topics can backed up by questions asked over the internet email so that the student gets one to one mentoring to their needs. A total of 36 hours learning achieves a 100% pass rate at a recent exam. A few students wanted to accelerate their learning which is the second option.
This study can be by learning at home. Those students who want to move on with the course can do so at their own pace via this web site course. The students who need the greatest attention are those for whom the hobby is totally new to them and they may have great difficulty being able to remember what technical "words" mean.
When we were looking at setting up a course for the ALC we considered that you will probably need of the order of 90 to 100 hours home study so a course of 9 month would be considered a nice easy pace for students - remember you will all be to Intermediate Licence exam level and assuming that they have taken out an Intermediate licence can be putting into their amateur radio hobby much that they learn on the course (except the Advanced licence condition) and thus learn by doing.
Length of a course
Whilst a course can have an anticipated start date, the finish date should only be a goal date for an exam and the course expanded in time or reduced in time according to the needs of students.
Patience
Whilst you may be a student who wants to rush on with the course you can achieve this via this web information but the other students may well find that they need several different explanations of the same point until the "light" shines.