I spent April putting together an *online bicycle education class* for Charlie's Freewheels in Toronto. It does not teach "mechanics" as I don't believe we can teach repair to people who a) likely know nothing or very little about bicycles b) do not have access to tools c) do not have access to parts.
The program is made up of 3 classes, each of which covers 3 topics:
- Bicycle anatomy, types of bikes and fit, safe tool use
- Mechanical systems - bearings, brakes, drivetrain
- Safety - Safety Checks, road safety (Ontario), Safety equipment
(including helmet fit/adjustment) All of the material is presented as introductory information.
The program is available through our website and includes a quiz for each class hosted on the Google Classroom platform. We ask youth to register, then I send them the information on the class and the login to access the website pages. *For those who indicate they do not have a bike* I will be tuning up donated bikes in our workspace and matching them to the students, then arranging for a no-contact pick up.
*We launched the class yesterday, already have 22 students signed up, with 12 indicating need for a bicycle.* One person finished the classes in one evening so I have to find a bike to build for them tomorrow, haha!
If this goes well, I will be working on more involved classes that use the same framework and platform for teaching. Again, focussing on teaching people about bikes and how they work, not necessarily trying to teach them *how to fix their own bike*.
If anyone would like to view the material send me a message and I will send you the website/login.
Thanks, Ainsley (Bike Pirates/Charlie's Freewheels, Toronto)
On Tue, May 5, 2020 at 10:09 AM Wade Rubinstein wade@bikeconnector.org wrote:
Hi. I run an in school Earn-A-Bike and open workshop program in Lowell, Massachusetts. All schools in Massachusetts, including the Lowell Public Schools, are closed for the remainder of the school year. Schools are moving to remote learning plans.
How to adapt? What are your suggestions on creating remote learning programs and activities that engage students in cycling during the summer months (and possibly during the next school year)?
Some students have access to bikes. Some do not. For students that do have bikes, many of their bikes are in disrepair. I'm sitting on a sizable inventory of donated bicycles that need refurbishment.
Most students have access to a SmartPhone and/or other digital device (laptop, Chromebook, tablet).
Many thanks for your input.
Wade The Bike Connector Lowell, Massachusetts
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