[WFS-India] online git workshop dry run

[Kaustav Das Modak]

On Sunday 09 June 2013 11:59 AM, Satabdi Das wrote:
> As suggested by Sumana earlier, we are trying out a dry run of the
> online git workshop today 2:30pm-4:30pm iST (UTC+5:30).
>
> Joyoti, a friend of mine, volunteered to act as a participant. She is
> interested to learn git and is on M$.
>
> Please join on #wfs-india if you are interested.
>
> Thanks,
> Satabdi
>

The demo run began at 2:40pm IST and ended at 4:43m IST. Satabdi, 
Tarashish and me conducted the demo run. Thanks Joyoti, Sweta and Nikita 
for volunteering for this demo run. All volunteer participants today 
were on MS Windows.

We could cover only till "git log" and skip to "git clone". See 
https://wfs-india.etherpad.mozilla.org/8 for the steps.


Here is my report:

0. Mentors:
    Step 1, 2, 3 -> Kaustav
    Step 4 -> Satabdi
    Step 5, 6, 8 (partially) -> Kaustav

1. Timings:
    Step 1: estimated 15 mins | took 19 minutes
    Step 2+3: estimated 25 mins | took 23 minutes
    Step 4: estimated 10 mins | took 38 minutes
    Step 5: estimated 10 mins | took 19 minutes
    Step 6: estimated 5 mins | took 5 minutes
    Step 8 (git clone only): estimated ~ 10 mins | took 8 mins

2. The biggest time-crunch we faced was in helping participants to 
install and configure git. We will need a documentation which will help 
participants, particularly those on MS Windows to effectively install 
and configure git before the attend the workshop. Msysgit is a good 
client with a mini-bash shell for Windows.

3. Further time lag was a result of participants arriving late, and 
mentors having to recap what had already been discussed, including 
installing git. This will certainly not be the case of the actual workshop.

4. Participants were not "muted". They did not use the classbot, but 
seemed more comfortable in using the #wfs-india-questions room to ask 
their questions. Tarashish actively helped participants with their setup 
related issues on #wfs-india-questions. Not muting the channel resulted 
in a more-interactive session, but we could not progress much with the 
syllabi.

5. Mentors will need to study basics of msysgit to aid participants on 
MS Windows.

6. Step 4 took almost 4 times the time allotted, but I think it can be 
fine tuned heavily if the mentor writes out each step of the commands, 
including text editor options, and describes what each command does 
immediately after asking participants to type it in. However, time 
allotment for Step 4 needs to be 20 minutes at least, so that first time 
users get to wrap their head around the commandline and using a text 
editor from the commandline. The default editor in msysgit is vi, which 
needs a good deal of help for the uninitiated.

Thanks.

-- 
Kaustav Das Modak,
Partner,
CodeBinders Web Development Services LLP
Web: www.codebinders.com
Phone: +91.9874456551