What exactly is taught in current drafting classes?

[BlackBox]

I don't have a lot of exposure to the market of current CAD techs or draftsmen But from things I've read (not just here) I get a sense that there is a general lack of high quality learning going on. I purposely use the term learning because that is a two part equation. The teacher and the student. It's my belief the teachers really need to get back to basics first and foremost. That is, the purpose of drafting (to communicate) and the language (orthographic view projection, purpose of line types and weights, etc.) The second part of the equation, the student, will learn best when given reason to learn and most of the knowledge will be self taught out of in borne curiosity and desire fortified by the teaching.

It may be that the current state of affairs is a matter of students in class for all the wrong reasons. If they are just a warm body going in they will just be a warm body going out. Perhaps a little cooler.

Edit; Interesting what the "similar threads" below displays.

Well said, my friend.

This reminds me that I need to catch up with you offline.

[dgorsman]

It think its partly on the students as well. If they are only looking to put a couple lines on a CV so they can punch a clock in a higher paying job, there isn't much an instructor can do. Some people have zero interest in learning how to do something (or even why they should be doing something), but instead expect everything to be provided as essentially check lists: to do (a), do ___, then ___, then ___. To do (b), do ____, then ____, then ____.

Might be classified as nerd-ism, I suppose. Given the option of being seen as a tech person or a manager on the fast track to executive vice-president, which is more appealing?

[duhvinci]

Any time BB.

[RevitJunky]

Im on the advisory board for our local tech school here and I did hire one person that turned out to be great. They focus on Revit and some cad and the program is about 18 months. An issue they are having is low enrollment in this program, only retaining 6-10 students a year and some of them are only taking it because they are required to take a trade through the local school for students who are at risk of dropping out. So maybe 2-3 students a year come out of there. The school just moved to a more central location off our local interstate so we are hopefull that enrollment will increase. As of now, we have had a rather difficult time recruiting anyone with Revit experience.

[sbrennan]

I didn't read all of the replies, but here's my response, as someone who graduated college 6 years ago, with a degree in Technology Education at a High School level, with an emphasis in CAD software.

I took my first drafting class in high school. I started out with hand drafting basic "block" designs and was taught the concept of visible, hidden, and center lines. We did both Isometric and Orthographic views, complete with dimensions (including keeping them organized).

In College, I found I had a knack for CAD-related work. I was also good at helping people learn, so I decided I wanted to be a drafting teacher. My college classes for drafting were basically the same as what I went through in high school (maybe because my high school teacher went to the college I attended, and had the same professor ... just 6-8. years prior to me attending the school).

During my student teaching, the teacher I worked with allowed me to create my own curriculum for the drafting class, and having gone through the class not just 2x as I listed above, but 3 more times as an undergrad teaching assistant for the class in following semesters, I decided to follow suite with what I was taught.

I have recently heard that some districts are taking CAD out of their curriculum, and I am disappointed with that. I have wanted to get back in touch with some of my college classmates to see what they are teaching, and perhaps even help them lead the way to better help their students be better prepared for a CAD role.

On the flip side of all that, there's a program called "Project Lead the Way." It uses STEM (Science Technology Education & Math) and integrates lessons learned in each subject into one another. High School students are able to take these classes and earn college credits, basically free of charge. Those classes are dictated not by the school or district, but by the organization leaders. Schools can't just teach it without being accredited.

[al.256209]

Hi you guys. My name is Al Whitley. I'm an architect in San Diego, and started working on AutoCAD on version 1.0. Over the years, my practice has grown to include an online CAD and BIM training program -- www.*****.com

One of the strengths of our programs is that WE DO teach our students the drafting fundamentals and integrate those skillsets into our curriculum.

I've shared and experienced the same concerns you are sharing -- and that's why I am continuing to develop our www.*****.com curriculum -- to provide our skills those "drafting lessons learned" by the "old geezers" who helped me become successful in assembling construction documents.

Just wanted to mention this.

[jeffl.63037]

I agree with cadtag. I learned drafting with pencil and paper from an old school teacher in high school, and more in college. I've been a designer/drafter for coming up on 30 years, and while I have a pretty good knowledge of what I'm expected to have the final plans look like, I know I'm a lousy teacher. I have a nasty habit of glossing over things I do without thinking them. I've written the company CAD practices manual, and am constantly updating it when a new user has trouble following something. It's typically some basic step I take for granted.

[myeager171]

I taught at a tech college for 4 yrs. The program was strictly cad 18 months long, 5 hr a day 5 days a wk. Then the program was shortened to 12 months still it produced students w as good if not a better understanding of architecture then lots of architectural school graduates I've seen because it started w the technical foundation. Unfortunately, the program went the way of the Dodo, the school was absorbed and the new parent was more concerned w making money and there seemed to be more money in medical courses so the department was phased out. College courses focus on the program not on what it is used for and there isn't enough time to focus on the foundations.

[bdixon427416]

I teach Architectural Drafting and Design at a local Career and Technology (votech) and have been doing so for over 14 years now. First, I would like to say if you are curious about what is being taught in your local drafting classes than you should take an active role in your community and visit your local school. If you want to take it one step further you could offer your assistance to the instructor in developing curriculum. I know in my neck of the woods it's like pulling teeth sometimes to get professionals to attend a local advisory committee meeting and provide input.
To answer your question is more difficult though. I know what I want to teach and what I actually get to teach are often two different things. Last week I was teaching an 11th grader what 3/4" + 0 equaled. I have in the past on a number of occasions taught lisp routines, pgp - command customization, xrefs and blocks on the AutoCAD side of class. The bottom line is that it is rare to have kids that can grasp these kind of concepts and more importantly it is even more rare, almost non-existent to find students that think it is "fun". I know, I know it shouldn't be about being fun but if I don't entertain these kids and make the program as much fun as possible kids don't sign up for it and if kids don't sign up for it the program goes bye bye. Education is a business.
So I walk a thin line of what is both entertaining and educational. For the last year we have been primarily using Revit with AutoCAD a very close second. All of my curriculum is project based. We do a platform framed shed in Revit and AutoCAD and build it out of balsa. Next we work with our local building inspectors to create a full set of custom residential code drawings and renderings, both using Revit. Through these 1st year projects they also learn about construction methods and materials extensively, drafting methods, views and linework. The second year students design a commercial building they do a set of architectural sheets, site plan, HVAC ductwork design and layout and plumbing plans, schematics and isometrics. Through the second year they learn about coordinating mechanicals and architectural, ADA compliance and commercial construction methods. The students have the ability to walk out of the program with Autodesk AutoCAD and Revit User certifications and NOCTI certification.
It's a tough job and unfortunately teaching is about 20% of it. I do strongly encourage anyone that has the time to get involved in any way with your local tech school.

[thomasmartinmsoe356600]

I am a graduate student in structural engineering and it seems that more and more companies are having engineers do their own drafting. With Revit I've talked to companies that it takes more time to communicate your designs to a drafter than to just do it yourself. You can actually engineer an entire building structure at the same time you draft it using plugins to transfer between programs using Revit structure. Engineering is also becoming much, much more automated as well as companies delegate more and more design to software. There are also design programs that automatically create details in AutoCAD. Those I knew who graduated before me, many were hired as entry level to draft and delegated smaller portions of design.