Simulator Awareness Workshops

An initial half-day introductory workshop combines both theory and practical sessions. You can learn here about the various sensor systems and software available, as well as overcoming common set-up problems. Practical sessions give an overview of the different applications and an opportunity to experience using them.

There are also three other in-depth half-day workshops which look in detail at a particular software package (either Abel, Beltower or Virtual Belfry) and which can be delivered independently, or combined with the introductory workshop to form a full day workshop.

Where the introduction is combined with an in-depth option to create a whole day workshop, delegates should achieve a good working knowledge of simulators and be sufficiently familiar with the chosen software package to use it for a variety of exercises with learners in their own tower.

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Workshop objectives

Half-Day Introduction

By the end of the half-day introduction each delegate should have an understanding of how simulators work, how to set one up and their general capabilities.

Half-Day In-Depth Options

By the end of a half-day in-depth option each delegate should have a good working knowledge of chosen software package and be sufficiently familiar with it to use it for a variety of exercises with learners in their tower.

Programme

All of the simulator workshops use a mix of theory, with demonstrations and opportunities for practical experience.

Course content

Half-Day Introduction

The introductory workshop looks at the various sensor systems and software available, as well as explaining how to overcome common set-up problems. Practical sessions give an overview of the different software packages and an opportunity to experience them.

Half-Day In-Depth Options

Each half-day in-depth workshop focuses on the use of a particular software package (either Abel, Beltower or Virtual Belfry). It looks at how the video features can be used to teach ropesight, and how the striking analysis tools can be used to help improve striking accuracy.

For the practical sessions delegates will work in pairs on a computer ‘workstation’. We start by explaining how to teach people to ring accurate rounds, including counting your place and leading. We then explain how to take them through a step-by-step approach to develop bell control and listening skills. Exercises involving changing speed at handstroke and backstroke are practiced before doing this continuously to plain hunt and progressing on to ringing methods.

Delegates

Half-Day Introduction

The introduction workshop is designed for people with little or no knowledge of simulators, who may have a simulator in their tower but are not sure how to get it going, or who may be considering buying and installing one.

Half-Day In-Depth Options

The in-depth workshops are designed for people with a basic understanding of simulators who want to find out more about a particular software package (either Abel, Beltower or Virtual Belfry). They also allow someone familiar with one of the applications to find out more about another. These workshops are open to anyone who is a competent ringer and interested in teaching with the assistance of a simulator.

Workshop Leader

As a workshop leader you will be provided with:

• Help with marketing the workshop
• Action plans to help you organise the day
• PowerPoint slides & notes
• Workshop handouts

Note: As these workshops are designed to give delegates plenty of hands-on practice, we do need to hold them at towers that have a multi-bell sensor system (we can arrange additional computers, cables etc., so that there are a number of workstations).