It all started on Professor Bongo’s first day of teaching my class data analytics. After introducing what we would be learning, he went further to show what a typical job description of a business insight analyst looks like and that his goal is to turn all of us into one. In the ensuing conversation, he found a few of us who had mastered some of the core skills required and then assigned us the task of teaching the rest of the class.
The Preparation
My group was made up of 4 people; David, Amarachi, myself and Motunrayo. We were assigned to teach relational databases and SQL. The first thing we did was to create a communication channel for all of us. We used a WhatsApp group for this.
The next step was to determine what would be covered in the class. Since we were going to be teaching an MBA class, we decided that it was best to marry the topic to the business world, using a conceptual business model, its sources of data and the data collection process. This was David’s proposal and he also agreed to take care of it, in addition to covering the factors to be considered in choosing a database. Amarachi was to handle the introduction to Relational Databases and I volunteered to take care of database management and SQL, while Motunrayo was to cover how to export Excel data to CSV and how to import CSV formatted data to a Database using PGAdmin 4.
I created an editable base PowerPoint slide with the initial content and shared it with the group for everyone to collaborate on and by Thursday of the following week, the slide contents were ready. We did a mock class presentation, showing how we intended to handle our various contents in the class. We also shared and planned how to maximise the short time which may be allotted to us for the class. I sent a message a few days ahead of the class informing my classmates to do the necessary installations ahead of the class so that they could participate in the hands-on section of the class which Motunrayo and I would handle.
The Teaching
On the day of the class, I introduced the topic and my co-teachers to the class. I also spoke about the modality of the class and shared the slide using the screen-sharing tool on Zoom.
David got the class going as planned, followed by Amarachi. I got thrown out of Zoom at the beginning of Amarachi’s presentation by my internet connection. I managed to get back just when she was taking people’s questions.
I started my part by introducing PostgreSQL and PGAdmin 4. We discussed how SQL allows us to interact with databases, retrieve information, and perform various operations on the data.
To make the learning experience more interactive, we dived into the hands-on activities for the class. I provided them with sample databases and guided them through writing SQL queries to retrieve specific information. It was amazing to see the enthusiasm of the attendees and all the questions helped carry the entire class along.
Throughout the class, I emphasised that what we were covering was only the basics of SQL. I touched on how it connects with the business model we started with and how it can empower individuals to make data-driven decisions. We explored real-life examples.
The Outcome
By the end of the class, the attendees understood SQL fundamentals well. They were able to write basic queries, retrieve data, and even perform simple data manipulations. It was enriching to witness everyone’s progress and see their newfound confidence in working with databases. Professor Bongo promised that teaching the class accounts for the 30% marks allotted to our class participation for the entire course.
Conclusion
Overall, the experience of teaching my class SQL was incredibly fulfilling. It reinforced my passion for sharing knowledge and empowering others with valuable skills. I am grateful for the opportunity to have inspired and equipped them with the foundations of SQL, knowing that it will undoubtedly benefit them in their future endeavours. I deeply appreciate the contributions of my colleagues who I worked with to make the class happen. Their invaluable contributions were instrumental in making the class a success. I also appreciate our classmates for cooperating with us.
