Video instruction - helps develop applied skills?

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Jayo
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30 Mar 2012, 9:10 pm

I'm wondering if video instruction can help alleviate the Aspie challenges with jobs that require applied knowledge. Any jobs such as trades, e.g. electrician, carpenter, mechanic etc. or really just anything that requires precision manual work. Before my dx with Aspergers, I couldn't comprehend how I was so attentive to detail on theoretical matters, computer programming in my job, and what not, but found that manual tasks were too precise for me but weren't for other guys. Even as a kid in early high school, taking industrial arts courses, the teacher would always have to come around to me and manually adjust my elbow, each finger, etc, while others looked on and snickered - I thought, well, it seems to be in the position he showed me, what's wrong??!

It seems that someone demonstrating a technique to a class or group is not conducive to the Aspie absorption process as it would be to others - hence the label that civil rights advocates give of us being "differently-abled", not disabled. Which I agree with completely. I think the challenge comes down to three factors: mirroring deficits, short-term memory for verbal instructions, and motor skills. So watching an instructional video on "how-to" could make use of our stronger facets, like attention to detail, tolerance for repetition (we could pause and continue the video if left to our own devices), and intense focus. I have watched a couple of Youtube videos for car maintenance and this worked well when I applied it.

I suppose that research on this subject is still largely unexplored, but has anyone actually realized the benefits of this tactic and can advocate for it? Of course, the other side of the challenge is then enlightening employers on adopting the tactic to make the most out of such dedicated employees that we would be :-)



NowWhat
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31 Mar 2012, 11:02 am

I've been accused of being book smart with no mechanical ability. And while being trained heard frustrated/disgusted "I've never seen anyone do it like that before."

I am taking a homestudy small engine repair class. After reading the theory, and looking at diagrams, Youtube videos help show the practical how to.

I use a tree felling technique I learned on an arborist website that no one else I've worked with uses. It wasn't video, but diagrams and pictures. Because of this skill I kept my job this winter when more senior employees were laid off.

Training videos help me a lot. Especially being able to go back and rewatch if I missed something the first time through.



Jayo
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31 Mar 2012, 5:08 pm

NowWhat wrote:
I've been accused of being book smart with no mechanical ability. And while being trained heard frustrated/disgusted "I've never seen anyone do it like that before."



Yeah...well, I guess all you can say in that case is, "I'm still getting the hang of it." At least it's still during training, and not X months later. I hate it when the other person responds in a condescending or abrasive manner and either a) yanks the object from you and says "HERE, let me show you properly...now you give it a try" or b) they will manually manipulate your digits and joints to get it "exactly right" (which we somehow can't seem to perceive the way NTs do - I still don't see what subtle differences there are in such manual tasks, it seems that whatever I do is contributing to fulfilling the task, I don't get it.)