Wow.  Lots to comment on!

First, the AVR concept.  In order to do this, I'll
need to get my act together and learn to use
relocatable code, either that or just start them
out on an HLL (I was thinking JAL).  If I use an
AVR, I'd have to learn more about that, too,
and for right now I'd rather not.  A fair idea,
though, and I really should work on adding the
AVR to my bag o' tricks.

Course should start in a few months, if I do it
at all.  I'm just trying to put together a broad
feasibility image for myself so when I go talk
to the people organizing the courses I can
have a better idea of what I'm looking at.  I
don't see many courses now that would give
their students the kind of stuff this would
entail, but the woodcarving class is $68, and
the Japanese language course I'm taking is
$50.  That kind of puts the squeeze on the
budget- obviously, the program gets a cut,
and then some rolls over to me, the teacher,
I think.

Actually, I think the best way to go would be
buying each student a PICKit2 low pin count
demo board for $24, and then building them
a Wisp628 on perfboard.  I should be able to
put together a Wisp628 for not much more
than $10-$15, if I'm buying bits 10 at a time.

I agree with the assessment that breadboards
and bootloaders are inappropriate for this venue.
Breadboards are pricey and can add a very
frustrating element to troubleshooting for a novice.
Bootloaders can be overwritten, require some
fancy footwork in coding (or at least, fancier than
the simplest blink-an-led code), and don't get
the student anywhere after the class is done, if
they decide they'd like to pursue more projects
on their own.

This class is aimed at getting the low-key
electronics hobbiest started using PICs.  I
suspect many of the attendees will be older men,
since the younger kids picked up these skills in
college.  There will probably be some younger
ones, too.

I'm also thinking about a general electronics primer-
voltage, current, power, basic circuit elements,
diodes, BJTs, maybe FETs, op-amps, timers, and
logic gates.  And a class on wireless networking for
the home.  I can't believe that no one is teaching
these classes.

Mike H.

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