Tech-Using Troubleshooters, Google is Your Friend

"Google it." It's a phrase we use probably once a day in our modern world. As a teacher in a technology-rich classroom, Google (or even other search engines) is your pathway to learning basic troubleshooting methods and solving minor tech issues in the classroom.

When we began our one-to-one implementation a few years ago, we had students with reoccurring issues on their MacBook laptops. None of us had been Mac users previously (though I, Mrs. Esneault, am a Mac convert now!), so we had little idea on how to work around some of these problems.  Since the one-to-one program had just expanded to our school, our existing tech support guy (the fabulous Demetrius) was also learning how to solve Mac problems. 

By doing some basic Google research, I was able to find resources and tutorials on how to repair minor issues with student computers. On my team, we "divide and conquer." I became the unofficial MacBook guru at my school, fixing the small-time problems and getting the kids back to meaningful, engaging learning quicker and more efficiently than submitting a work ticket to the tech department.  The people in IT appreciate teachers that are willing to try to solve the problem first, before sending a work ticket to them. They are often dealing with the major issues (like network issues, data storage failures, hardware, software bugs), so your one student whose "computer keeps kicking them out of Blackboard" is low on the priority list. That said, don't spend days researching a fix when the superb and highly-qualified IT guys and gals can probably help you out faster. 

Be a self-starter! Most of you that are technology users do so because it makes your job easier. Simple Google searches may just give you the keys to unlock the closed door that is a defunct computer/application. 

For your amusement...

My team and I made some funny Keep Calm posters for our more serious issues (like screen cracks, etc.): 

 

Article contributed by Jennifer Esneault