3.5: Basic Troubleshooting
Candidates troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems common in digital learning environments. (PSC 3.5/ISTE 3e)
Artifact: Unstructured Fieldwork on various troubleshooting issues in a school / various environments
This artifact was created from a number of situations that arose in school and in a professional development setting and helps to demonstrate my personal ability to troubleshoot a wide diversity of basic hardware and software problems in a variety of different contexts – whether it be in a formal school setting or when delivering professional development on behalf of the International Baccalaureate Educator Network (IBEN).
This artifact shows that I am able to work with a variety of devices (Kindle Fire, PC, Apple) in a variety of settings (hotel wireless networks, school districts, own school context) and with a variety of age groups from young students to the older learner. Each time a problem was presented, I demonstrated that I was able to approach the problem with calm ability to seek a solution and create solid steps to guide the individual with the device difficulty to learn and manage future occurrences of the same issue. The ability to know all devices would be virtually impossible – but having a flexible attitude, an open mind and ability to approach learning new skills with a variety of basic troubleshooting strategies helps the end user feel more comfortable about asking for help and using the device in an authentic way for teaching and personal learning.
When working with workshop leaders for IBEN, I am often asked to troubleshoot basic issues with technology in terms of setting up devices on school or hotel networks. In this particular artifact, one of the issues that arose for many of the workshop leaders was that one of our summer workshop assignments demanded the design of an online component for the participants. Many of the workshop leaders had not designed or facilitated this kind of learning before. Therefore, I volunteered to coach those who were interested in using Google Sites and Today’s Meet for some of the tasks and activities that they were asking their participants to engage in asynchronously.
In creating this artifact, I became aware that the life of the Instructional Technologist would always have this element to it. To be prepared to “tinker” with technology and to always expect questions that come with this very particular set of skills. I also reflected that I would always be building this skill set. While completing this artifact, just by experimenting with the device, I learned deeper capacity for its use. While this takes time (which, is the sad lament of many educators), the dividend is that the next time the solution comes easier – and the additional skill set helps to expedite future trouble – in effect saving time in the long run.
Where teaching the workshop leaders was concerned, I do reflect that I should have separated out or created a “sandbox” area for them to experiment in when learning the tools for their online components. I simply shared the tasks that I had shared with my participants and because some workshop leaders had never used this before, they erased some of my work, which I had to replace. I have since created a sandbox that I keep ready for workshop leaders that do reach out that I simply copy and share with them, which protects my original work for future use.
This artifact certainly improved the skill set of the workshop leaders in their own school settings across America. In the case of the teacher assistant with the Kindle Fire, she is now able to assist her special needs students when there are issues with devices in her own classroom in Ireland. The impact of this has been such that I have been asked numerous times over the last year to copy my sandbox environment for workshop leaders who are leading workshops all over the planet and share it with them as good online teaching and learning practice. I have spent time with these educators online and on the phone guiding them as to its use and troubleshooting the key issues that might arise.
This artifact shows that I am able to work with a variety of devices (Kindle Fire, PC, Apple) in a variety of settings (hotel wireless networks, school districts, own school context) and with a variety of age groups from young students to the older learner. Each time a problem was presented, I demonstrated that I was able to approach the problem with calm ability to seek a solution and create solid steps to guide the individual with the device difficulty to learn and manage future occurrences of the same issue. The ability to know all devices would be virtually impossible – but having a flexible attitude, an open mind and ability to approach learning new skills with a variety of basic troubleshooting strategies helps the end user feel more comfortable about asking for help and using the device in an authentic way for teaching and personal learning.
When working with workshop leaders for IBEN, I am often asked to troubleshoot basic issues with technology in terms of setting up devices on school or hotel networks. In this particular artifact, one of the issues that arose for many of the workshop leaders was that one of our summer workshop assignments demanded the design of an online component for the participants. Many of the workshop leaders had not designed or facilitated this kind of learning before. Therefore, I volunteered to coach those who were interested in using Google Sites and Today’s Meet for some of the tasks and activities that they were asking their participants to engage in asynchronously.
In creating this artifact, I became aware that the life of the Instructional Technologist would always have this element to it. To be prepared to “tinker” with technology and to always expect questions that come with this very particular set of skills. I also reflected that I would always be building this skill set. While completing this artifact, just by experimenting with the device, I learned deeper capacity for its use. While this takes time (which, is the sad lament of many educators), the dividend is that the next time the solution comes easier – and the additional skill set helps to expedite future trouble – in effect saving time in the long run.
Where teaching the workshop leaders was concerned, I do reflect that I should have separated out or created a “sandbox” area for them to experiment in when learning the tools for their online components. I simply shared the tasks that I had shared with my participants and because some workshop leaders had never used this before, they erased some of my work, which I had to replace. I have since created a sandbox that I keep ready for workshop leaders that do reach out that I simply copy and share with them, which protects my original work for future use.
This artifact certainly improved the skill set of the workshop leaders in their own school settings across America. In the case of the teacher assistant with the Kindle Fire, she is now able to assist her special needs students when there are issues with devices in her own classroom in Ireland. The impact of this has been such that I have been asked numerous times over the last year to copy my sandbox environment for workshop leaders who are leading workshops all over the planet and share it with them as good online teaching and learning practice. I have spent time with these educators online and on the phone guiding them as to its use and troubleshooting the key issues that might arise.