2. The Internet is Down and Other Challenges We Face With Technology

2. The Internet is Down

This we believe (NMSA, 2010).

*Students and teachers are engaged in active, purposeful learning. Active Learning

Several technology challenges took place this week. Yesterday afternoon, our Administrative Assistant came over the intercom and stated, "The Internet will be down for about five minutes." My students had arrived ready to work on their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) projects, and homework for another class. "Take your book out to read," I said. "If you do not have a book, go borrow one from Mrs. V." Students complied but groaned because deadlines are approaching. As teachers, we cannot rely too heavily on technology, and we need to have alternatives for students to access information.

Technology is a tool; the reality is that technology only works when there is a connection; and technology is most effective when students use it appropriately. A second challenge our school faces is the inappropriate use of technology. Our principal sent a message out this week stating, "You must monitor the students at all times, especially while they are working on their Chromebooks." Evidently some students are exploring technology inappropriately. My students are slick. I find that moving around the classroom while students are working does not necessarily deter students from postings or chatting while they are online. 

A third challenge I noticed this week is student care for devices. Our students, for the most part, have taken amazing care of the devices. All devices are stored at school: Chromebooks, graphing calculators, rulers…. We have a computer cart in each room and at the end of the day, students bring the devices back to the classroom for charging overnight. I call devices their babies. "Put your babies in their cradles," I share. "These are not our babies," D says. "You must take care of them as if they were," I reply. Each device is numbered, has the student's name on the back, as well as my initials, and a code to identify our team name. In the past month, I have seen three Chromebooks sail off a desk onto the floor. I use Texas Instrument calculators and at least once a day, one of them ends up off a desk and on the floor. I must say that I am impressed with the durability of Chromebooks and Calculators, but I am concerned about the long-term effects of these devices living in a middle school. (Ha-ha, perhaps we could say that about all of us…)

As we consider the power of technology, as a tool for gathering and sharing information, we must consider back-up plans and alternatives, as well as procedures for monitoring technology use and protecting devices.

Advice

1. The first challenge we face is relying exclusively on the Internet. We must have back-up plans. I keep a paper copy of the assignments I have posted on Google Classroom in a folder. My plans include alternative lessons/assignments, bookwork and group collaboration projects instructions.

2. Room arrangement can help with monitoring; but I will tell you, children can be sneaky. What I have found is giving a specified amount of time to work on an assignment and having appropriate websites students can visit. In addition, I tell students that if they are not on an appropriate site, they will have to shut their computer down for the rest of the period.

3. I do worry about how materials are treated. (I have a problem with students breaking pencils in class and leaving the remnants of a once useful Ticonderoga left to be used as an eraser.) I am thinking we must continue to have the conversation with students about taking care of the tools in the classroom. I believe having the students leave the equipment at school has provided much safety for the devices. However, realize that middle school students can be a little clumsy. While some students may drop a book on purpose (Isn't it amazing that this behavior still happens? I can remember having a book drop at a specified period during a class, a long time ago...). Most of the time, it is an accident. We must be patient with students and take the time to remind them of the importance of taking care of our valuable resources. However, if a device is dropped twice in one day, I usually let the student share a device with another student for the rest of the period.