Standard 3.5 - Basic Troubleshooting
Candidates troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems common in digital learning environments. (PSC 3.5/ISTE 3e)
Artifact - ITEC 7400 Unstructured Field Experiences Log
Reflection
As a media specialist at Centennial Place Elementary I am also the individual responsible for submitting the annual state technology inventory and acting as liaison between teachers and the district’s Client Support department. I also work closely with district information technology staff, supervising classroom equipment upgrades as well as network installations, and I help our educational technology specialist coordinate professional development. Frequently these responsibilities require significant troubleshooting of basic hardware and software. This activity is best documented through a review of my unstructured field experience logs.
The beginning of every school year brings numerous unknowns and challenges. Chief among these is the status of the school’s classroom technology and network access. During the summer, district information technology staff often upgrades networks and installs equipment around the district. Because of the number of IT initiatives underway every summer, it is easy for normal school operations to be overlooked during installations. During the summer of 2013, eleven new thin client computers were being installed in the media center, increasing the number of student-use workstations to 20. Before leaving for the summer, I had disconnected nine workstations, marked which ones were not to be moved, and created a furniture diagram for moving library furniture and installing new computer tables. I hoped I would return to school in July 2013 to flip switches and test connectivity. That was not the case. Although furniture had been moved, all 20 computers (and keyboards, mice, monitors, and network switches) were piled along the wall. After several phone calls to IT technicians, I decided it was easier to install the equipment myself, which I did. All computers were moved, plugged in, connected to the network, and tested before I called Client Support again to connect printers and ensure all network software was updated.
Although I have considerable experience managing the school’s technology, I learned several important things while creating this log that documented the amount of time I spend involved in “break/fix” activities. First, through frequent meetings with my principal and our district IT manager, I have realized that my principal counts on me to keep her informed about technology needs and to advocate with IT for effective solutions at Centennial. Second, although I have considerable experience in keeping equipment running, my time should be spent coordinating a technician to fix things. I spend a lot of time on these issues, but a better use of my time, whether as a technology coach or media specialist, is collaborating with teachers about instruction to help students become 21st century citizens. Finally, my twelve years intimately involved with technology issues at Centennial Place gives me credibility to lead the technology planning initiative over the next year as we fully transition into Centennial Academy’s STEAM instructional model.
The work that has gone into creating this field experience log impacts school improvement, teacher professional development and student learning at Centennial. An effective, modern technology infrastructure is mission critical to the work of a modern school to ensure access to digital resources and tools that support 21st Century learners. Legacy equipment needs to interface compatibly with new technologies or be replaced. Downtime due to technical problems needs to be avoided or limited. Teachers need to have equipment they can count on to use effectively and efficiently, whether during instruction or for professional learning. The impact of good troubleshooting is best demonstrated when equipment and systems are working so smoothly there are no significant technical problems, and downtime is measured in minutes if at all.
As a media specialist at Centennial Place Elementary I am also the individual responsible for submitting the annual state technology inventory and acting as liaison between teachers and the district’s Client Support department. I also work closely with district information technology staff, supervising classroom equipment upgrades as well as network installations, and I help our educational technology specialist coordinate professional development. Frequently these responsibilities require significant troubleshooting of basic hardware and software. This activity is best documented through a review of my unstructured field experience logs.
The beginning of every school year brings numerous unknowns and challenges. Chief among these is the status of the school’s classroom technology and network access. During the summer, district information technology staff often upgrades networks and installs equipment around the district. Because of the number of IT initiatives underway every summer, it is easy for normal school operations to be overlooked during installations. During the summer of 2013, eleven new thin client computers were being installed in the media center, increasing the number of student-use workstations to 20. Before leaving for the summer, I had disconnected nine workstations, marked which ones were not to be moved, and created a furniture diagram for moving library furniture and installing new computer tables. I hoped I would return to school in July 2013 to flip switches and test connectivity. That was not the case. Although furniture had been moved, all 20 computers (and keyboards, mice, monitors, and network switches) were piled along the wall. After several phone calls to IT technicians, I decided it was easier to install the equipment myself, which I did. All computers were moved, plugged in, connected to the network, and tested before I called Client Support again to connect printers and ensure all network software was updated.
Although I have considerable experience managing the school’s technology, I learned several important things while creating this log that documented the amount of time I spend involved in “break/fix” activities. First, through frequent meetings with my principal and our district IT manager, I have realized that my principal counts on me to keep her informed about technology needs and to advocate with IT for effective solutions at Centennial. Second, although I have considerable experience in keeping equipment running, my time should be spent coordinating a technician to fix things. I spend a lot of time on these issues, but a better use of my time, whether as a technology coach or media specialist, is collaborating with teachers about instruction to help students become 21st century citizens. Finally, my twelve years intimately involved with technology issues at Centennial Place gives me credibility to lead the technology planning initiative over the next year as we fully transition into Centennial Academy’s STEAM instructional model.
The work that has gone into creating this field experience log impacts school improvement, teacher professional development and student learning at Centennial. An effective, modern technology infrastructure is mission critical to the work of a modern school to ensure access to digital resources and tools that support 21st Century learners. Legacy equipment needs to interface compatibly with new technologies or be replaced. Downtime due to technical problems needs to be avoided or limited. Teachers need to have equipment they can count on to use effectively and efficiently, whether during instruction or for professional learning. The impact of good troubleshooting is best demonstrated when equipment and systems are working so smoothly there are no significant technical problems, and downtime is measured in minutes if at all.