More and more, technology plays a bigger role in the classroom. We use it to create, explore, communicate, and store important pieces of a puzzle that, when assembled, help create part of your students’ overall educational experience. With increased use, however, comes an increased need for technical support and expertise.
Cue your IT department!
Whether that department is one dedicated professional or a team caring for all your private-independent school’s devices and software licenses, these people work hard to keep your school safe and moving forward into the 21st century. But sometimes it can feel like your priorities and theirs aren’t on the same page. Here, then, are some tips on how to work well with your IT department.
Reboot first, then call.
No, the IT people are not dismissing your problem when they ask if you’ve restarted your machine. As it turns out, rebooting your computer or device often fixes some of the more common issues. Tech writer Chris Hoffman says that when software code is to blame, restarting your computer allows the code to start from “square one” and (often) makes the computer run smoothly once more.
Don’t download questionable software or apps.
Common sense, right? And, on a related note, don’t get upset when your school's firewall blocks you from certain sites that have been identified as security threats or prevents you from downloading certain attachments. The firewall means that, while you can’t always get the schedule for the next division meeting, you also won’t have your school’s network compromised because you downloaded that seemingly innocuous “agenda.zip” attachment.
Know what your IT people can and cannot do.
Not all information/technology people are good at the same things. If they’re really good at working out Office program suite glitches, for example, they might not know how to repair the fax machine that’s spitting out random cover pages. Assuming your tech person knows how to perform miracles with every program and piece of hardware in your school will lead only to heartache and anger on all sides.
Just like catching flies is easier with honey than vinegar, exercising large quantities of patience when your IT Department is struggling with a new or large problem will go further than unleashing your frustration. Remember, this crisis will pass (sooner or later), and you'll need their goodwill later on, too.
Read your email!
Sure, there’s a chance that a squirrel ran into the transformer when your email (or power) is out, but it may be scheduled maintenance requiring certain services to be taken offline. Being aware of downed services—especially Internet for tech-heavy classrooms!—before the scheduled maintenance allows folks to make contingency plans. Often, your IT Department is your best defense against unexpected delays or problems. Before you get caught off-guard by a similar scenario, make a point to read all email from your IT people.
Follow instructions.
It’s easy to comply with commonsense items like “Remember to log out of computers in the computer lab!” or “Change your password often!”. Sometimes, though, instructions from the IT Department mean we have to change our computer habits, and that’s rarely easy.
Take operating system (OS) updates. When a user learns one OS—responsible for how software executes and peripherals are controlled—he or she could be wary of updating to a new one. But, as IT people know, staying with an outdated OS merely for comfort’s sake presents security risks for that device and all others connected to it over the local network.
For a real-world example of this problem, think about the repercussions of keeping Windows XP on any device connected to your school’s network, now that support and security updates have ceased as of April 8. Keeping an old OS could lead to your IT system getting hacked, like the April Fool’s prankster who sent out a mass text to families enrolled at an Australian school, saying school was closed due to fire damage.
On the flip side, you shouldn't upgrade to the "latest and greatest" gadget or program on a whim. Wait until your IT Department has given the green light—usually once team is sure it can handle troubleshooting the new system—before spending money and resources on an upgrade.
(For the record, the recent hack for Windows XP that claims to update XP for the next five years is not recommended by Microsoft as the new updates “are not tested against Windows XP.”)
So what does all of this have to do with you? When your IT person tells you that it’s time to change to a newer OS, email program, or other software—it’s time to change. When your device is connected to the school network, you may be placing everyone at risk if you don’t follow the IT Department’s directions.
In the end, recognize that your IT people are an integral part of your school, and that everything they do is intended to help protect and promote your school’s best interests. Take some time to bring them some coffee and a kind word, and you may see your broken laptop go to the top of their priority list.
Is your school integrating new software and hardware into your classrooms? Does implementing a 1:1 BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program feel like an impossible dream? Send your IT Department to ISM’s workshop Directing a Mission-Appropriate Educational Tech Program in Stowe, Vermont, if you want to upgrade your school’s use of technology.
Additional ISM resources:
Private School News Vol. 10 No. 5 BYOT: Cell Phones Approves For Classrooms
ISM Monthly Update for School Heads Vol. 9 No. 6 1:1 Laptops in the Classroom—Where Are We Now?
ISM Monthly Update for Division Heads Vol. 10 No. 4 Good Social Media Policy Protects Your School
ISM Monthly Update for Division Heads Vol. 11 No. 6 School Is Five Days a Week (Except When It’s Not)
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 35 No. 3 The 21st Century School: Curriculum and Technology
I&P Vol. 28 No. 13 Technology Self-Assessment and Your Strategic Plan
I&P Vol. 28 No. 8 Technology and Your Faculty’s Professional Development
