Try This: What to do When Technology Fails

Has this happened to you? You spend hours rewriting an old lesson plan, incorporating rich, adventurous online tools. You test it several times just to be sure. It’s a fun self­paced lesson plan with lots of activ­ ities and meandering paths students undoubtedly will adore. Technology enables it to differentiate authentically for the diverse group of learners that walk across your threshold.

Everyone who previewed it is wowed. You are ready.

Then, on the day of the lesson, the technology fails. Hours of preparation wasted because no one could get far enough to learn a d*** thing. You blame yourself—why didn’t you stick with what you’d always done? Now, everyone is disappointed.

Implosions like this happen every day, sometimes because the network can’t handle the increased traffic or the website server goes upside down. Really, the reason doesn’t matter. All that matters is an effort to use technology to add rigor and excitement to a tired lesson plan fails, leaving the teacher more technophobic than ever.

With the pride of place iPads and Chromebooks have in curriculum decisions, tech problems will be wide­ ranging: Everything from a student’s device not having the required software to the classroom systems not hooking up to the school’s network or Wi­Fi.

Students will look to their teacher for solutions, and the teacher will become best friends with a tech­savvy colleague, whose conversation includes words like gig, server, and modem.

For many, “tech problem” equates to the mind­-numbing, bone­-chilling feeling of “I have no idea what to do.”

In a word: Failure. Not a feeling teachers like. But tech failure is inevitable. There are too many circuits and algorithms and wires shoved under a desk to expect it to go right all the time.

So what should you do to prevent the inevitable epic tech failure? Prepare for it before it happens.

Have backups of data, as well as redundant devices, hardware, and systems. For example, install three browsers on your computer so if Firefox won’t work, Chrome will. Build in time for system reboots (because that solves at least half the tech problems that plague a classroom). Pre­test relevant systems to become familiar with glitches.

Be a problem-solver

Embrace problems. Own them. And try these basics to get you through many a stressful tech day:

• These two steps have solved about half of the tech traumas I’ve faced: If the computer won’t start, check that it’s plugged in; then, if power isn’t the problem, reboot. There are 18 more problems that I’m equally prepared for. Track your tech woes by writing down each incident as it happens. Soon, you’ll find it’s the same ones over and over. The tech version of the movie Groundhog Day
• Do a web search for the problem. You’ll find an answer about 70 percent of the time. If you’re looking for general, narrative information, Chat GPT (or another generative AI source) could offer assistance.
• Don’t expect technology to remain unchanged. Links die. The website you used last week may not work today. The favorite software you’ve used for years could be incompatible with system updates. Your new computer might not run programs you used regularly on your old computer. Prior to presenting, go through the tool you’re planning to use or the process you’re teaching— see if it works like it used to.
• Use failure as a teachable moment. Show students how you handle stress, problems, frustration. It’s an opportunity to stretch that magnificent big brain and devise
  a solution. It’s a chance to ask students, What would you do?
• Don’t apologize. Save apologies for something you caused. Tech failures are caused by the Universe. Tech is the third leg in the “inevi­table experiences” stool, along with death and taxes. Personally, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had a major tech failure. You know it’s coming. Control how you react to it.

California Educator Jacqui Murray has taught K-18 technology for 30 years. You can follower on X @AskaTechTeacher