Technology Best Practices
When technology doesn't work, best practice is to have a plan.
Sometimes, things happen.
We've all experienced equipment failure. Sometimes, it's due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. But rest assured, when your equipment fails, as a department, it is our job to get it back in working order.
Best case scenario: Being able to fix any issues we find on the spot, in the classroom or office setting. We want to be able to help you in the moment you need it so you'll be able to do your job successfully and efficiently.
Worst case scenario: if we visit and it turns out the issue is more complicated than a simple fix and it will require more detail and attention on our part to get you back up and running.
What you should know: If it turns out that we run into an issue that is more complicated than a simple fix, there may be times where we'll need to take your device out of the classroom or office setting, and bring it to our department at the District Office.
Our office has more tools at our disposal to properly diagnose and fix whatever issues we may find.
What happens when equipment failiure is beyond our skill set to repair it?
When that happens, we take a look at a few things.
Will we have to send it out for repairs? Will there be a cost for repairs? Is the product still under warranty? We have a Technology Coordinator, Jim Wasielewski, to help us determine a lot of these factors.
What you should know: Should your computer be sent out for any kind of repairs, there have been instances where it comes back with a full factory reset, losing all previous data in the process. Having a back up of your data will help us restore everything back to the way it was before it was sent out.
Should your equipment fail, here are a few things to consider.
Back Up Your Data
Technology isn't perfect. It can, and at some point, will fail. Sometimes it fails at the most inappropriate or unexpected times. To make life a little easier for your, we highly recommended that you back up your data, and do this often. Your data can be anything that is important to you. Things such as your documents, lesson plans, worksheets, power point and word documents, etc.. Other types of data can include various media such as pictures and videos.
As a VUSD employee, you have a significant amount of cloud storage available in Google Drive.
Google Drive
With the power of Google Drive, you can access your data anywhere. As long as you have an internet connection and are signed in with your VUSD Google account, you can access your data from your phone, your Windows desktop, your tablet, a Google Chromebook, and more.
Want some in-depth assistance managing your Google account? Reach out to any of our VUSD Digital Educational Coordinators for all of your Google needs, including Google Drive!
Technology Surplus
What you should know: As a department, we keep a general surplus of basic items such as keyboards, mice, various cables, and adapters. Everything else is dependent on what we have left over from previous projects, what we may get back from school sites, and how many extras of an item we are able to order. A lot of factors are involved and a lot of it comes down to availability.
Bottom Line: If there are things you need, please do not hesitate to ask. We are here to assist in any way we can. If there is something that you need, and if we have it available, we will get it to you.
However, if there is something we do not have, or don't typically keep a surplus of, we will let you know. At that point, we would invite you to reach out to your site administration, or the head of your department, to order what you need. If approved, purchased, and delivered, the Technology Department can assist in helping you get things set up.
School Site Laptops
If you are a school site that provides laptops for your staff, a best practice for school site administration is to have a few extra laptops available, and on hand, just in case something happens. Please contact Jim Wasielewski for options, details, and pricing, if this is a route you would like to take.
If your school site already has extra laptops, please reach out to your Technology Specialists to make sure they are updated and in working condition.
What you should know: We've had instances in the past where a laptop is given to a teacher or staff member, only to find out that it doesn't work, or doesn't work as it should. For a lot of these cases, we have found that this is due to many of these laptops being stored in cabinets for months, or some cases, years. When they are missing critical updates, or haven't been turned on in a long time, this can cause these devices not function properly, or, in some cases, at all.
