When Tech is Not So Glorious

On Thursday, I went to PES to teach a different group of third graders about using Google Slides. I was so excited after the success of the previous group.  We would create! They would learn! Tech would be awesome!

But that isn't at all what happened. 

The kids were ready. I was ready. The tech, however, was not so cooperative.  

At first, five students couldn't connect tot he internet.  Then 7, then half the class. Though it wasn't ideal, we paired up so each student could at least partner on making a slide show.  Soon, the cascade of failure  made even that impossible. I joked that soon we would all just be standing around one connected ChromeBook, and the kids laughed along.  

So, in spite of all of our preparedness and eager anticipation, there was nothing to be done.  Working offline can be dodgy, and this wasn't the time for that lesson.

What lesson was learned?

1. Tech is amazing...when it works.  
2. Tech is frustrating when it doesn't work.
3. Kids are remarkably flexible  
4. Tech really needs to be hands on to be effective.  

We will try again this upcoming Thursday, hopefully with more luck,  I am guessing they will be even more ready to learn Google Slides, with the pump already primed.  But, more than that, they were flexible, readily trying different Chromebooks, rearranging seats, logging out and back in, listening, giving and taking advice.  These are the minds of the future. Flexible. Problem solvers. Ready to learn, but also ready to adapt.

That was my lesson for the day.