How Do Faulty School Networks Hinder Classrooms?

November 5, 2019

While the saying “things are not what they used to be” is indeed overused, it applies most to the way schools are operating now.  Schools in 2019 are not even close to what they were just ten years ago.  But if we are going to prepare students to be tech-savvy adults, it makes sense to have their classrooms cater to that same “future ready” path.  This will allow students to go into their careers without a technology learning curve, therefore making them more successful sooner.

If we think about a school like a human circulatory system, all essentials, if they exist and operate properly, will lead students to have the best experience and prepare them for their futures. Just like our bodies, being proactive and monitoring ourselves will lead to a happy and healthy life.  So if we continue with this metaphor, we come to understand that the most important part to the operating system functioning properly is the network.

Before we provide you with the tips you need to make sure your network is strengthening your school and classrooms, let’s review some of the possibilities of a faulty network. Teachers not only use your school network for administrative tasks, they are also utilizing it for lessons.  And when a teacher relies heavily on the internet working to execute that plan, an entire class period can be wasted troubleshooting and trying to come up with plan b.

And if you’re requiring that students solidify their learning using the network for tests or quizzes, a non-operating system again wastes time and deters from learning. What would happen if the system failed not just for one classroom, but for the entire school, on a day where statewide testing was taking place?  The school typically relies on devices to get their testing done so they can efficiently report to the state.  And a non-operating system puts a halt in that whole plan.

Teachers and students may continue to work in a faulty network environment, but it will hamper their work or affect thorough completion of tasks. Consequently, the domino effect of a shoddy school network ultimately impedes the single most important mission of education technology – to enhance student learning and achievement.

Top 4 essentials of a well-equipped school that prepares students for their future

Regular monitoring, constant care, and attention to the network is ideal in order to keep it running silently in the background.  But what does that mean?  Proactive checks and scans of systems ensure that a breakdown will not cause a huge emergency, and everything can be appropriately fixed in a timely manner.

Just like the body, the network struggles when there is unpredicted stress.  Stress on a network could be anything from a brand new system the administration is trying out, or the addition of more student and teacher devices.  And so, the health of these systems directly affects the network and either hinders or adds to its performance.  A well-equipped school and district is always prepared for these “stresses” by having a plan in place.

Just as we visit a doctor for regular exams who we can hopefully trust as an “expert,” we know that that they can detect something that would not appear as critical to a non-expert.  And the same goes for technology inside a school.  Schools must lean on IT experts to proactively assess all systems and networks for optimal performance.

Lastly, we should know the “warning signs” that our bodies are unwell, and schools should know the same.  If the network dips in and out, and teachers are always unsure if their classroom will be connected, that’s a good sign that the servers should be updated and the network checked for issues.

The overall recommendation for any school that is looking to prepare their classrooms to make future tech leaders is a proactive approach to network design, security and support. And just as you would treat the body with regular checks, assessments with experts and preparing for unforeseen circumstances, school systems should be treated the exact same way. Teachers should feel confident that their lessons will be well received by students, and having great technology at their fingertips, with no technical issues, allows students to flourish. If you want to understand how All Covered provides world-class IT services and expert system engineers for school districts everywhere visit us.

ready to future-proof your school?

Brittany Rodriguez
Marketing Specialist

Brittany Rodriguez manages the finance and education marketing strategies for Konica Minolta Business Solutions and All Covered IT services. Brittany has worked in marketing for her entire career, but the past 4 years she has focused on content marketing and has a true passion for writing. She holds a degree in English and a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing in Education.