iSquad+Successes+and+Challenges

Return to iSquad

Please use this page to record iSquad success and challenges.

> Students have been helpful in keeping inventory up to date and keeping track/recovering any misplaced/missing equipment.
 * Successes**
 * iSquad during school hours is successful.
 * Dedicated students come in at 6:55 am – so proud of them for their dedication – sometimes they are there before me – Principal pays for the am program.
 * Bring iSquad to training such as eChalk and Atomic Learning training to make my job easier.
 * Created sheet calendar for teachers to sign on weekly basis to indicate when they need iSquad to come to classroom to help.
 * Teachers who were technologically challenged were able to function almost seamlessly with the help of their isquad team mates.
 * iSquads were good at helping the administration during parent teacher conferences by manning smartboards and showing powerpoint presentations to parents.
 * The students are so helpful in troubleshooting basic computer related issues on "the spot". For example, internet related issues, basic/simple LCD-Whiteboard connections....
 * Our successes relate mostly to the high level of knowledge that the students possess, allowing the coach etc. to deal with only the more serious issues.
 * Last year’s iSquad students take great pride in helping to train the new recruits.
 * Created an email account for the teachers to request help from the iSquad.
 * The Principal has provided snack for the I squad after school meetings and paid for them to go on an end of year field trip to Sony Wonder Lab and lunch.

> Other thoughts:
 * Challenges**
 * Challenge: To get the teachers to let go a little and let the iSquad member assume control and guidance. Students assume troubleshooting control.
 * Solutions: Secure time on the administrative agenda for teachers with success to share best practices around how they operate successfully. Have a spotlight on the website or newsletter featuring iSquad success with best practices embeded.
 * Challenge: Ensuring Tech Coach, iSquad Faculty Advisor and Depot Manager collaborate and are on the same page.
 * Solution: Schedule monthly meetings to collaborate, plan and share.
 * Challenge: How should we handle the issue of providing passwords to iSquad students.
 * Solutions: Please use the [|discuss board] to share your thoughts and ideas.
 * Reluctant to do that because students cannot be trusted to not divulge this information.
 * iSquad students take a lot of pride in having the passwords and they keep them to themselves. Allowing a select group of students to use the admin password facilitates web management and additional troubleshooting across the school. On the other hand, if the kids are new this year and the adviser isn't familiar with them yet, there's a trust issue.
 * We believe in our iSquaders' sense of responsibility. Selecting two or three students to have access to passwords has worked so far. Giving the passwords out to a large number of students may not be a good idea but having iSquad leaders can be beneficial.
 * How do we get the laptops back into their carts at lunch and after school without cutting into teacher time?
 * The iSquad can be utilized for this
 * Can determine that cooperative teachers have homerooms
 * If teacher is not in the room they can tell their neighbor to open the door
 * How to coordinate between the classroom iSquads (the kids in the classroom who distribute computers and do basic troubleshooting) and the afterschool iSquad (a smaller group, which overlaps) which is trained on how to reimage and do other, more sophisticated, things .. ?
 * How to develop trust with the iSquad when they, or you, are new .. ?
 * Ensuring that all iSquaders show up for the scheduled trainings has been a challenge. It is hard to keep all of them on the "same page" if they miss training sessions. Keeping students motivated and interested in being a part of the iSquad is also difficult as some of them tend to get easily bored. Additionally, some teachers do not utilize their trained students and these iSquaders tend to feel as if they attend training but their knowledge is not needed or used in the classroom.
 * Managing time to allow students to help out during the day while they are in class.
 * If iSquad is in charge of the collection of laptops after class, they may get into confrontations with students who are not following teacher directives to "shut down" ( More to do with specific teachers classroom management skills)
 * One challenge was choosing the students to be on the isquad. How do we choose fairly? Some students who are quite tech savvy are not so proficient in their academic work and behavior but yet you do not want to exclude them from the squad. To address this we have to be more stringent in our choices of students. Sometimes this can be viewed as discriminating but we have to do it. How do we find students with potential?
 * Solution:
 * Students are mostly chosen by their grade averages (must be over 80) and not have any behavioral problems.
 * Have an application and have the students apply and interview them.
 * May also require them to write a letter of intent
 * Sometimes students with behavior problems are the best to include. Consider put the student in the iSquad and see if he can stay based on requirements.
 * Sometimes the toughess kids are the best at keeping management and organization and enforcing things