Education technology is everywhere, and it is especially noticeable right now.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, webcams are in short supply. Families are dusting off old computers. Everyone’s testing the limits of their home internet connections. Students are missing their school friends. Parents are struggling. Teachers are juggling.

While it’s wonderful that we live in a time where technology keeps us connected, education technology is the source of a lot of frustration right now. Let’s break it down.

Lessons from teachers and for teachers

If you’re a teacher, you’ve been asked to embrace digital tools with little prep time. Suddenly, your homeroom is on Google Classroom, MS Teams, Zoom, or Bongo. To turn in-class activities into online activities you’re scouring the internet, consulting with colleagues, and making things up on the fly.

You’ve had to pivot to use education technology. If you hadn’t already mastered how to make a PDF, you’ve figured it out now. Teachers with ed-tech training are ramping up lessons and, concurrently, mentoring colleagues on how to use the tools to best effect. Plus, teachers are providing tech support to students and parents by email and phone.

Students embrace education technology

If you’re a student, you’ve been asked to embrace digital tools. You think you know it all because you’ve got TikTok mojo and are working on becoming internet famous. For school, you have to convince your sibling to give you a turn on the family computer. You’re looking for your assignments on OneNote, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Finding your daily lessons is a scavenger hunt across multiple digital tools. Education technology requires assignments to be uploaded or emailed to your teacher.

And you’re wondering who’s going to know if you really do 25 minutes of daily exercise as requested by your physical education teacher.

Parents step up

If you’re a parent, you’ve picked up some extra job titles to facilitate education technology. Overnight, you’ve become the procurement manager finding computers, peripherals, tablets, and cables to get your kids online. You’re also IT support, managing internet access, log-in passwords, and antivirus software. Then, there’s your role as tutor helping your child grasp the tools and the “new-new-new” math that’s so different from what you learned years ago.

You’re also worried about how much screen time is too much screen time. Meanwhile, you’re doing your own job or looking for work to keep your family afloat. And of course you’re a parent, whose most important tasks are to love and protect your children.

Abundance and scarcity

Technology is abundant, but do you have the right education technology? Your tween might have their own mobile phone but no computer. Maybe your family shares one computer. Do you have enough technology for every student in your household? What about the adults working from home?

If you need to buy some technology, money might be an issue. Computers and tablets are expensive and many families simply can’t afford them right now. Even if budget allows a purchase, smaller, needed items such as webcams, microphones, and green screens are in short supply at brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers.

Internet access is another expense to consider. Are students relying on the data package on their mobile phone or do they have home internet? I’ve read that some students without the internet at home are being encouraged to visit their school parking lots to access the Wi-Fi. Even families with home internet are discovering the limits to their internet speeds. With a family of three or more concurrently streaming video, many households don’t have enough bandwidth. If budget allows and your neighborhood is wired for higher capacity, you can consider upgrading your service, but it might be difficult to get a service call.

With all family members working and learning at home, space could be an issue. If your family lives in a compact apartment, you might be sharing a dining table or home office. The sound of one educational video might spill over to someone else’s video chat. Finding a quiet spot or some alone time to think or write might be impossible.

What to do

We’re all living the challenges of education technology in these trying times. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Focus on what’s most important: safety, sleep, hydration, food, comfort, cuddles. Remember that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs does not include Wi-Fi.

Be kind: Everyone’s emotions are running high. We’re all experiencing the stress and worry of a pandemic for the first time.

Practice patience: One task at a time. Acknowledge the learning curve. You’ve got this. Remember you can walk away and come back later.

Pick your battles: If completing a lesson is too much, let it go. A student won’t be held back a year for incomplete assignments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Communication is key: Keep parents informed. Ask teachers questions. Find accomodations, as needed. Keep talking to solve problems.

Vent when you need to but be mindful of your audience: Try to do it in private so students and teachers don’t hear.

Avoid unnecessary arguments: Now is not the time to debate the merits of MS Teams versus Google Classroom. Ditto video chat platforms. Use Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, etc. as needed.

Acknowledge differences: Different children have different abilities. Adults have different technical skills. Some have a knowledge of Macs but not PCs or vice versa. Not all people are neurotypical. Remember that a person’s technical skill isn’t linked to age alone.

Keep money in mind: Technology is expensive. Be grateful for what you have and acknowledge that others might not have as much.

Teaching is still teaching

Education technology is the tool, not the lesson. Teachers’ knowledge and skills go far beyond the apps and interfaces they are using to teach today. Parents, too, have a depth of knowledge and skills to share.

Think of the technology as a delivery truck. Students want deliveries from their teachers, and teachers look forward to deliveries from their students.

Together, students, teachers, and parents are figuring out education technology. And we’re all learning; every day.

Let me know about any educational technology snags you may be facing, or innovative solutions you’ve come up with during these challenging times.