Day Eight Dominica: Technical Difficulties Continued

Monday, Monday ... The second week did not start well. More frustration with technology as I tried to set the lecturers up with a Symbaloo bookmarking site and teach some Moodle as the internet faded in and out. They are really excited to learn how to get their course work for the in-service teachers on line. However, the main web page has completely crashed, with no apparent back-up to reload, so anything we do is temporary. This is not an ideal situation, but there is still some value in practicing, right?

The IT manager made another special trip to campus to help me. While he was there, we discussed with the Dean the importance of posting course material online. Everyone was in agreement, teacher access to course material anytime anywhere would be extremely beneficial. This could be the thing that brings success to the system which seems to be struggling to gain ground. Disappointingly, the internet connection was lost again shortly after the IT manager left the building.

So, just as any good teacher would do, we fell back on productivity tools that exist off line. Since we have covered most of what is needed in PowerPoint, we turned to Microsoft Publisher and the various documents that can be created with it. If it weren't for bad luck, I just would not have any luck at all. At least those I worked with are an amiable lot. No complaints from them; they are pleased to learn any new thing. God bless them!

Hopefully tomorrow is a full internet-access day. I hope to get some real on-line work completed! Wish me well; I really need it!