Technology and specialist status

July 12th, 2009

Education seems like the Governments toy.  When they get board they like to play with it, add extra things teachers have to do, put a few more hoops in place.  There next idea is teacher MOTs, every five years teachers are going to be reviewed to see if they are good enough to teach.  At the moment we have specialist collages, making schools compete for extra funding.  What this means is really good schools are even more funding while struggling schools could get left behind.


I currently work at a technology specialist collage and for the life of me cannot understand how they got it.  We have an internet connection that is highly unreliable, cupboards of laptops that have bare wires exposed on the power packs, projectors with wireless the no computer can detect, and data loggers that will not connect to the computers we have.


The Internet connection is strange, it is like they have brought broadband from BT on a normal home package instead of buying from a provider leased line.  I know they will have a proper broadband connection but it is so unreliable I would have thought that they would have switched to a more reliable provider.  With the availability of business SDSL really high I am sure there are plenty of companies providing broadband out there that would offer them a better deal.


I do actually think the tablet computers are dangerous.  On the low voltage side of the power packs the wires have been pulled out to expose bare wire.  That means if you wiggle the wire it crackles.  I have tried to get them fixed but who ever I ask just come out with the same explanation ‘it’s not our responsibility’ and then tell me to try a different department.  I have now resorted to patching them up with insulation tape.  I am not sure about the legality of it all because if something goes wrong with it the blame would probably be put on me, but I don’t really care I am not just going to pass around the problem like every one else.


With the data loggers it’s just like every bit of software/hardware.  Microsoft brings out a new operating system and all your favourite programs no longer work.  With a couple of adaptors and a quick phone call to the manufacture they are now working on a couple of computers so hopefully we will soon have a working set.


Well that’s my little rant about technology at work over and I do actually feel a bit better about it.

Posted in SDSL, technology | Comments (0)

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