Monday, August 16, 2010

Internet Woes.......

I love technology.

When it works.

Last week, on the night I was SUPPOSED to teach online for the first time, my internet let me down. I wasn't sure it was the internet, because they had suddenly "upgraded" the whiteboard program we use for our live online sessions. Don't you love it when they "upgrade" something with no warning? There are always glitches.

It was my first session with my new students, and the audio wouldn't work at all. Then it randomly kicked me off. And kicked me off again. And again. And again.

My students couldn't hear me at all, so I had to TYPE every word I wanted to say to them. What a wonderful first impression. I even had to type the part about having a back-up plan in case of technological difficulties, because there are NO EXCEPTIONS when it comes to turning in work.

I'm supposed to teach again (again?) tomorrow night, so tonight I thought I would have a trial run with Sweet Girl and see if it would work.

Same problems. She patiently waited while I went to Hubby's computer and tried there.

No luck.

Then on a whim I tried to use my connect card. You know, the things that are supposed to be wonderful out in the wilderness but are notorious for being slow?

Worked like a charm.

After the session last week, I tried to upload a document for my students. It sat there and spun for 15 minutes before I gave up in frustration. At school the next morning, it didn't take two seconds for the same document to upload into my course.

So now I have to call my internet non-provider and educate them as to just how many other internet providers there are out there. It's just such a pain in the rear to change email addresses. Maybe my bluff will work. We'll see.

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