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Got a glitch? MHS techies to the rescue
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Published: October 23, 2009
Mooresville High's laptop Help Desk gives students and teachers a valuable repair resource for their school-issued computers.
But it also provides the students who man the Help Desk with a hands-on elective course about technology.
As part of the Mooresville Graded School District's digital conversion, a help desk was established at each school for any issues – hardware- or software-related -- that may crop up with teacher or student laptops.
While a school staffer runs the Help Desk at most of the district's schools, MHS has turned its assistance services into an elective course for students. It allows the teens to help their classmates and teachers with any issues that may arise during the school day.
And while those students benefit by earning a practical working knowledge about the technology used throughout the district, the MGSD benefits as well.
"It's been advantageous to us because the students are an extra set of hands to help us repair machines," said Scott Smith, director of technology for the district.
Calling it a "good symbiotic relationship," Smith said utilizing the students' services through the class makes for a faster response time to problems and a quicker turnaround of repaired laptops.
Additionally, other district schools are being assisted by the teens.
"Now this year, some of the kids from the high school are going to the other schools and offering support," said Smith, noting that the kids often have more knowledge about specific laptop problems than some teachers in the district.
Although the Help Desk's primary goal is to fix any minor issues with the laptops – such as broken screens, jammed CD drives and software issues as well as any personal assistance using programs – students also have several projects throughout the semester regarding the digital conversion.
Whether it's creating a pamphlet about a particular program or making a tutorial movie for other students, Help Desk teacher David Sherrill said students gain a practical computer knowledge that will aid them after high school, whether or not they're studying something technology-related.
"Anything they learn here is just going to benefit them down the road," said Sherrill.
"They'll have some practical skills when they leave here," he added, noting that only a few of his students have expressed a desire to enter the information-technology field. Most, he mentioned, have a "general interest in computers" and simply want to gain a basic understanding of how the technology works.
For junior Andrew Graham, studying computers after high school isn't likely. However, he said he's been interested in the technology "for a while" and has easily learned about the machine's internal workings as a result of the class.
"This is definitely a handy skill to know," he said, calling the course "fun."
Although he entered the semester with some computer knowledge, Andrew said he's already learned a lot from Sherrill, including how to change a broken laptop screen, which he can do in 20 to 30 minutes.
"Some are a little more difficult," he added as he helped and taught fellow student Nathan Culberson, a senior, how to repair one.
Said Sherrill about the students working together, "(Andrew) is getting reinforced in learning because he's teaching."
That aspect of the course, he said, helps him decide how he'll grade a student. "I'm more concerned with 'are they showing an effort.' It's more important that they show me they are willing to learn."
And willing to help each other, as senior student Josh Doom mentioned.
"If we don't know how to do something, someone else (here) does."
Added Sherrill, "I can sense pretty quickly if a student doesn't know what's going on."
Regardless, Sherrill said he enjoys teaching the class and providing a new skill to his 35 students – spread among four block periods each day.
"I'm definitely in favor of this format," he said. "I enjoy watching them learn how to do this stuff."
The students seemingly feel the same way.
"It's fun (and) laid back," said Andrew, expressing his excitement over taking apart an entire computer and learning to put it back together during the first week of class.
Although registration for the spring course is already full, Sherrill said he expects students to continue taking the class in the 2010-11 school year.
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