Scheduling issues aren't just with the VC equipment & the far site

My Kid2Kid Videoconference Connections class is just winding up. One of the side conversations that popped up during the discussion was as follows. Both of these schools have a room for the videoconference cart. Both videoconference coordinators are full time teachers with no release time to support VC.

Teacher coordinator A: I think the scheduling works well in our district (I just always check the district calander first to see if anything else is scheduled at that time and day).  It’s just sort of a hassle to make sure that everyone knows that I’m using the room in our school (our title 1 aides use it too to work with students in) and then make sure that they remember when I’m using it!  Sometimes the testing times aren’t during my planning time either and it’s hard to get someone to cover my class so I can test the connection.  If I do move up to our Middle School next year, I’m guessing it will all be different there anyway!

Teacher coordinator B: I have the same difficulties in my building.  The room is shared by title 1 and I try to schedule test calls for before or after school and then not forget that I’ve scheduled them.  I keep a calendar on the door of the room, a calendar for myself and then I have to update the calendar in the office in order to check out the room.  Sometimes I don’t get things updated in time though.  It can become overwhelming.

 

Teacher coordinator A: We have a book in the office where we are supposed to sign up for the days and times we will need the VC room.  Although I don’t even think the people who use that room know the book exists, or where it is kept.  Plus whoever printed out the calendar pages for the book didn’t have the right year, so all the days/dates are wrong!  big grin  So everytime I got to put a program in there, I have to scratch out the dates and put in the right ones.  I have a thought as to who printed those pages out, and because of who it might be, I’m not going to tell them they did it all wrong.  It’s pretty much just me using the book anyway.  lol

Do your schools deal with these room scheduling issues, too? Any ideas for solutions?

0 replies on “Scheduling issues aren't just with the VC equipment & the far site”

  1. What about using Google Calendar? It seems to have a lot of features that would help. Do you think either of your teachers would be willing to try it and report back to everyone?

  2. Good idea, Ken!

    A low-tech solution that one of my schools used was to put one of those acrylic holders that holds an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper at the door of the room and have a month print out and people could sign up for the room. VC trumped everything but Special Ed ARD meetings.

  3. Ken – I love the Google Calendar – but I think in this situation – it’s the habit of other teachers of just using the room and not using the mechanism in place to record the room scheduling that’s the issue. Likely those teachers are also very low-tech and it hasn’t occurred to them that it’s an issue. Hopefully as more teachers in the building use VC, they’ll realize the importance of using the structures in place for scheduling.

    It’s certainly an important issue and one that I’m sure many buildings deal with!

    Janine

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