Job Discussion Forums

[chinatimes]

Question, how do you get past the low tier worker who cannot make decisions without screaming and yelling in their face? Here is a problem I encountered, and it was resolved with actually better results than I hoped for. I am still stunned by the ordeal.

I taught at a high school, and I would go to 36 classrooms every 2 weeks. I got an account name and password and put files on each classroom's computer. During lunch, I would stay one day that week and put the files on 18 computers. All ready so I could just walk into class and turn the computer on. There were always projector issues and a few times audio problems. This saved me time and I could deal with those issues.

Now I am at a college and I would think it would be the same or better, right? NOPE!!!

When I go to the classrooms, they not only have it restart to a default setting (with a clean desktop, nothing I transferred last time I used that computer), but the computer is assigned to certain programs that default when a file is launched. This is where a ton of problems came up. Between right clicking and getting error messages in Chinese and not being able to get the projector to even turn on, I was quickly feeling distraught over the whole thing. But what really pissed me off was their first fat, lazy, lying tech guy that came to not help. Two Chinese workers came to help translate from the English department. This is basically how it went down when all 4 us discussed the problems on the computer.

Me: Let's start with video. I can't load video in Windows Media Player unless I install something every time I load the computer.

Tech Guy 1: Use another media player.

Me: (I click the other program and I get an error message, he restarts, tries to fix the problem while I argue my case to the English department that the tech guy could install Windows Media Player fully and then when the computer starts, it would always be available without me needing to install stuff.)

Tech Guy 1: No, can't be done
Me: Yes, it can.
Tech Guy 1: No, it can't be done, too many viruses.
Me: Yes, it can. Computer rooms install video games all the time and use the same kind of "default" setting so you restart the computer and the virus is gone. (I know he is lying at that point)
Tech Guy 1: No, it can't be done, teachers prefer the other program anyway (which still wasn't loading so how could other teachers prefer that program?)
Me: Fine. Tell him then I want to be able to view photos using the preview option Windows OS uses (both XP and Windows 7).
Tech Guy 1: Same, can't be done. You have to use our outdated picture viewer from the 1990s which loads images cut off at the bottom.
Me: What are you talking about, Windows picture viewer is installed with the OS. (Apparently, they re-routed this program. You have to right click, get a smaller preview of an image, and then you can select the Windows picture viewer there. Rather tedious, and I don't know why other teachers would like to do this.)
Tech Guy 1: This is the default setting, it cannot be changed.
Me: (I explain to the English department again it can be changed, you can set it at any point in time.)

This type of conversation went on for about 15 more minutes and we wrestled over text file issues in the same manner, coming to no amicable agreement. I got really upset at this point, and then the English department suggested I calm down and that we use a different classroom in another building which has new computers and not set up to launch idiotic programs inferior to Windows (can you imagine a Windows OS loading worse programs than the real default programs?)

The problem with this idea is that the new building with new computers is on the other side of the campus where it is nowhere near students' dorm rooms or entrances to the campus. They only have a few minutes between classes. I objected, and we chose to look at another room I teach in which is in the same building. This computer doesn't restart from new, and it keeps the files on the hard drive when you relaunch. This is when I got the tech guy 1 pissed off.

Me: (holding USB stick) Why are there files on this computer but not on the other?

Tech Guy 1: Because it is new. We cannot make changes, other teachers will complain.

Me: Oh? (I click on each partition drive and show the circle graph of available space. 69GB out of 100, with about 4 partitions like this. Plenty of space to load a new OS even. At this point the English department clearly sees what I am talking about. They see all the space and they know from a USB stick, there is plenty of space to store files.)

So, they talk in Chinese, and this guy starts raising his voice, hand motions start going. It is obvious he is now distraught.

Tech Guy 1: Ok, we can do something next semester. It is too difficult to do now.

Me: What? It's like changing a light bulb. I can install linux in like 30 minutes. Let me show you.

The English department then asks me, "How about that other building?"

Me: So, you want to make all the students walk across the campus and back every time because this fat, lazy, lying tech guy won't make simple changes? (They talk to him about this, and this was the final straw, he raised his hands and left the room irate.)

Tech Guy 2 comes in and he can speak English fairly well, better than the English department in fact. I show him all the inconsistencies the other tech guy stated, and he suggested I use an FTP system to upload my files instead which will be ready in a month or so. Better, but what do I do now to get at least text, photos, and audio to work without problems and error messages? We found out Adobe .pdf viewer was working on that computer, but tomorrow he will have to put it on the other computers.

1 day? Tech Guy 1 said it was so difficult I would have to wait for next semester. If I didn't throw a fit, I don't think I would have gotten anything done. Is this really how to resolve problems with a college in China?

The other thing which is a minor annoyance is that they make changes and have some Chinese employee I never talk to store those changes on her computer. What good does it do for her to have my changes and not send me the file?

How do you get updates from your school when there are changes?

[Shroob]

You have computers in your classrooms?

I have a blackboard and chalk. Coloured chalk if it's available to steal from another classroom.

[chinatimes]

[kev7161]

I find that if I'm calm, cool, and collected when discussing an issue or trying to solve a problem, nothing happens . . . certainly nothing happens in a timely manner. If I start to get angry and raise my voice, it's not long before the problem is addressed and sometimes (but certainly not always) taken care of in a somewhat satisfactory way.

I do believe that many Chinese feel, since we are foreigners in their country, that they are always right and we are . . . idiot foreigners in their country. Also, there's that whole "face" thing. Don't get me started.

[kungfuman]

Chinatimes I hate to take sides but you are indeed at fault - you most likely took him away from World of Warcraft when he was about to level up.

Shame...

By the way. logic, doesn't apply here. Especially when you are dealing with fat lazy underpaid useless workers who essentially don't want to do anything. Especially for a laowai.

[ymmv]

Get your own laptop, set up your lessons on that and connect it to the AV system when you get to class and you're good to go. I haven't seen a classroom AV system that COULDN'T handle this workflow in about 5 years.

(If you need Internet access, that's another kettle of fish.)

[scot47]

High Tech is not always the solution. Wetsmorland thaought that if he had enough helicopters he would win the war. Look what happened !

Go for chalk !

[ymmv]

[xiguagua]

I personally don't like classrooms with computers and projectors and I probably wouldn't use them except once in a blue moon if I did. In college I got so sick of teachers that did nothing but bring in a crappy powerpoint and expect that to satisfy the course material. It never does. I had telecourses that were seriously the low point in my college life because of how dreadful they were. Dry erase boards or blackboards all the way imo. Student has a question, you can write out examples and answer questions properly instead of having a deer in headlights face when someone asks something not on your powerpoint.

Computers are great, I love em, when I die, I would have probably wasted 85% of my life on them (the other 14% sleeping and 1% of MISC) but in class it does nothing but slow me down.

On a technical aside, most schools do the restart to default settings thing. It's easier and in order to add crap you'd have to have a personal login and put everything in my Documents or have admin status. Even in the States it's like that. If you gotta have all your stuff, there's nothing wrong with keeping it on a flashdrive, which is probably faster. What I have done back home is throw a copy of VLC player on the flashdrive, then you can manually open vid files to that instead of dealing with WMP BS which is crap anyway.

If that doesn't work, then yeah get one of those tiny netbooks for like 2k rmb and profit.

[Lobster]

Never had an issue like this that wasn't swiftly resolved by the college tech guy. From experience, I know that most college computers will not be set up to allow a non-admin to load new programs, and that all files saved will be wiped. So, I either take my own laptop and use that or put all my files on a portable 80G hard drive along with any programs I happen to need to play video, audio or show pictures. Personally, I don't want to leave my files on their computers anyway. Never had a computer that didn't have Office installed and working.

When I have had some tech problem, I don't get upset. If, for example, there's no sound or video and I need it, I just tell them I'm prepared to wait until it's fixed so I can start teaching. I'll just sit around and wait until it's done thank you. Then I just plop myself down and wait. Hey, I am still getting paid. The students can nap, chat or do their homework. No problem. Things get sorted pretty fast. Why should I work myself up to solve their tech problems? I'm not there to argue with anybody. You're taking things way too seriously.

RED

[chinatimes]

[GeminiTiger]

computers+ wb or cb > computer > whiteboards > chalkboards

Consider this, not having to rewrite an entire lesson every period and not taking 30 minutes to write it on the board means you can give a lot more information in class, both written and spoken. Plus when you leave you don't have a chalk-cough and look like you slept on the floor, also if you need to explain something visually all of those computer rooms usually also have a chalkboard or whiteboard.

Whiteboards are fun, but not for a 200 word pronunciation lesson that will be taught 8 times in a week. That's why we have computers.

[MisterButtkins]

I seldom use the AV equipment. At my school it is locked in these cabinets in each classroom and half the time either (1)No one knows where the key is or (2)The computer doesn't work

[xiguagua]

My classrooms are small enough that eyesight isn't a problem, if I see someone struggling to see, I'll move them up front. I write big.

I've had teachers that use the whole "write everything in wordpad" approach and i've always felt it was the least interactive method possible. It was basically us staring at a computer screen for an hour and a half. while she opened various files and us sitting around waiting for her to open them. Not to mention class always started 15 minutes late because she had to set up her computer. If I want to mess with all that, i'll take a online class. All of the best teachers in my life have used blackboards or white boards or whatever.

But whatever works. Everyone has their own thing

[wangdaning]

I often use ppts in class, but they are more for introducing ideas/activities. For a 90 min lesson maybe 10 slides, including title slide. The ppt just list key points, while I address the class with more detail, examples, etc (possibly writing examples from me or students on the board). It is also useful for introducing activities/tasks. Once I put it up and explain, I can go around and check each group.

I don't think we can say black/white board is better than computer or vice versa. Each teacher has their own style. If it works then use it. I don't like blackboards, and when I use them my lessons tend to fall flat.

To the OP, I agree with others that it might be better just to bring a laptop. Buy a cheap netbook. The classrooms we use here allow you to save on the desktop, but in the other classrooms the computers are like you described.

Tech support is always hit and miss. Like the China Unicom people. I got back from vacation and my internet was dead. They needed to reset on their end. They messed around for an hour. They finally got them to reset it. They then told me it was because I was gone for a week and that I should turn my router off before leaving next time.

The next time the same thing happened a different guy came. I told him it needed to be reset on their end. I also told him about the previous instance. He quickly called, got it reset, and in ten minutes my internet was back. Nice guy, he gave me his cell number and told me from now on to just call him if I have problems.