Reality Check: Back from Vacation
Summertime is now half over and many of us are taking our summer vacations, including myself. Vacations are not what they used to be as many schools and universities are just as busy, if not busier, over the summer months as new technologies are installed and updated. So is the case here, this summer we will have installed and/or updated thousands of PCs and other devices across campus. It is also when we realize back to school is just over a month away and there is always more to do than time allows.
After a week off for vacation and traveling hundreds of miles half-way across the country I have a new appreciation for ubiquitous access, or lack thereof. Armed with only my mobile phone and spotty wi-fi connectivity I now appreciate more than ever the high-speed network and wireless access we have available here at EIU. I hear others talk about how they use a mobile phone as their main computing device and that it is all they need to get work done. After a week on the road with my mobile phone as my primary computing device I disagree. I struggled with the small screen (aging eyes), a data plan with 4GB bandwidth cap, and apps that only allowed limited editing. It all felt very confining.
Even when I was at friends’ homes their wi-fi access allowed me to use my tablet but the wi-fi was often slow and unreliable.
So, I am calling this post a reality check because the level of access our students experience at home is often very different than the access we have available on campus. As we plan our lessons for the digital world we need to remember the realities of our students Internet experience. Learning Management Systems (D2L), flipped learning, cloud computing, Google docs, iCloud, SkyDrive, social media, YouTube, and scores of other Web 2.0 services all require the life blood of reliable Internet access, the faster the better. Too often this is not the case for the majority.I can sympathize with this because I also have sporadic Internet connection at home so I am somewhat used to this reality and have found ways to work around connectivity issues. I guess that is why I am such a big fan of having a USB port on all my devices as a USB port allows me to share and work on content at will, regardless of Internet connectivity.
As the numbers of devices on campus continue to grow there is a need to constantly increase capacity. Most never think about bringing in their own Android, iPad, or Windows 8 tablet and connecting to the network because our ITS department has done a good job deploying hundreds of access points across campus. Our ITS department does require a Safe Connect client to access wireless here but it is a onetime download that is similar to the splash screens you see in hotels asking you to agree to the Terms of Service. Wireless access is so ubiquitous on our campus that the individual user rarely thinks about the resources they are using when connected.
BYOD has been a reality here at EIU for decades. Many still talk about 1:1 programs but in reality it is increasingly common for this to be 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 program for college students. It is increasingly common for students to come to campus with a laptop, tablet, AND mobile phone – sometimes more; 10 inch tablets, 8 inch tablets, phablets, Kindle/Nook eReaders, etc...
The unintended consequence is that all these extra devices take up resources (every time you connect to a wi-fi network you are reserving an IP address) so anticipating and planning for increased capacity is always an ongoing project. If you are not using a device something as simple as turning it off will free up wireless resources for others. Information technology done well is invisible, but there is also a cost for this invisibility that most users take for granted. There are times when the density of devices in one area can overwhelm wireless access point capacity. When this happens it is frustrating for the end user and IT usually gets the blame for not providing enough of this “free” service.
As much as I tried not to, I did check my work email occasionally on vacation. I did this not because I wanted to but because I knew if I didn’t I would be inundated with hundreds of email messages that would make my life miserable when I got back to work. The ubiquity of mobile access is both a blessing and a curse. I try to keep a work and life balance but I think many struggle with this always-on connectedness. I did have a good break and found time to relax but breaking the digital habit cold turkey is difficult.
Many are unplugging more on vacations and some are even doing what is called a digital detox. It is reassuring to hear from others that it is alright to take a well-deserved digital break from the high-tech world we live in.Going On Vacation? How About A Digital Detox?
Do yourself a favor and find some time to unplug this summer.
Keep on Learning,
Tom Grissom, Ph.D.Follow me on Twitter @tomgrissom
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