Rockets Help Desk at NE 1:1

When we get a chance to share our passion for student integration of technology in education, we love to go and share our views and the ways we carry them out. Rockets Help Desk recently took part in the New England Student Showcase, which was held at the Burlington Schools.

We shared our work at Burlington High School, and it was great to meet the other students who were there from Hamilton-Wenham, Shrewsbury, Bishop Feehan, and Hopkinton.

During the showcase, many students, teachers and other educators came up to us and asked us about what we do at Rockets Help Desk. We eagerly showed them our blog and some examples of our work and answered any other questions they had. Julia and I were especially glad to help a math teacher who was not only interested in what we do, but also wanted our suggestions for an app she wanted to use in class. She was looking to share videos with her class, either when she was out or just as part of her lesson. We suggested Educreations, which is great for both students and teachers to use, as well as eduCanon, which is a great app to use when a teacher is out.

Most of the schools represented at the showcase are 1:1 schools, while Reading Memorial High School is BYOD.  Since our technology model is different, many people had questions about the role of Rockets Help Desk and how it differs from the Burlington High School Help Desk. I learned that many other tech teams, including Burlington’s, have their students fix and troubleshoot tech problems that arise in the iPads, or other devices, that the school provides by being 1:1.

While talking and sharing with other teachers was great, I also really enjoyed speaking to the other students about their schools and their tech team programs. Many of the teams that participated exist this year as a pilot program and will be a more permanent class or program next year, which is how Rockets Help Desk exists. Other than that similarity, I found that our program differs from others in many ways. This year, we have had lots to do creating tutorials, networking with others, and presenting our work. Some of the kids from the other programs felt as though because their program is still a pilot, there isn't much to do. This was especially the case with one school which will be going 1:1 next year.

The beauty of tech teams is that they are all different. None are exactly the same, and each one grows and develops based on the needs of each school. Although being able to build Rockets Help Desk on our own ideas and our school's needs is ideal, it is extremely valuable to learn about the way other tech teams run. That's why it is so great for us to attend something like the New England Student Showcase.

Rockets Help Desk along with the other students who participated in the showcase.