How to deal with technology failures?

Technology is great! It does a lot of useful things, until it doesn’t. Then it can ruin your day.

Of course, you can prepare for this day as well. Here are a few common scenarios

There is no internet

• bring all necessary files on a USB drive
• switch to lesson content that doesn’t require the web
• do a coding kata
• repeat

There is no projection

• structure content from previous lessons on the board together
• discuss business cases
• repeat

Installing X does not work

• do programming in randomized pairs on the machines that work
• switch to lesson content that doesn’t require X
• explore alternatives together

There are too few computers

• do programming in randomized pairs
• do a hotseat kata
• repeat

There are no computers

• structure content
• write a program on the board together
• discuss business cases
• do a quiz

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Checklist: Software Installation

Programming is only fun if you already have some programs:

• What operating system is installed?
• Is there a way for you to see a participants’ screen?
• Is there a way to project a participants’ screen to the entire class?
• Is there a list of installed software or do you need to write one?
• Is there a centralized installation service? How much time in advance do they need?
• Are there any security restrictions regarding software installations or internet connections?
• Do participants have root access to their machines?
• Can you test installation of everything in advance? (if not, have a backup plan)
• Have participants worked on the same computers before?
• Have participants used a text editor before?
• Is there a git repository for the course?
• Do participants know how to use git?
• Is there an admin you can call for tech support?