News & Updates

Reporting Classroom Technology Issues

By Graham Espe

March 11, 2015

At Hamilton, we strive to ensure that our users have a good experience when calling for help. When experiencing a technology problem in the classroom, we ask that all users contact the Help Desk using the "#600" emergency number dialed from the classroom phone.

We understand that having a class proceed as planned is our top priority and the #600 number jumps to the front of the line and receives priority support. The Help Desk will ask some questions as to the nature of your issue and may also suggest some basic troubleshooting steps to see if an easy fix is possible.

If the Help Desk is unable to rectify the problem and it’s critical to have the technology operating to continue your class, they will call AV and request that a technician be dispatched. 

The important information that we need in AV is:

• The caller’s name and location.
• A detailed description of the problem.
• Any troubleshooting steps that have been tried already.
• Most importantly, if you want us to interrupt class to troubleshoot further. We can’t stress enough the importance of this item. Troubleshooting may include opening the back of the podium to check cables, or even pulling out a ladder to get to the projector. In short, we need to interrupt, and it may be distracting and noisy for a few minutes. If that is OK, and we have those basic pieces of information about the issue, we can dispatch a technician or student assistant.
• Or, tell the Help Desk, NO, I do not want my class interrupted. Please have it fixed ASAP.  This will allow us to be there at the end of your class before the next user has the same problem.

Unfortunately we are not always notified quickly or correctly of a technology problem in the classrooms. 

• Users go to plan B and do not report the problem.  This can go on for a number of days with everyone thinking that someone else has reported the problem.
• Users call 4181 when they get back to their office and report the problem.  This often results in inadequate information and more importantly the ticket created may not be categorized correctly.  Tickets called in this way are assigned the caller’s name while calls from classrooms are assigned under the classroom number and automatically assigned to AV. 
• A faculty member will often ask the department secretary to report the problem, who calls AV directly to request the room be serviced. At this point the critical information about the failure is unknown and it takes multiple phone calls to track down the faculty member who actually had the problem in the first place to answer our questions.
• There are many issues called in for help after the fact which are related to a specific user and how they are operating the equipment. For instance, a faculty member's computer display or audio settings may be set incorrectly on the resident computer or on his/her laptop. When AV gets the report of 'no display' or 'no sound' we send a technician to check the room when it is open and available.  When we log in using our own profile everything works properly, had that faculty member called the Help Desk from the room when they were having the issue, even after class, it could have been solved by phone right there on the spot.
• There are also a number of issues which result in help calls which need to be routed to groups other than AV. The Help Desk acts as a routing center in order to get your call to the right expert.  Even though AV is considered the first responders, many issues are passed onto other teams.  Whenever you see an e-mail with a subject heading relating to a classroom you use, please open it ASAP.  These are usually related to a technology issue that will take time to correct and often we’re attempting to find out what we can do to help you continue to teach your class.