How do students trouble shoot technological challenges?

Email not working on Ipad:

• Go to Settings > Scroll down the left side and tap on “Passwords & Accounts”
• On the right, tap on “Eden Prairie Schools Mail” > Turn off mail by tapping the green slider so that it turns gray
• Hit the “Accounts” in the top middle to go back > Tap on “Add Account” > Tap on “Google”
• Sign in using student email & password following the prompts.
• Email: StudentID@ep-student.org  (i.e. 1234567@ep-student.org)
• Password: (LunchPIN)learn← all lower case (i.e 1234learn)
• Eventually after authentication, it will display the sliders and you can hit “Save” in the upper right corner.

iPad Troubleshooting at Home

Setting up Home Wifi: To set up a home Wi-Fi network, go to Settings, then Wi-Fi. Find your wireless network in the list and select it. If your wireless network is password protected, a box will pop up and you can enter the password. When the iPad is successfully connected to your Wi-Fi, a blue check mark will appear next to the name of the network at the top of the screen.

Troubleshooting Wifi at home: If you are having difficulties with wireless network connectivity on your iPad, try turning the Wi-Fi off and then back on. To do so, go to Settings, then Wi-Fi, and simply toggle the switch back and forth. This will reset the connection to your Wi-Fi and will often resolve wireless connectivity problems.

Rebooting the iPad: If your iPad freezes up or isn`t behaving correctly, the first troubleshooting step to take is to “reboot”the iPad. This will resolve many types of simple problems. Hold down both the power and home buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the screen go blank and the Apple logo appears.

iPad/Apps not Responding: Go to Apple Support

How To Limit Screen Time on iPad

Screen Time allows a parent or teacher the ability to set additional limits on a student’s iPad. Open Setting > Select Screen Time > Select Turn on Screen Time > At the screen Time screen, press continue > Select This is My Child’s iPad Downtime – Setting this will make the iPad unavailable turning the time selected.
App Limits – Students are only able to get apps the district has approved so we would recommend selecting not now for this. Content and Privacy – Select Continue Screen Time Passcode – Create a 4 digit code you will remember and your student is not likely to guess. After you create a Screen Time Code, you will be asked to enter an Apple ID to recover the password in case you forget to code. PLEASE DO NOT ENTER AN APPLE ID. The District Help Desk can remotely remove screen time passwords. There are more setting you can look through if you want to further restrict your student’s device. Please keep in mind, some restrictions may interfere with apps and access needed for learning, so use prudently.

How to Run iOS Update

Open Settings >Select General (on the left side) > Select Software Update (on the right side). The software update page will look something like this if you have an update to run. Click on Download and Install or Install now to run the update. Please allow up to 30 minutes for the update to complete. Important: The update will not run if the device is below 50% battery unless it is connected to a power source

How to Lock iPad to One App (Guided Access)

Open settings > Select Accessibility (on the left side) > Select Guided Access (on the right side, second from bottom). Turn Guided Access on (Turn the toggle green)

To set a passcode for Guided Access, select Passcode Settings > Select Guided Access (Leave Touch ID off). If you want to set a code - Create a 4 digit code you will remember and your child is unlikely to guess. Re-enter the password to verify you have the correct code. Click the back button.

Time Limits: You can customize a sound or speak if you have a time limit set up

Accessibility Shortcut: Turn on if you want your student to have access to their accessibility shortcuts while in Guided Access.

Display Auto-Lock: This sets how long until the device will auto-lock. Leaving as default means the device will lock like it normally does after 2 or 5 minutes of inactivity

To enable Guided Access - Open the app you want them locked in. Triple click the home button. The Guided Access window opens and hit start in the upper right corner

To exit Guided Access- Triple click the home button. Enter the code you created. Click End in the upper left corner.

If you forget your passcode, you can do a hard restart to disable Guided Access. A hard restart is when you hold the home and power button until the device turns off and then turn it back on.

Home WiFi/Internet Troubleshooting

Isolate the issue:

• Is it one app/program/website underperforming or multiple?
  • Computer: Does it happen in multiple browsers?
  • Specific App/Site: Check site status
• Does it happen on multiple devices?
  • Make sure if using a cellular device that the cellular data is disabled when testing
• Does it happen on multiple networks?
  • Some cellular providers have the ability for you to use your phone as a Personal Hotspot, enable this feature and connect your device to it, has it improved?
    • iPhone Instructions
    • Android Instructions
• How often does this occur?
  • Peak internet times can affect your speed and performance
• How many devices/users are connected to the same network?
  • What services are they using?
    • Multiple streaming devices can degrade overall performance for all connected.
  • Are other users experiencing similar performance?

Troubleshooting:

• Compare your speed using a Speed Test
  • Xfinity xFi Speed Test
  • CenturyLink Speed Test
  • Fast.com
  • Compare results provided against what your plan is.
    • Internet speed over Wi-Fi does have an expected decrease in speed
    • If unsure what the plan’s expected speed is, refer to Internet Provider
    • Download vs Upload

• Download will determine how smooth streaming video, loading pages, downloading files, etc.
• Upload will help determine how smooth your video is being broadcast, speed at which you upload files, etc.
• Zoom recommends speeds from 600kbps - 1.2Mbps, depending on video quality.

 

• How far away are you from your router/modem?
  • Try moving closer to see if performance improves
  • Certain materials can block the signal
    • Ex: Signals can travel through wood easily, but metal objects, concrete and even some types of glass can obstruct the signal
    • The thicker the wall, the more it will interfere with the signal
• Interference
  • Items like cordless phones, baby monitors, and microwave ovens can cause interference
    • Try positioning yourself so that these items are not between you and your router
    • Some of these can be avoided by changing the channel of your router
• Internet Service Providers or Router Manufacturers can assist with this.
• In some circumstances getting a Wi-Fi range extender may be needed if the signal strength is not adequate in other parts of the home.

 

• Check with internet service provider
  • This can help determine if speeds are expected.
  • They can also see if there is maintenance or an outage in your area
  • If renting hardware from the ISP they can also check firmware for updates along with the possibility of upgrading/replacing the hardware
  • Xfinity
    • Phone: 1-800-934-6489
    • Site: https://www.xfinity.com/support/internet#get-started
    • Able to request a call back after signing into account
  • CenturyLink
    • Phone: 1-800-244-1111
    • Site: https://www.centurylink.com/home/help/contact.html
    • Phone support available Mon-Fri 8a-6p / Sat 9a-5p

Is a Hotspot viable?

• Hotspots can be a viable option if the customer does not have internet or if they have a low speed due to their location
  • Location can impact the Hotspot performance as well
• Weaknesses:
  • Typically not an improvement over existing Wi-Fi networks
  • Limited use for multiple devices as compared to whole-home Internet access
  • Reliant on the cell provider’s coverage in that area
  • Low performance for streaming

Reduced Cost Internet:

Comcast Essentials

• Info and how to apply
• Best option for families who qualify