Enter the groans of many students around the world as that time of year approaches.  Yes, it’s back to school time, and parents are breaking out with the dance routines from Grease as they start to stuff lunch money in bookbags and high-five bus drivers while heading out to work.  School is in session, and it’s time to get back to that wonderland called “campus.”  Because this is a once a year event, your technical support team should be geared up and ready to go when the school crowd starts calling because most likely, they will call.

Connecting laptops, tablets, and smartphones to Wi-fi

Homework is inevitable, and in these days, there are many devices that make getting the job done much more efficient.  While most students are tech savvy and can typically figure out how to connect Wi-fi on their Internet devices, some will need a little guidance from your tech support team.  They may be feeling a little lazy and would rather lay in bed with their tablet to catch up on homework than get up to sit at a desk.  Knowing and understanding the basics of Wi-fi connectivity goes a long way.  What if the wireless network won’t connect?  Or, what if there is no signal being received by the device?  These are scenarios that may very well happen and being able to help is always welcomed even if the response is a sigh of relief and abrupt hang-up because Silent Library is now on TV.

Downloading Productivity Software

Where would we be if we had not been introduced to the .doc file extension?  Whether students relate this to word processing software or a saying from a famous bunny, your tech support team may need to know a thing or two about downloading productivity software and other applications.  In the eleventh hour when a student realizes that he needs to get a paper done but for some reason cannot find the installation of Microsoft Office on his computer, what do you do?  Help him of course.  Your tech support team already knows how to direct the frantic teen to the appropriate location for downloads and other assistance.  Now, if he could only open the instructions for the paper that are in a .pdf format.  He believes that Adobe solely relates to a building material for homes which he studied in junior high.  What do you do?

Online Homework Resources

Where do students go when they need homework help?  Maybe they can phone-a-friend or even ask the audience, but why not have a list of online homework resources that can help them out out with common issues that they may encounter?  Can you say social media?  Twitter, Quora,  and even Facebook offers help that many students wouldn’t think is available.  Look at social media as being a huge study group because most students will gather there anyway.  They can exchange tips with friends and others who may have something to offer.  Of course, traditional homework help sites such as B.J. Pinchbeck’s Homework Helper are also available, but nothing spells the   homework help relief like F-A-C-E-B-O-O-K.

What are ways that you’re planning to help out with the school rush?  Tell us about it!