Excel Formula not Working

Symptoms:

I was working in Excel spreadsheet that was a downloaded csv sheet. I would put in a formula to sum a column and I would get this:

A

40

60

20

=sum(a1:a3)

The formula would not work. I changed it to average and still you only would get the text. The number

Gathering Information

I looked at the sheet and found that all the cell where formatted as text. This was because the sheet was an imported comma separated download of grades. Number are generally set flush right but the text was flush left.

Hypothesis

H1 Convert the cell format to numbers general. (Failed)

H2 Use error correct to covert text to numbers. (Accepted)

Results

The number stored as texts can be corrected using the excel error correcting utility. The cells have a green triangle in the upper left corner. See the video in previous post. You click on the diamond shaped and you get a dropped menu. Select convert to number.

See the movie in the previous steps to see the hands on instruction.

Reflection

Exporting data is tricky. This is a very simple example but imagine a whole school system's data needing adjustments.

Excel: Numbers as Text Video

Microsoft Office

Jetflash won’t Take Large File

My Jetflash 64 gb flash drive is stating: The disk in the destination drive is full. Insert a new disk to continue.

The disk is only half full and the file I am trying to copy is only 10 gigs.

Gathering Information

I have found out that the issue is the file format for the flash drive. The flash drive is formatted fat32 and that has a limit of 4 gigs for file sizes. See this link.

 

The error message indicates the disk is full not that file is too large.

Hypothesis

 

H0. Formatting the drive to be NTFS will fix the issue.

 

Results

 

H0 worked. I could not format the drive to NTFS on an XP PC but I could on Server 2008 PC.

Reflection

I found myself deleting all files and restarting the usb drive to try to fix this issue.  I assumed that the Windows has just lost track of the size of the disk. I wasted about 20 minutes on this before I did some research. Live search did not return the correct information but Google did. I need to not waste time before doing research.

I found the information on tansendusa.com very hard to find.  I don't think this website has been validated.  The webmaster seems to a lot of bells and whistles but it is really slow.

Great Big USB Drive

Wireless and Windows 2008 Server

You have to install Wireless LAN Feature under Server Manager to get a wireless card to work with Windows Server 2008.

You get to this feature by using Server Manager, Features, Add Features.

Can’t Connect Windows Mobile to Server 2008

 

Symptoms

My Samsung ACE phone has stopped synching to my laptop. I am not getting any error messages or anything. I did remove my Bluetooth card but it nevery worked with my phone. My laptop is a Dell 620 with Server 2008, 4 gigs of RAM.

Gathering Information

I found this document on Microsoft's site. I found out from this article that your should have a Microsoft Windows Mobile Remote Adapter in the network adapter in the device manager. I had a whole listing of unknown network adapters. You can download the new version of Microsoft Mobile Device Center 6.1 here.

The Microsoft document also stated that the firewall might be an issue and pointed me toward this document.

Hypothesis

I have the following hypothesis:

H1. Delete all the network adapters and reinstall the Windows Mobile device Center. (Failed)

H2. Turn off the firewall and it will work. (Successful)

Results

I think the issue was related to the firewall and the removal of a Bluetooth card. The firewall was also sent to block all inbound connections. This might have been related to my experiment with ZoneAlarm for a few days.

Reflections

I need to really stop install trail software on my personal PC. I have done this for years and it causes problems.

Free Courses and Courseware

The success of Linux has spawned free and open courseware movement. I have several links that might be helpful.

Carnegie Mellon University

Open Educational Resources

Open and Free Courses

The success of Linux has spawned free and open courseware movement. I have several links that might be helpful.

Carnegie Mellon University

Open Educational Resources

Hype Cycle

This is a very interesting way to look at technology from Gartner. Here is a quick summary:

What are the 5 phases of a Hype Cycle?


1. "Technology Trigger"
The first phase of a Hype Cycle is the "technology trigger" or breakthrough, product launch or other event that generates significant press and interest.

2. "Peak of Inflated Expectations"
In the next phase, a frenzy of publicity typically generates over-enthusiasm and unrealistic expectations. There may be some successful applications of a technology, but there are typically more failures.

3. "Trough of Disillusionment"
Technologies enter the "trough of disillusionment" because they fail to meet expectations and quickly become unfashionable. Consequently, the press usually abandons the topic and the technology.

4. "Slope of Enlightenment"
Although the press may have stopped covering the technology, some businesses continue through the "slope of enlightenment" and experiment to understand the benefits and practical application of the technology.

5. "Plateau of Productivity"
A technology reaches the "plateau of productivity" as the benefits of it become widely demonstrated and accepted. The technology becomes increasingly stable and evolves in second and third generations. The final height of the plateau varies according to whether the technology is broadly applicable or benefits only a niche market.

Click here for more.

Campus Computing Project

This is interesting:

Begun in 1990, The Campus Computing Project^TM is the largest continuing study of the role of information technology in American higher education. The project's national studies draw on qualitative and quantitative data to help inform faculty, campus administrators, and others interested in the use of information technology in American colleges and universities. The US Campus Computing Project also provides the foundation for affiliated research projects in other nations, including Brazil Canada, China, and Hong Kong.

Each year some 600 two-and four-year public and private colleges and universities in the United States participate in the annual Campus Computing Survey, which focuses on campus planning and policy issues affecting the role of information technology in teaching, learning, and scholarship.

 

Minding the Gap

Friday's keynote was presented by Ellen D. Wagner. The presentation was by based on signs in the London Underground. Click here. The analogy was how to move forward and do training for jobs that currently do not exist. It is hard to get past the gap and we need to be aware of this. She sees five gaps: Innovation to implementation, Difference between research and practice, Difference between academic and corporations, differences between products and solutions, traditional elearning to emerge elearning.

Here is the abstract of her presentation:

This session explores the impact of technological innovations on emerging elearning practices. It reflects on the challenges facing learning advocates who strive to find the best balance between new and exciting technological developments with the demands of enabling learning, education, training and performance support solutions that engage and inspire.  It also considers the question: What will it take to drive real enterprise learning value while staying true to the needs of learning stakeholders, anytime anywhere?

Fixing Problems

I heard a Professor review Sources of Power yesterday, and I am planning on reading it. This professors noted that Firefighter tend to make decisions based on patterns in high stress situations. I have read similar statement before and I have to agree. When I am faced with computer problem, I seem to operate based on patterns and move in that area. This pattern recognition comes from years of experience, and I find that over the years I am getting better. This might be in my dissertation.

Patterns of Decision Making

Room in Vegas

I sent this picture from my phone. It was just test to see if I could do it. I had to set my blog up to allow for publishing through email.

Easier that upload and then using a computer.

Personal Data Management

I heard a presentation about personal data management and I realized that I have a real need to manage my data (Barker, 2008). I have been going to school and I have so much data that I am overloaded. I have been using reference management software but that has limitations (Reference Works). The database is only setup to provide citations not searches. This might be an area for the future software development. I am wondering if I can use a blog but how long will it last.

 

References

Barker, P. (2008). Using wikis and weblogs to enhance human performance. E-Learning World Conference. Las Vegas.

New Learning Theory

 

I came across a new learning theory today. It is called connectivism. This is a theory by George Siemens. The theory is really trying to explain how learn in wired world and how they are all connected. I might come back to this later. Here is a link.

VPN not Running on Windows 2008 सर्वर Graphic

 

Windows 2008 Server

Working on Web Desing Skill Part 2

I worked on this photo using paint. My department is buying Photoshop and I will have that shortly. I took out the shadow by cutting and pasting the concrete over the shadow.

It was important to have similar concrete. The concrete in the top of the picture did not work because it was a different color.

However, the concrete just left of the shadow worked fine. I cut small squares and laid them over the shadow. There where still lines so I then used the eye dropper to pick the color. I then used airbrush can to even it out. It is a start.


Check out this link for more information paint. Click here.

Working on Web Design Skills

I took this picture of some interesting art at the FrontRunner Train station. Why is this in a technical blog? Well, I am working on my Web Design skills and I wanted to take out the shadow as an exercise. See the next blogs

K-9 Internet Filter

 

I feel that having un-filtered internet at your house is like having a load gun lying around. I have used filtering software form Norton and K-9 filtering software and I think K-9 is better. Click here.

Not having a filter opens your computer up to all types of malware. Last week, a fiends of my wife had her work computer at home. Her husband went to an online gambling site, and got all kinds of virus. It has been my experience that adult websites are the worst for malware. I think K-9 would make your computer more secure.

I did some research and found some verification for this. According to The Top 10 Culprits Causing Malware Infections, adult site are a big source of malware.

I

Zone Alarm

Blue Screen and Ghosting

 

Symptoms

The PC boots and then it blue screens. The PC even blue screens in safe mode. The error message is: Stop 0x000000F4 (0X000000003,0x85f63120, 0x85c8bfc).

Gathering Information

I have not been able to find out a lot about this error. The error seems to be related to memory and page file on the hard drive. The error seems to be related to a critical object being shutdown. Several company advertise that they have a regtool that can fix this error. These tools can't be used because the system will not boot and stay on. This site has useful information on stop codes.

Hypotheses

H1: Memory is bad.

H2: The registry is corrupt and can be fixed using a ghost image from June.

Results

Using MemTest-86 version 3.2, I found no memory errors. H1 is rejected. The memory seems fine. Ghost is a very touch program see the blog on Ghosting issues for details.

H2 fixed the computer. The Ghost image worked fine but Ghost was difficult. I had to simply the computer before it would Ghost. I have to remove a slave hard drive.

 

Reflection

It took several hours to copy photos off the pc. This was using Ghost Rescue Operating systems but it was very slow. I have found that simplifying a system really helps. When I removed that slave hard drive, the Ghost worked. I have seen this troubleshooting method work with network cards and sound cards.

Ghosting Issues

Symptoms

Ghost would not allow the restore screen to open. There was not error message but the software would not continue.

Gathering Information

When I examined the computer I found that the hard drives where configured as a slave

Ghost Link

Website not Forwarding

Symptoms

I am not able to get a website to forward. (See the steps here.) I get the following error message: Address not found. Firefox can't find a server at www.golftrack.mobi.

The forwarding address is working. http://www.kevinmcreynolds.com/apps/gt/index.aspx.

Gathering Information

I called tech support and they told me to wait because of DNS latency. This could be the reason. I also found this website that lets you test your DNS setup: http://www.checkdns.net. I got a lot of information. See the appendix. These seem to indicate the site is setup.

Hypothesis

In 24 hours, the issue should be fixed. The address golftrack.mobi should show up.

Results

I will have to wait.

Reflection

This website (checkdns.net) can be a hacking tool. You get a lot of information that could be used to attack you website. This is a good example of security being decreased by availability. I could mark the website as private but I would have to pay for the services.

Appendix

CheckDNS.NET is testing golftrack.mobi

 

CheckDNS.NET is asking root servers about authoritative NS for domain

Got DNS list for 'golftrack.mobi' from TLD2.ULTRADNS.NET or TLD2.ULTRADNS.NET

Found NS record: ns52.domaincontrol.com[208.109.255.26], was resolved to IP address by c.gtld-servers.net

Found NS record: ns51.domaincontrol.com[216.69.185.26], was resolved to IP address by ans01.domaincontrol.com

Domain has 2 DNS server(s)

 

CheckDNS.NET is verifying if NS are alive

DNS server ns52.domaincontrol.com[208.109.255.26] is alive and authoritative for domain golftrack.mobi

DNS server ns51.domaincontrol.com[216.69.185.26] is alive and authoritative for domain golftrack.mobi

2 server(s) are alive

 

CheckDNS.NET checks if all NS have the same version

All 2 your servers have the same zone version 2008090300

 

CheckDNS.NET tests mail-servers

Domain golftrack.mobi has 2 mail-servers.

Checking mail server (PRI=0) smtp.secureserver.net [64.202.166.12]

Mail server smtp.secureserver.net[64.202.166.12] answers on port 25

<<< 220 pre-smtp15-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP

>>> HELO www.checkdns.net

<<< 250 pre-smtp15-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net

>>> MAIL FROM: <dnscheck@uniplace.com>

<<< 250 ok

>>> RCPT TO: <postmaster@golftrack.mobi>

<<< 550 sorry, mail to that recipient is not accepted (#5.7.1)

>>> RCPT TO: <root@golftrack.mobi>

Connection to mail server smtp.secureserver.net [64.202.166.12] timed out waiting for status 250

Checking mail server (PRI=10) mailstore1.secureserver.net [64.202.166.11]

Mail server mailstore1.secureserver.net[64.202.166.11] answers on port 25

<<< 220 pre-smtp33-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP

>>> HELO www.checkdns.net

<<< 250 pre-smtp33-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net

>>> MAIL FROM: <dnscheck@uniplace.com>

<<< 250 ok

>>> RCPT TO: <postmaster@golftrack.mobi>

<<< 550 sorry, mail to that recipient is not accepted (#5.7.1)

>>> RCPT TO: <root@golftrack.mobi>

Attacked on the Train Details

I was riding home on the training and someone tried to connect to my laptop through Bluetooth. See the graphic in the previous blog. I quickly removed my Bluetooth card.

I went around the train and found a young man and talked to him. He said he did it by accident.

I should not have had my Bluetooth working in discoverable mode.

Attacked on the Train Graphic

See the next blog for details.

Blocked on my Router

I decided to log the Ip addresses that are blocked from router. My router has a log function and I posted the blocked Ips in the previous BLOG.

 

Symptoms

I was not having any issues but I wanted to know how often my router was being attacked.

 

Gathering Information

I am not sure what port 1028 is used for. It might be for a calendar program. I found this information on a link logger site . The internet storm site shows a lot activity on this port. Click here

I found this website with this webpage that allows you to find names for IP addresses.

Ip Address		Host	Port Involved
69.59.240.75		ntp1a-wil.klax1.s.vonagenetworks.net	123
67.177.60.58		Host c-67-177-60-58.hsd1.ut.comcast.net	1026,1027,1028
24.64.199.10		S0106001c2346b44e.br.shawcable.net	1028
216.115.23.76		ntp1b-lv3mc.klga1.s.vonagenetworks.net	123

 

Vonage and Comcast are two of my vendors. The only outside IP is Shawcable. I have sent them an abuse email and I will wait to hear from the.

Reflection

I thought it was interesting that several of block ips were legitimate users. I am having time issues with my Vantage phone. I will open those ports and see what happens.

 

 

Blocking on Router

No Google Docs on Frontrunner

 

Symptoms

I could not connect to Google Documents. I got the error message that noted that I could not connect to a server at 192.168.10.6 with the port 15871. See the graphic in the previous blog. I have found it easier to blog the graphic through Picasa and then to write about.

 

Gathering Information

The ip address for docs.google.com is 209.85.172.100. My ip on the train was 10.0.5.149 and the router ip was 10.0.5.129. Tracert timed out on all hops except to the first router. I could not connect to a browser with 192.168.10.6. This was on a 6 am train and I was told that the train was #3. The text below is trace route output:

 

Tracing route to writely.l.google.com [209.85.173.100]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

 

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.5.129
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.

(Continues the down to 30)

30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Here the complete configuration of my laptop:

 

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.149(Preferred)

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:04:06 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:34:05 AM

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

No Google Docs on Frontrunner Graphic

SQL Book

I like this book. It teaches SQL with MS SQL, MySQL, and Access.

Can’t connect remotely to SQL 2005

Error Message and Symptoms

I could not get to a SQL server. I was getting this error when I tried to connect. See the picture in the next post.

Gathering Information

I Googled the error message and I found that you need to configure your firewall if you have configured for remote connections. Server 2008 default install has a firewall.

Hypothesis

If I open the correct ports, I should be able to connect.

Procedures (This is for Server 2008)


I did the following:

1. Click on Start.
2. Right click and select properties on Network
3. In the network sharing center select the firewall (lower left hand corner).
4. In the Windows firewall window select change settings.
5. Click on the exceptions tab.
6. Click on add port.
7. Named the port SQL, and enter 1433 as the port
8. Click on Okay.

Results

This worked. I was able to connect to SQL server in the building. The server is behind a external firewall so it will not work outside.

Could Not Connect to SQL Server

Internal DNS Error

My lab is experience odd DNS errors. The internet address http://bis.ldsbc.edu (172.16.1.11 internal IP) is not resolving correctly. Some computer gets the correct webserver but others get a second server that has an internal ip address of 172.16.1.12.

The records in the internal DNS server seem correct. I am working the issue.

 

Gathering Information

I need to identify which computer had the issue with DNS. I only remember workstation 43 having an issue. I will ask students to give me feedback.

The error continues to happen. Server1 and Server2 are still being resolved to bis.ldsbc.edu.

 

Hypothesis

H1. Create an A record for bis 172.16.1.11 and the situations should be fixed.

 

Results

Still have issues after H1 was completed.

 

Searching in Vista and Server 2008

 

Having just recently moved to Vista and Server 2008, I was not sure how to search for file content.

Searching for file name is fairly clear. You type the file name in the search box. See Figure 1 upper right hand corner.

After reading several helpfiles, I found that you type the content in the box also. The OS will search the content from the same search box.

This is easier but not too easy to figure out. Did Microsoft get it right? They got it have right; the function is great but they need to include some direction that content search is in the same box.

This is also my first attempt at a picture in a blog. The picture does not work. See the empty space below. Well. That will be a blog later.

 

 

Figure 1

Skipping the CD-ROM Buring

I went to Microsoft Developer's Network Academic Alliance and downloaded an ISO of Microsoft's new web publishing software (Expression) because I did not want to burn CD Rom.

I went to sourceforge.net and searched for "Mount ISO " . There is a piece of software called 7-zip that allows you to read an ISO and extract the files.

Why this software package? It had over 25 million downloads and the rating was very high.

It is important, as IT professionals to look at costs and try to go with free software whenever possible along with considering the total cost of ownership.

Training is a cost that is often overlooked. We tend to think that "They can pick it up on their own" and forget that a lot of users have trouble with new software. Training is valuable part for them. For example: My wife's company just went to Office 2007. She had a few rough spots, but managed to get through it. I rate her computer skills higher than the average user. (She is able to easily manage her Sprint card and a complex VPN software on her own.) The lesson? Don't forget the training.

Click here for a link to 7-zip.

SQL Repair

SQL Repart would Not Run

Error Message

Server: Msg 7919, Level 16, State 2, Line 1

Repair statement not processed. Database needs to be in single user mode.

DBCC execution completed. If DBCC printed error messages, contact your system administrator.

Symptoms

I was get no errors on the database. I was trying to run some prventative mantainance.

Fix

You can convert the database to a single user mode by:

1. Opening Enterprise Manager

2. Right Click on the Database and go to property

3. Go to the options tab.

4. Select Restrict access and select single user.

Also see the Microsoft technical document Q264154 for more information.

 

NetMail Server Not Getting Email

Error Message

None

Symptoms

The Netmail Server could send email to Yahoo but I was not Receiving email. Several tests where run. Closing down the firewall had no impact. Following on tests, I noticed the firewall stated that the SMTP traffice was routed to a internal server.

Fix

Internet connection share had bee configured to route mail traffic to an internal server. (See Windows 2000 Server on line help, Internet Connection Sharing for Applications and Services.) I took the following steps:

1. Right clicked on the Network Neighborhood and select properties.

2. Select Sharing tab.

3. On the Sharing tab, I selected the Settings tab.

4. On the settings page, I selected the services tab and deselected all.

I ran a test and the email server was able to receive email.

 

 

 

Netmail not Receiving Email

Access CMOS on Toshiba Laptop

Tecra Laptop Setup

Error Message

No Error Message. I could not get into CMOS. System did not indicate a key to press to get into cmos

Symptoms

System was booting normal.

Fix

I went on Toshiba's Website and navigated to support area. I did a search on CMOS setup and found this document. Only part of it is here:

Accessing the hardware settings on a Toshiba computer Document Number 98050233

 

Use of any software made available for download from this system constitutes your acceptance of the Export Control Terms and the terms in the Toshiba end-user license agreement both of which you can view before downloading any such software.

Document number:

1. Hold down the <ESC> key as the computer starts up. The computer should beep and display a message "Check system. Press <F1>"

2. Press the <F1> key and the System Setup information is displayed.

3. Changing the settings: There are instructions about how to change these setting at the bottom of the screen.

 

 

Activation Error Server 2008

Error Message

I got an activation error on Windows Server 2008.  The details are as follows:

Log Name: Application
Source: Software Licensing Service
Event ID: 8198
Level: Error Description: License Activation (SLUI.exe) failed with the following error code: 0x80004005

It should be noted that I was never asked for a product key during install.

Research

I found a Microsoft document that recommend phone activation. I called and the Microsoft activation staff referred me to the technical helpdesk. This would have cost. I decided to continue my research and found that if you change your product key you can active Windows.

Hypothesis

Changing the product key would allow me to activate Windows.

Procedures

To change your Vista product key (source):

1. Click on the Start Button and type Command Prompt in the search field.
2. From the list that appears, right click the Command Prompt shortcut and select Run As Administrator.
3. At the administrator command prompt, type in "slmgr.vbs -ipk [insert your product key here]"
4. To activate windows after changing the key, run "slmgr.vbs -ato"

To run the Windows Activation Wizard use these comands:

slui or slui 0x01 Display Windows Activation status
slui 0x02 Prompt for Windows Activation wizard via Internet
slui 0x03 Run Change Product Key wizard
slui 0x04 Launch Windows Activation wizard via Telephone.
slui 0x05 Prompt Windows Activation and show activation way except Internet.
slui 0x06 Launch Windows Activation wizard
slui 0x07 Prompt Windows Activation as Windows running on last day to activate.
slui 0x09 Launch Windows Activation wizard after license expiration.
slui 0x016 Display activation status with license expiration warning
"Your Windows will expire in 234 days and Windows will stop working"
slui 0x018 "Your Windows will expire in 5626 hours and Windows will stop working"

Source: Tom's Tricks.

Results

These steps allowed me to activate my copy of Windows 2008 server. I am not sure why I got the error. I think the error is related to the software being from the Microsoft Developers Network Academic Alliance.

Network Drives Showing Disconnected

 

My network drives where showing up as "Disconnected Network Drive", but the drive were working. I was running Windows 2008 Server with an XP client. I was mapping the drive using a startup script in Domain group policy object.

I found a discussion thread on Tech Republic that helped me fix the problem. Click here.

I moved the login script to a user container and the drives connected just fine.

You need to run the gpudate /force command get the change to start correctly.

The problem with this fix is that I will have more than one login script.

Error Connecting to PeopleSoft

My college uses PeopleSoft for managing student records. I was unable to connect to the server from home. I had time out error.

My first hypothesis was that my firewall was blocking access. I was able to open the correct port (I am not mentioning it here for Security reasons) and I was able to connect.

I have had issues with open ports in the past so this an easy fix. The learning from this is to always consider port issues with Internet applications.

Philosophy of Teaching

As a teacher in a technical field, I have to provide students a foundation of technical skills, communication skills, troubleshooting, and problem solving skills that will allow them to be successful immediately in their first job. I have found service learning to be a solid foundation for my philosophy of teaching.

My first exposure to service learning at my college was in spring 2000 when all faculty and students participated in a campus wide day of service. My students and I went to the library for blind and sorted and shelved books on tape. This activity, I was told, was service learning but I soon found out that it was not.

At a faculty development workshop on service learning in the summer of 2000, I attended a lecture about service learning. I found out that just providing service, as we had done at the Library for the blind, was not service learning. The service provided needed to be tied to the learning objectives of course otherwise it was just community service. An idea from a student supplied a way to create real service learning for my technical classes in the fall of 2000.

One of my students was working for Albertson headquarters in Salt Lake City, he had an idea that we could take the surplus computers from Albertsons and donate them to needy families. The donations filled up two 23-foot rental trucks. I was not able to find storage space on campus so the majority of the surplus was sold; these funds were used to start the project and the project has had a strong history of providing service and learning. Since 2000 over 100 computers have been placed with the needy families and in 2007 computers were placed in a medical clinic in Africa. Although I view service learning as very important, I believe strongly in the value of soft-skills training for IT professionals.

Without needed soft-skills, IT professionals can have poor people skills and can be labeled as "IT trolls". My philosophy for addressing this issue can be summed as in every class something is written, and something is presented. This practice, writing and presenting, reinforces English and Communications courses, and just as important they practice real IT related writing assignments. The assignments that they write are training documents, analysis reports, memos, and technical information documents. Many of the documents are part of a troubleshooting lessons that I present.

Troubleshooting is a very difficult to skill to teach but I feel that I found a method that improves my students' ability significantly, and it starts from the first day of class until they graduate. My students are responsible for the health of specific computer throughout the term and are required to keep it operational. When their computer breaks I walk them through the process of researching the issue, identifying possible solutions, trying one solution at a time, and documenting the solution. After a few weeks my students understand, that I will respond to questions for help with the phrase "Have you Googled it?" They know that they need to work through the steps before I will help them. This is an important skill but not the final component of my approach to teaching.

Being formulistic in teaching is dangerous, I feel a need to be flexible and adapt in order be an effective teacher. In the past, I have required students not to surf the internet while I lecture. I have adjusted that recently due to a 1 minute assessment I did that showed a trend. Over 50% my students were struggling with the technical jargon and would like access to websites to decode all the jargon.

Finally, with flexibility, a method for teaching troubleshooting, a focus on communications, and active learning through services learning, I feel that I am an effective teacher.