BugProofLessons



The first real “bug” found in a computer program was a moth found in a relay switch on a Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator while it was being tested at Harvard University, September 9, 1947. Admiral Grace Hopper (born in 1906, she was very instrumental in the development of the programming language COBOL) was part of that team and is credited with popularizing the phrase “debugging” a computer program. The group log containing the actual moth that prevented the relay switch from working appropriately is in Smithsonian Institution. This photo of the page from the log is in the public domain (photo retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H96566k.jpg).

We all know that technology has bugs, and Murphy’s Law tells us "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." So what are you going to do when technology fails you while teaching a lesson? The answer is: Have a backup plan. Be ready for any “bugs” that may come along by having a “bug-proof” plan. What preparations do you need to make in order to be able to “debug” a lesson?

Your class has brainstormed a list of possible bugs and possible solutions or "detours" to get around those bugs. Additionally, here is a list from Spring 2011 when Matt Davis added some great insights from the field.



You now have the opportunity to apply this information to one of your lessons from your Unit in Dr. Grace's class. Please open the Word document below, rename it to include your name in the file name, fill it out with your information, and post the completed form in the appropriate place on your class's artifacts wiki.



=Just for fun. . .= On the listserv for the Association of Computer Teaching Educators in Maine (ACTEM), there was this posting in Dec. 2012:

Hi everyone-

Recently I received a note from a teacher :

"From the 'are you kidding me' file--apparently X's dog ate his charger. Haven't heard that one before. . ."

Well... I checked ...

Since 2010, Dogs have caused damage by:

Jumping on bed or computer: 3 times

Knocking over a drink: Twice


 * Chewed charger cord: 8 times! Latest would be 9th


 * Shutting cord in a recliner: Once

"Scaring me so I dropped it": Once

Meanwhile, Cats have caused damage by:

Knocking computer off something: 5 times

Knocked liquid over on it: Once

Chewed up power cord: 3 times

Threw up on keyboard: just once thankfully...

My conclusion is to give the pets iPads instead......Enjoy!

-- District Technology Specialist MSAD #6 - Bonny Eagle Middle School