Common Scenarios
Here are a few common scenarios to illustrate what this might look like in action.
1. A Chromebook won’t connect to Wi-Fi.
In this situation, you could go to one of the generative AI chatbots and type in a prompt like, “Help me troubleshoot a Chromebook that shows ‘can’t connect to this network,’ even though Wi-Fi is available.”
In response, the AI will guide you through options like toggling Wi-Fi on and off, forgetting and reconnecting networks, and checking network load—all before you ever file a ticket.
If you’re not sure how to perform any of these suggestions, that’s not a problem, as you can simply follow up with an additional prompt, such as, “Provide step-by-step instructions on how to do this. Assume I don’t know much about technology. Treat me like a beginner.”
2. Your projector screen is blank.
You might type in the following prompt: “Give me steps to fix a classroom projector that powers on but doesn’t display anything.”
The AI will respond with something like, “Try reseating cables, switching inputs, testing with another device, or adjusting display settings.”
Again, you can ask for details if you don’t know how to do these things. You can even lean into the teachable moment and have your students troubleshoot with you.
3. A Google Classroom assignment is not displaying
Type in, “Students can’t see a new assignment I posted in Google Classroom. What should I check?”
In response, AI will typically walk you through software-specific steps, such as verifying the schedule, topic visibility, and checking syncing issues. Once again, if you’re not sure what these suggestions mean, ask the AI for specific step-by-step instructions.
Build a Tech-Support Prompt Bank
Rather than simply prompting AI for solutions in the moment, you can also be proactive by building a tech-support prompt bank for yourself, your students, your professional learning community (PLC), or maybe even your whole school.
This might take the form of a shared document filled with ready-to-use prompts that can be copied and pasted into the AI chatbot of your choice. To make it more accessible, you can organize the prompts by category—maybe Wi-Fi, projectors, Chromebooks, document cameras, Google Workspace, and other high-frequency technology uses.
This document can become a first-line defense against everyday tech issues, with no waiting and reduced stress. Just pick the relevant prompt from the list, paste it into your favorite AI chatbot, and get instant support.
You can even have the chatbot build this guide for you. Simply tell it what you would like created and answer any follow-up questions it offers for clarification. Not only will this save you time, but you’ll also be getting prompt language from the source itself, the AI chatbot.
Chatbots are becoming more like thought partners in the prompting process, asking relevant follow-up questions in order to strengthen the output content. They often present questions that you may not have considered.
Create Support Guides
Another proactive strategy is to create support guides that can head off user-related issues before they become problems.
For example, you could have the AI draft a collection of simple how-to directions for the most common issues faced by staff and students. These can be customized and targeted to the tools, programs, and workflows used in your building.
This is a great strategy for preempting common missteps before they become recurring problems. You might even begin your class or semester with this type of document so that students begin to rely on those resources rather than developing the unrealistic expectation that you can personally answer all of the questions as they arise.
These guides for tech support can be posted in a learning management system (LMS), a class website, or a team resource guide.
You can also post the most common questions in a Q&A poster format on the walls of your classroom or in your PLC meeting room. Not only will this reduce frequently asked questions, but it will empower the users in your tech spaces with the skills and information that they need to solve the problems themselves.
Generative AI won’t replace your IT team, but it can give you a powerful new ally at your fingertips. It’s your patient and always available tech assistant that can save you time, reduce stress, and get your classroom up and running again in minutes. And for those situations where the AI-generated steps don’t lead you to a solution, you can still reach out to your trusted IT team for support.
AVID Connections
This resource connects with the following components of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework:
- Systems
- Culture
- Student Agency
- Break Down Barriers
- Collective Educator Agency