Do you REALIZE how helpful this post can be in bridging the gap (and the hostility) between teachers and technology departments across our country? I hope every educator will read this!

Most educators have a very general understanding of the bandwidth challenges imposed by streamed video. They realize that video lags, drags and “times out” when bandwidth is low. They do not typically, however, connect bandwith limitations with blocked resources on YouTube.

Too often, educators surmise that YouTube resources are arbitrarily banned as “inappropriate content.” This supposition is reinforced each time a filtering system posts an “Adult Content” message when access is denied. The “teacher” in us rebels against such actions which appear to be thoughtless acts of blanket censorship. Emotions flare when the denied resource was the “key” that held promise for learning. Educators are quick to argue that filtering outstanding content deprives our students of their right to information. They are willing to take a strong stand on behalf of their students – and thus begins a passive and ACTIVE “attack” on IT departments.

Your post is one of a kind in my experience, Don. The effort you took to reduce the complex challenges associated with bandwith limitations into terms that educators can thoroughly digest and understand is most helpful. We are not often led with such care to a point of complete enlightenment. I cannot wait to share this message with educators far and wide. The “pull and tug” in school systems over this very issue drains energy and prohibits productive solutions. Knowing what I now know, I can see many paths to compromise. I am eager to support the IT department in their efforts to keep our networks running – and it appears that technical compromises can be made to meet the most pressing educational needs. The technical complexity of “assisting us” in providing video resources for students is now very real.

Thank you for letting us all walk in your “techie shoes” for this short while. We’ve always wanted to wear those shoes for a few short minutes, you know! Such an excellent post. Sincerely, thank you!