Whether it’s trying to meet a deadline in your journalism class or simply looking up the answer to a question, it feels almost impossible to many. Why? Because the WiFi connection is very weak in multiple sections of the school, so students can’t access the Internet.

Although there are many issues with technology use or connections to the WiFi, some teachers encourage the use of technology in classrooms. Diana Unrein, math teacher, and Jennifer Wyss, business technology, are among the teachers who believe using technology in class is beneficial to students, despite the problems.

This problem with connection and technology is not just here at Central, it’s campus-wide. Elizabeth Skelly, freshman, was in her science class last year, at Saeger, when her computer stopped working and she couldn’t turn in an assignment. Although, this year, she said she uses her tablet in English and doesn’t have very many problems usually. Skelly said she benefits from the use of technology in some classes.

“Yeah, because then I don’t have to carry a textbook to the class. I know in math if I forget my textbook or something, I can just get it on my tablet,” Skelly said.

Students aren’t the only ones who have problems with this. Teachers have to improvise and hope for the best if the WiFi goes down during class and their lesson that day involved using the Internet.

“If the network’s down, then we have to completely change plans because this is a computer class, but we’ve been pretty lucky,” Wyss said. “In the past few years, that’s probably happened three times and we just move on….and have some discussion about the things we would learn.”

Unrein says she also has a problem with the WiFi because it is either slow or not working. Nonetheless, Unrein said that being able to use technology more in the classroom would be something she would love to do.

“The technology is more convenient when it’s working and when all students have access to the same technology,” Unrein said.

When the technology is working, other problems can occur, but Unrein says students have to adapt to the problems and deal with them.

Markeon Edwards, senior, said that he prefers to use technology in classrooms even though there is an issue with the WiFi connection because everybody is hands-on with their phones and other devices. He feels he learns more when he can use a device for an assignment compared to using a textbook or filling out a worksheet. Wyss agrees with the use of technology in classrooms helps engage students in assignments.

“Sometimes when we’re at school and in a class, we can’t do our work because the Internet is down,” Edwards said. “I believe that’s with so many people logging every time they get here.”

In his marketing class, Edwards and the other students use computers for everything, so if the Internet is down, they can’t access Power Point or the pictures they need for projects. However, Edwards suggested different sections of the school have their own WiFi connection.

“You would have this group of people on that one, this group of people on that one, so it would be stronger,” Edwards said.

Although the WiFi connection is very weak, many teachers are making their classrooms technology based. Many are increasing the use of iPads, computers, and students’ phones in the individual classrooms. The use of technology is beneficial to both students and teachers, but as soon as the Internet loses connection, it is beneficial to none.