Saving Issues for my student (on a Chromebook)

Bugs and Other Issues
1

I use App Inventor to teach 8th grade students how to code. One of my students has told me that every time she has been trying to get on the site, it crashes or is very glitchy. Also, once she is able to get in and complete some work, it is not there the next time she logs in.

I have had her do some of the basics that I know of such as completely restarting her Chromebook and to make sure she is only logged in from one location.

Any other tips on how I can help her will be greatly appreciated.

2

I forgot to say that after she has restarted her Chromebook, she is still having the same issues. Restarting did not solve the issue.

3

Probably a network problem. The easiest way would be to use an offline version of AI2.

4

App Inventor 2 saves the Project automatically approximately ever five seconds. This does not sound right Josh. Is she using the normal server that requires an email log in ( http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu/ ) or the code.appinventor.... server that uses a return code? It sounds like she lost a connection (left AI2 idle for about five minutes and returned, not realizing the code she put together was not linking because the WIFI disconnected)

Anke mentioned an offline, third party version of AI2; I would not recommend that for an 8th grader and it probably will NOT work with a Chromebook... sorry that is not a potential solution to her issue.

The cutting out part of her issue probably is network connectivity issues. It could also be issues

  • to her streaming audio simultaneously with coding
  • an underpowered chromebook attempting to multitask
  • her virus checker or Browser. What browser is she using? Chrome or something else?
  • building a huge Project with lots of images or sounds. Does this happen all the time or only when she is working with her large special Project? That is, if she codes a simple Project, does it load and work less glitchy?
  • is she using a home router or using a WIFI hot spot ?
  • is she competing with Internet bandwidth with siblings also using a computer that might be streaming video?

Are other students using Chromebooks having issues, or is it only her?

-- Steve