Time to Vent

Today I had my students set up their blogs.  And by the end of the day, my nerves were shot!  I ran into soooo many problems that I didn't anticipate.  Some of the biggest problems:  

1) some students who had an email account other than Gmail had a difficult time setting up an account on blogger.com  

2) some students who do have a Gmail account couldn't get signed in and set up an account.

3) the word verifications are EXTREMELY difficult to read, by me and students.

4) in order to make sure that my students were not computers trying to set up a blog, they had to provide a cell phone number and have a verification code sent to them via text message.  After they got the text message with the code, then they could proceed setting up their blog.

5) many students didn't have their cell phones.

6) each cell phone is limited to how many accounts they can set up (4 only)

7) many students who DID have their cell phone couldn't get service.

8) Students who didn't have a Gmail account, and couldn't get set up using their other accounts, had to set up a new Gmail account, and many had to have the verification code sent to them via text...see problems 5,6,7.

9) did I mention the verification codes!!! Impossible!

10)  AND THIS IS SERIOUS:  we have a noticeable Information Technology Literacy GAP among our student population.   

The very rational side of me knows how VERY IMPORTANT and meaningful this is for our students...especially for helping to fix problem #10.  And I know that when we are all set up, and students are comfortable with the blog, that POWERFUL learning will take place...especially when students start providing each other with feedback...but I have to wonder...this has GOT to be easier.  What can our district do to make implementation of technology more seamless?  I know that we are responsible for implementing 21 Century Skills...and I am up for the task...but when we are bombarded with roadblocks that are time-wasters...how are we realistically going to do this?