CurriculumGrades 3-5Computer Science

Troubleshooting with a systematic strategy

Aligned to CSTA-CS — CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards.

What this lesson teaches

Good troubleshooting is not random clicking. It is a plan: first figure out exactly what is wrong, then try one likely fix at a time, check whether it worked, and remember what you already tried. Keeping track means you do not repeat the same fix and you can clearly tell a helper what is going on.

Worked example

Your headphones have no sound. Instead of guessing wildly, you try one thing at a time: Is the volume up? Are they plugged in all the way? Is the right app playing? You found it, the volume was at zero, because you checked each cause in order.

Practice questions

  1. What should you do before trying a fix?
  2. Why is it better to try one fix at a time?
  3. Why is it helpful to remember what you have already tried?

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Resolución de problemas con una estrategia sistemática

Resolver problemas técnicos no se trata de hacer clic al azar. Es un plan: primero identifica exactamente qué está fallando, luego prueba una posible solución a la vez, verifica si funcionó y recuerda lo que ya intentaste. Llevar un registro significa que no repites la misma solución y puedes explicarle claramente a alguien más lo que está pasando.

Ejemplo: Tus audífonos no tienen sonido. En lugar de adivinar, pruebas una cosa a la vez: ¿está subido el volumen? ¿Están bien conectados? ¿Está reproduciendo la aplicación correcta? Lo encontraste: el volumen estaba en cero, porque revisaste cada causa en orden.

More Computing Systems lessons

How hardware and software work togetherCSTA-CS

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