Two quotes often pop up in my mind when I am making a decision:
1. If we wait until we’re ready we’ll be waiting the rest of our lives. - Lemony Snicket
2. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. - Ben Franklin
Funny though, it wasn’t until reflecting on BYOD implementation requirements that I discovered how opposite my two go-to quotes are, and how well they both describe schools implementing a BYOD program.
I agree schools need to kick start the program before they are totally ready, this gives the school time to engage the community and get the technology excitement and anticipation building.
 |
| Source: ImgFave. www.imgfave.com/ |
However, I do not believe full implementation should happen until a specific set of requirements are met. Currently, BYOD is simply an acronym for Bring Your Own Device, that is it. Once a school has made the decision to begin BYOD, there is no set plan in place to do so using the best practices. Enter my second quote, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” The BYOD program is ready for the next level. Solid programs need to be established, norms need to be set, and trainings must be provided for an entire school to benefit from implementing a BYOD Program. Simply put, a better plan needs to be made and followed regarding the implementation of a BYOD program.
Helpful guides of requirements and implementation checklists have been published by many sources. “K-12 Blueprint, a planning resource for personalized learning” has published a BYOD Planning and Implementation Framework document and a Readiness Checklist for School Districts.1 Both of these lists are a great way for a school to prove ready to begin the BYOD program.
1: Acceptable Use Policy
2: Network Protection
3: Secure Network Access
4: Network Capability
5: Mobile Device Limitations
6: Usability
7: Curriculum
8: Professional Development
9: Logistics
10: Communication
11: Budget
|
Step 1: Engage the Community
Step 2: Develop a Team
Step 3: Develop the Physical Infrastructure
Step 4: Develop the Software Infrastructure
Step 5: Develop a Portal
Step 6: Develop an Acceptable Use Policy
Step 7: Build a Curriculum
Step 8: Consider Devices
Step 9: Provide Ongoing Professional Development
|
For further details and information on these lists, see original source:
“K-12 Blueprint” BYOD Toolkit: BYOD Planning and Implementation Framework. http://www.k12blueprint.com/sites/default/files/BYOD-Planning-Implementation-Framework.pdf
“K-12 Blueprint” BYOD Toolkit: Readiness checklist for School Districts.
 |
| Source: Colour My Learning, BYOD in Schools - Considerations. www.colourmylearning.com |
These above lists provide a great framework for schools looking in to beginning a BYOD program. As with any new initiative or program, a few things always failed to be planned. A few specifics from my personal experiences that are very important for any school to consider are the following:
- Electrical Outlets - available, abundant, and functioning electrical outlets.
- Student computer access to school wireless printers
- Require students to have a specific antivirus/anti-malware program and teach the students how to run and update this program.
- Firewall particular sites that take up excessive school bandwidth.
- Rigorous and ongoing professional development for staff and teachers.
.png) |
| Source: The Project Clear Clutter. projectclearclutter.blogspot.com |
Professional development for teachers and staff before implementing a BYOD program is a must. As Peter DeWitt states, “Many teachers want to allow students to bring their own devices but they do not always understand how they handle the concept.”2
In addition, the article “5 Guidelines for Switching From Backpacks to BYOD” focuses on the necessity of teacher training before implementation.3 With the proper differentiated professional development, all teachers will benefit from the sessions and will be more prepared to teach and guide the students through integrating technology and their curriculum.
Jane Miller, educational technology coordinator at Spokane Public Schools, stated the following about BYOD professional development:
“Spokane provided training for teachers on instructional strategies using devices. They also felt it was important to provide staff with scaffolds they could modify. Scaffolds included materials for district parent night, student agreements and classroom materials. It’s crucial for teachers to take ownership of the implementation, but scaffolds give teachers a starting point for creating classroom policies instead of having to create their own.”3
For a school to implement a technology infused curriculum, the following set of three requirements should be mandatory. These pre-implementation requirements can be verified by either a central BYOD agency or through a mentor BYOD sister school program. A central agency would model more the MYP model, while mentor schools would need an established BYOD program before being able to assist others in implementation.
The time it takes a school to meet these requirements will also allow for families to be aware of the upcoming program and plan financially for the purchase of the device. Again, this is for schools which plan to use the BYOD program as a means to infuse technology and curriculum, not just use the students’ devices as a tool in class.
Before requiring student to bring their device (with set specific specs) to class, the school must prove that:
1. The physical infrastructure has been improved. This includes: additional outlets, increased bandwidth, and wireless printing enabled.
2. Common programs have been established and will be taught to all students. This includes all software the students will need, an antivirus/antimalware program for all student's devices, as well as the education of how to run and update these programs.
3. Ongoing, differentiated professional development is provided to all teachers. This training should include a focus on pedagogy through technology, apps, cloud storage, and web tools and programs to infuse with the content curriculum.
If every school would take considerable time and effort in satisfying these three requirements before implementing a BYOD program, students, teachers, parents, and school districts would all benefit greatly. All in all, start early to engage the community and then then follow a plan to ensure success in implementing a BYOD program.
Sources:
1) "Bring Your Own Device Toolkit." K-12 Blueprint. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
2) Stavert, Bruce. "BYOD in Schools Literature Review." (2013): n. pag. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://byodsandpit.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/3/0/11303946/litrev_2013_final_2.pdf>.
3) Tomczyk, Sarah. "5 Guidelines for Switching from Backpacks to BYOD."Blackboard Blog. N.p., 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Morrison, Nick. "The Next Revolution In School Tech: Bring Your Own Device."Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
"The MYP Journey - Overview of the Authorization Process." MYP Info Updates. N.p., 08 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.
Lexi,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you researching a topic that our administration team hadn't fully researched before putting our BYOD program into place. I will never forget sitting in a MSHS meeting when a MS teacher asked about the User Policy and our principal's response was to tell the MS teachers to come up with the User Policy. However, this was months after our HS teachers has already implemented BYOD. In many ways, we as teachers, were set up to fail because our administration had failed to plan.
This blog could be helpful on many levels in assisting folks in understanding what the mandatory steps should be prior to implementing a solid BYOD program.
The question I have for you and for schools that are implementing BYOD at the MSHS level is what strategies are being incorporated to respond to the powerful social motivations that adolescents require through the use of technology?
Great information, Lexi!!! I especially like how easy to follow of your guideline charts are. Having never experienced a BYOD program, I found your blog both interesting and informative.
ReplyDeleteI agree that setting guidelines and establishing a plan before undertaking something as large as the BYOD program is imperative to its success; like your quotes suggest "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" (source- Benjamin Franklin). I am interested in learning more about the guidelines schools are required to follow before impleting the BYOD program, and also its success rate.
Do you know if there is any evidence showing what schools are currently doing, and how its going for them?
Monique- great question! BYOD's purpose, if I have understood correctly, is to enhance learning through the use of technology, right? Look at any teenager with a computer/phone/tablet in their hand and you are likely to see them connected to some sort of social network. Surely a challenge to the program is helping students to balance the pressure of social networking (like,all the time!) and using their technology as a tool for learning. They have access to great resources through their devices, but knowing when to use which tools for their needs, be it social, school, work etc. requires training and practice. Schools will need to account for this when implementing the BYOD program.
Thanks for all the great feedback! Yes, Monique found this a very interesting topic to research since we have so much first hand experience working in a school that just implemented BYOD this year. Regarding your question about responding to students' social motivations on the computer/internet, I believe incorporating it more and more is the answer. Students love to chat, connect, and and interacting with one another through their devices. Voicethread, blogging, and comments through Diigo are all ways students will be able to use their devices, but still be communicating with one other. I believe the answer is to embrace what they love and use it to keep students engaged and actively learning.
ReplyDeleteJenn, I am also interested in knowing what specific requirements schools are currently meeting, and the different results they are experience. I researched for information and statistics on this while writing my post, but was unable to find the proper evidence and data. I am very interested and will continue to research the topic. Any suggestions on where such studies or reports bay be located?