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.
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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
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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
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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.
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| 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.
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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.
