5 Successful BYOD Practices and Policies for the Schools

Posted By Rick Delgado On July 24, 2014 @ 7:45 am In Future of Education Technology,iPads and Other Tablet Devices,Making the case for Education Technologies,_ Miscellaneous Tools and Topics | 3 Comments

“Bring Your Own Device” Programs are Increasingly Popular in our Schools. What are the Key Factors in Successful Implementations?

Are you thinking about implementing BYOD in your school? Or have you already done so, and had to overcome some obstacles?
Businesses everywhere have been buzzing about the potential benefits that can be gained from an effective Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. Some companies are already seeing results, including greater productivity among the workforce and happier employees who are satisfied to be using devices they are familiar with. While BYOD continues to evolve in the business place, the movement has also been gaining momentum in education.

 ^[2]Image Source: Secure Edge Networks Blog ^[2]

Many schools have 1-to-1 device programs, and requiring students to own a computer has been common on residential college campuses for years. BYOD is a natural extension of these practices. Indeed, more and more high schools and college campuses are “going BYOD”.
It should come as no surprise that 87% of college students ^[3] consider what an institution offers in technology when choosing a school. There seems to be little stopping the spread of BYOD, and if you are considering, or recently launched, a program it’s helpful to consider successful BYOD policies, and practices for schools.

Ensure Adequate Bandwidth/Capacity

Having potentially thousands of devices connected to the wirelessly can become a real drain on a school’s resources. That’s why every school needs to make sure their infrastructure ^[4] can handle the major demand that will be placed upon it. The infrastructure doesn’t just need to be capable of supporting the massive workload, it needs to be flexible to handle future growth, and reliable during peak hours of use.
If the Wi-Fi frequently fails or works poorly, students will quickly get frustrated and not only will your help desk by swamped, students will soon stop lugging their devices around, and the programs will ultimately fail.

Clearly Defined Policy

A clearly articulated and easily understood BYOD policy is essential to a successful BYOD program. Here are 11 Sample Education BYOT Policies To Help You Create Your Own ^[5] (BYOT, with the “T” standing for Technology, is analogous to BYOD).

Clear Communication (with Teachers, Adminstrators, Students, and Parents)

Communication with students in the classroom is of the utmost importance when it comes to BYOD. This is where the teacher needs to clearly explain the rules ^[6] regarding the use of the students’ devices. The rules may be set by the school, but if the teacher isn’t aware of them, and reinforcing them, they quickly become meaningless. Teachers and administrations need to be able to carefully explain what the ramifications are for breaking or bypassing the rules.
Teachers and Administrators need to be provided professional development so that they understand the potential of BYOD, what it enables them to do, and the rules and policies associated with the program. It also needs to be clear what to do when support is called for. Teachers should not be expected to be master troubleshooters – they are there to teach, not to be distracted by technical issues.
For students in K-12, parents should also be made aware of BYOD policies by way of a permission slip students have to get signed. This should help ease communication about issues when parent-teacher conferences come around.

Supplemental Devices

It’s almost a certainty that students will at some point forget their devices at home. It happens to the best of us. Other cases may exist where students’ devices break or they simply can’t afford to get one. In any of these cases, schools should have an inventory of supplementary devices ^[4] on hand so students without their own devices won’t be left out of the learning process.
If the same students seem to be forgetting their devices all the time, then it’s time to have a discussion with them about being more responsible, but if the occurrence is rare, having a backup device handy at all times is the perfect plan B. The ramifications for students who regularly forget devices should be clearly outlines in your BYOD policy.

Put Those Devices to use Having Students Create Content!

When it comes to using mobile devices, many students know plenty about how to consume content, but may not have much experience with creating it. If consumption is all they’re doing in the classroom, they are only achieving a fraction of their potential. A successful BYOD classroom program should place more of an emphasis on creation rather than consumption.
With all the capabilities present in today’s technology, it shouldn’t be a stretch to use it to create great content from the students’ own minds. There are plenty of great apps ^[7] out there for this purpose, even for studying. Some examples of these apps include Flashcard Deluxe or Quizlet, where students take the tools available and create their own materials to study the topics and assignments teachers give to them.
By giving student the chance to create on their own, they will get much more out of the learning process, and your BYOD program will be more successful.
Are you using BYOD in your schools? What works, what doesn’t?
Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):Making BYOD Work in Schools – Three School Districts That Have Figured it OutStudent Created Content is an Exciting and Inspiring Learning Tool that Teaches Many Skills
Why Every Student Should Be In a 1:1 Classroom

[8]

About Rick Delgado ^[9]

Rick Delgado ^[10] is a tech writer interested in the latest technology trends and the enterprise storage industry.

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Article printed from Emerging Education Technology: http://www.emergingedtech.com

URL to article: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/07/5-successful-byod-practices-and-policies-for-the-schools/

URLs in this post:

[1] Image: http://www.addtoany.com/share_save

[2] Image: http://www.securedgenetworks.com/secure-edge-networks-blog/bid/101743/3-Common-Problems-with-BYOD-on-School-Wireless-Networks

[3] 87% of college students: http://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/byod-supporting-students-via-devices-0681533?utm_content=buffer8e46d&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer#!U1vdt

[4] infrastructure: http://blog.remind101.com/how-to-create-a-successful-byod-classroom/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-byod-david-classroom-list-2

[5] 11 Sample Education BYOT Policies To Help You Create Your Own: http://www.teachthought.com/technology/11-sample-education-byot-policies-to-help-you-create-your-own/

[6] explain the rules: http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2013/12/classroom-management-in-the-byod-classroom.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheCornerstone+(The+Cornerstone+Blog)

[7] great apps: http://gettingsmart.com/2013/11/10-current-lesson-ideas-byod-byot/

[8] Image: http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emergingedtech.com%2F2014%2F07%2F5-successful-byod-practices-and-policies-for-the-schools%2F&media=%2Fwp%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F07%2Fbyod1.png&description=5%20Successful%20BYOD%20Practices%20and%20Policies%20for%20the%20Schools

[9] Rick Delgado: http://www.emergingedtech.com/author/rick_delgado/

[10] Rick Delgado: https://plus.google.com/104731613213623758472

Using Augmented Reality for Teaching - Aurasma

Taken from : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHIxYpBW7sc#action=share

Watch this video to see how the App called Aurasma can bring your teaching and learning alive.

Aurasma uses image recognition that triggers augmented reality.

Students are using AR to make their artwork interactive, to solve complex mathematical problems, to interact with planets in the solar system by scanning an image and make their textbooks come alive.

Aurasma tutorials and webinars can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ylRCVQtyWA&list=PL349602EC4AA18535&index=14

Watch this demo to see how Aurasma works.

Taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBKy-hSedg8

Using a blog to support communication

I'm a great fan of blogging and as this very busy educational year draws to a close (and not a moment too soon), I thought I would share one really simple and effective blogging idea.

Every year a number of staff take our grade 10s to the Cederberg where they hike with staff and on their own; they cycle along country roads; challenge themselves on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam and work with school children at Elizabethfontein in the Northern Cederberg . At Sanddrift and Jamaka they learn a range of skills and contribute to the upgrading of the environment in which they find themselves. We have named this journey the Bishops Epic. The boys experience a wide range of activities which test them physically and mentally and allow them to appreciate the landscape as well as the people and the history of the area.

Obviously the boys' families want to follow the journey and so we use this blog to communicate. Internet access is not always possible and the staff have limited access to technology. They do, however, have their cell phones and so we set up the blog so that it will automatically upload an email (with photo attachment) as a post on the blog. We chose to have a proof reader supervise the posts before accepting publication. Making possible a simple posting process worked really well. 16500 hits!

10 Great Annotating App for Ipad

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/01/10-great-annotating-apps-for-ipad.html

The Educational Technology and Mobile Learning website has posted the following article.

For today's post, I am proving you with a list of some great apps to make annotations on your iPad. Check them out below and let us know what you think about them.

1- Notability

" Notability powerfully integrates handwriting, PDF annotation, typing, recording, and organizing so you can take notes your way! Discover the freedom to capture ideas, share insights, and present information in one perfect place on iPad.  "




2- Course Notes

" CourseNotes lets you take notes during classes or meetings, keep them organized by subject, and print them or share them with friends! Review your notes later and search through multiple class meetings and notes all at once. "




3- PaperPort Notes

"PaperPort Notes is a digital note taking tool for the iPad that is transforming the way people create and share information. Now you can combine documents, web content, audio, typed text as well as hand written notes into a single document that you can easily organize and share with anyone. "



4- DocAs

"DocAS lets you take note, sketch your ideas, annotate PDFs, convert other document format to PDF, do presentation, read documents, record your meetings and classes, and share your notes/documents on your iPad, "




5- GoodNotes Free

"GoodNotes lets you take handwritten notes, sketch diagrams, mark-up PDFs and organize them on a beautiful bookshelf. Turn pages with a swipe, highlight or add notes to any page, and share your notes with anyone. "




6- Subtext

"In Subtext teachers and students can exchange ideas as they read, right in the pages of almost any digital book or document. You can also layer in enrichment materials, assignments and quizzes—opening up limitless opportunities to engage students, foster analysis and writing skills, and assess student progress."



7-iAnnotate PDF

"iAnnotate PDF is the most powerful annotation application for the iPad, and with our latest release we’re bringing that same power to Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files as well as images "




8- Pages

"Pages is the most beautiful word processor you’ve ever seen on a mobile device. This powerful app has been exclusively designed for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Create, edit, and view documents wherever you are. "




9-Penultimate

" Penultimate gives you the fast, tactile gratification of writing on paper, with digital power and flexibility. Take notes, keep sketches, or share your next breakthrough idea -- in the office, on the go, or home on the sofa."




10- Diigo

"Your all-purpose digital library on iPad - bookmarks, archives, annotations, notes, images, and screenshots. Collect everything, find fast, share easily, and access anywhere."

20 Must-Have Educational Resources For All Teachers

Here is an extract from a blog post by Heather Eddick posted on 6th February 2012.

http://www.edudemic.com/2012/02/20-ed-resources/


I divided my resources into categories, based on my interests as a teacher. These are not all Internet-based resources, but all of them take advantage of the information available via that medium.
Devices

• iPad – The iPad provides access to e-texts and incredible educational apps. Attach a Bluetooth keyboard, and students can easily create documents with this device.
• Kindle – In a recent conversation with the Principal of my son’s school, I learned that she wants all of her students to receive a Kindle so they will have access to their texts without having to break their back carrying them all home.
• Nook – The Nook is a good alternative to the Kindle. Some people prefer it to the Kindle, but, personally, I think they might be about even at this point.
• Android Tablets – I like the Android tablets, but I found them to be a bit slow.

Resources for Lesson Planning

• TeacherVision offers many resources for teachers: lesson plans, printables, an event calendar, graphic organizers, tips for classroom management, and more. I love this site and visit it often. *Note: This site requires you to pay for membership after a free trial.
• EdHelper is another site that offers printables and ideas for teachers, but it also allows teachers to create their own printables – even printable books. For elementary or middle school teachers who like to give morning work or bell ringers, this site is great. *Note: This site requires you to pay for membership.
• Readwritethink offers classroom, professional development, and parent resources by grade level and learning objective.
• PBS Teachers offers teachers numerous videos to use in the classroom, professional development resources, lesson plans, and interactive activities. The topics are timely and help students find relevance by connecting concepts to their lives.
• Education World is a great alternative to sites that require members to pay a fee. It offers many of the same things as the members-only sites and has a section for administrators as well.

Classroom Resources

• Audible.com – Although this site is fee-based, I have been a member for many years and recommend it highly for high-quality recordings of texts many teachers use in the classroom. For free audio files, check out http://librivox.org/.
• Animoto.com – My cooperating teacher introduced me to this site. She asked her students to do a project using this site to create a video capturing the character of Holden Caulfield. The results were pretty amazing. Students can create 30 second videos for free.
• Wordle.net – I love this site! I used it first when I wanted to start a poetry for social justice unit, to activate students’ background knowledge on poetry and social justice. I asked the students, “What comes to your mind when you hear…?” Then, I typed the keywords into the text box, clicked the Create button, and we watched a beautiful word cloud appear. The kids enjoyed it. This site is also free.
• Michael Cummings Study Guides – Need a study guide for a great work of literature? Michael’s site probably has it. If not, try enotes.com or shmoop.com. They all have free resources for students; teachers have to pay for things like lesson plans on enotes and shmoop.
• Project Gutenberg – This site offers access to works in the public domain in a variety of formats, including Kindle and ePUB. Project Gutenberg volunteers diligently proofread each work they digitize. They also contribute recordings to librivox.org.

Learning Management Systems

• Schoology is a site I reviewed recently after the Palo Alto SD decided change to its platform. For more information on Schoology, click here.
• LearnBoost.com is another amazing LMS and its free features are quite attractive. What I liked best was the ability to create lesson plans within the site AND reference Common Core standards in the lesson plan. This site also offers a grade book, a teacher-student-parent communication platform, and the ability to integrate with Google Apps.
• Edmodo is similar to Schoology, but Schoology allows you to create courses and Edmodo only allows you to create groups. Still, it’s free, robust, harnesses the power of social media, and makes classroom management a lot easier.

Cloud Resources

• Google Docs – Enough said, I think.
• Evernote - I just started using this and think it’s a great way to store things to read later.
• Diigo - I like the social aspect of diigo, a resource for storing bookmarks and then sharing them with those in your network.

What about you? What resources do you love? Since I am an English teacher, many of my resources are skewed toward that subject, so I would love to hear from other subject-area teachers.

Australian experience: Funding models

Schools have different models of funding 1-1 technology; some charge the parents by including a lease amount on the fee bill. Others put the immediate burden of ownership of the device onto the parent... BYOD - even if the school stipulates what the device must be... What they are actually saying is Bring Your Own  Device, with the required software - all in working order! One school was experimenting with giving pupils the device as part of school fees. Another school provided mobile labs, but were finding that the maintenance and support overhead and expense was unsustainable. 

Each model has its pros and cons. 

My thoughts... To create a model that enables focus of the school's resources on actual classroom (and beyond) teaching and learning.

iPad Pitfalls to Avoid

We are going to be piloting a 1-1 iPad program at our school and I thought we could blog our thoughts and findings as we go… Our venture is about learning, not technology…

I was lucky enough to visit Australia and learn from people who have experience in 1-1 iPad programs…I’ve been advised and warned!

Some advice (from a variety of too many to give credit to!)

 Do not focus on apps. Focus instead on what it is you are trying to achieve. Explore effective integration tools and strategies. There are tools for annotation, screen-casting, audio creation, and video creation. Consider how you can use the above as a catalyst for change and innovation. 

Do  keep talking about the WHY and WHAT! Why I am consideering teaching this is this particular way? What can I do now that wasn't possible before? What value does this add? This is an opportunity to change practice, rather than an opportunity to use new technology to extend existing practices.  Use modern tools to teach modern learners, to support learning and teaching and to act as a catalyst for transformative change. 

Do focus on what iPads do best: Use the tool and its features to engage your class, to offer a variety of activities, to encourage self-directed learning and to encourage collaboration, communication and creativity. iPads are mobile and perfect for anytime, anywhere learning. 

Do explore content from a wide range of materials. Use the free tools and services available on the Internet to encourage collaboration and sharing.

Do share your resources with other educators.

Do involve yourself in on-going and adequate professional development (PD). Just having a tablet won't necessarily translate to expertise in or out of the classroom. Teachers need time for professional collaboration (and support) on how to integrate the devices into the learning process. Teachers need to develop strategies to cater for varying learning styles, ages and competencies. This is quite different from playing with a few apps!

Do not think it's going to be easy! Cloud computing, poor Internet access, software issues, hardware issues, understanding how to share files, understanding how apps work, problems with different file formats...Work together to overcome these hurdles.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. Ask your learners, your colleagues and the Internet!

Do not expect the iPad to replace your computer / laptop or even think that it will provide equivalent functionality. The iPad will access the Internet, email and online curriculum. It will allow you to do basic word processing, create spreadsheets, complete presentations, edit basic videos, do basic photo editing and record sound. It also operates as a camera or video camera. 

The iPad is suitable for some but not all computing needs. The iPad does not replace the need for another computer/laptop. It is an additional device. At this stage the majority of apps are not able to replace the full suite of productivity applications available on a PC or laptop. However, as a mobile computing device, the iPad may, particularly in junior classes, be sufficient for the majority of classroom work, provided that there is access to a computer for specialist software, printing and for backing the iPad up.

Do not try and share iPads. The   iPad is a personal device and it not easy to share e.g. it is set up for a particular person and does not offer multiple profiles like a PC/laptop would. An iPads is designed to be personal and permanetly connected , giving opportunity for collaboration, communication and creativity. 

Do not think that the iPad in the only solution. It is just a tool that puts technology into the hand of the teacher and learner. It's what you do with it that matters! There is no question that having the same device for all makes it easier to manage a 1-1 program – from a teacher preparation and management point of view…That’s why we’re piloting iPads…However, there are other options and many schools are having great success with a Bring your Own Device (BYOD) model.