For the past several months, I have been working with a variety of schools in our district that are new to BYOD and wanted to reflect on some of the many successes and a few challenges along the way.
One success I have witnessed at schools is when staff sit together at a meeting to discuss school norms and share fears that they have around BYOD. Sometimes, teachers fear losing control and that students will be on their devices all the time. A meeting to share concerns and discuss apprehensions makes teachers more comfortable. These norms, such as leaving your device in the classroom at recess, are dependent on a school community. The norms are successful if they still allow for teacher autonomy and flexibility within their classroom.
Another aspect that leads to a smoother transition at schools new to BYOD is a focus on Digital Citizenship with students. I call this classroom management for the 21st Century. It is something I begin on the first day of school with my own class and I continue all year long as situations might occur. Students have to understand at the start what it means to be safe when using their devices as well as be respectful. This varies on age levels and the dynamics in a school but is essential to ensuring that things run smoothly in a classroom and school.
When I began on this journey with the schools, I reached out to my PLN and one of the best pieces of advice I received was from Sarah Thomas: a mind shift has to occur for students who often view their device/phone as a toy/gadget and has now become a learning tool that will be used differently in the classroom. The other mind shift that often has to occur is with parents who are unsure how these devices can and will be used in the classroom. One suggestion that came from a school I worked with was to include some communication during open house, where teachers showcase how the devices are (or will) be used in the classroom. Since many schools experience an initial apprehension with sending younger students with devices, this is helpful. Parents hear about the amazing things that are occurring in the classroom with devices and we see more devices come to school. In general, tablets and iPads seemed to be more prevalent in the younger elementary schools; cell phones are the norm in later elementary and high school.
Finally, the number one questions I often get is “What kind of programs can I use when all the students have different devices?” Given the variety of devices that are in one classroom, this is a great question and something I am still working through. The programs that I have experienced the most success with are: Nearpod, Kahoot and Socrative. All of these programs are currently free (although you can upgrade with Nearpod), are cross platform, and have proven to be extremely engaging for students. As well, I love the instant feedback that students get from all three programs and how they can be saved into an Excel chart by the teacher.
What have your experiences been like with BYOD? I would love to hear any tips or suggestions you may have.