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Showing posts with label Cell phone ban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cell phone ban. Show all posts

Teacher shares “secrets to success” in breaking the ban cell phones

Editor's note: For innovative educators back to school means establishing classroom policies & procedures. Find out how this can include the use of mobile devices from 11th grade social studies teacher Melissa Seideman broke the ban at several schools and made technology a part of that work. For additional ideas, policies, lesson plans, permission forms and more, check out Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning.

Guest post by Melissa Seideman

Mobile devices have become one the fastest and most popular forms of communication.  They can be an important classroom tool, however many many schools regard them as disruptive, distracting, and have implemented zero tolerance policies that prohibit them. The reality is that students still use cell phones in school even if they are banned. According to Time Magazine, "even though the vast majority of students own cell phones--something like 80% by eighth grade--more than half of schools prohibit the use of any mobile device." I  am amazed that teachers of the 21st century are not embracing the power of technology in their classrooms.  



Surrounded by Mobile Devices

As a member of the millennial generation, I grew up surrounded by mobile devices. I find it difficult to go to meetings with paper and pen, or store papers in a file cabinet, or even use a book for my lesson plans. My life is digital and I think it is time for educators to teach our students to become members of the 21st century. Our students need to be taught to use technology to adapt and THRIVE in this ever-changing world.  

Breaking the Ban in Four Schools
Since my very first year teaching, five years ago, I have encouraged other teachers and strongly persuaded my administrators to approve mobile devices in the classroom. Due to my husband’s job relocations, I have taught in five schools in both New York and Pennsylvania. Every school, except one in Westchester County, embraced this new form of technology. I have used mobile devices in my classroom for parent communication, polling, instant response, peer to peer contact, first day of school sharing, QR code web searches, and so much more.

As a first year teacher, I went to my principal in Geneva, NY and asked for permission to use cellular devices in class with my 8th grade students. His response was an enthusiastic Yes! My students looked forward to coming to my class because it was cool to learn through this new method. When I moved to another school in Trumansburg, NY, my principal was on the fence about it. I was able to win him over with the line “do you want to see it in action?” before you give your response. He came to observe my classroom. My students were placed into groups of two and I posted questions using Polls Everywhere as an instant response tool. My principal was amazed to learn about this new method of assessment and class participation that he had me demonstrate it at a faculty meeting.

When I moved to Hanover, PA, my principal at South Western High School highly supported the use of technology. Unfortunately, I felt like I was in a league of my own as I was the only teacher embracing it. As the year progressed, I took great pride in demonstrating to colleagues ways mobile devices could be implemented in a safe, supportive, and educational way. I showed teachers how to use Cel.ly in the classroom.  With administrative and parental approval, I use  Cel.ly to send text messages to my students with reminders, announcements, polls, questions, etc. Students could text me and ask a specific question such as "what is on the test tomorrow?" or ask "what did I miss in class?" when absent. One student named Meghan commented that she enjoyed using cel.ly because “I could ask you a question at anytime and you would always be there to answer it!”
Two high school students participate in a QR code scavenger hunt about the Civil Rights Movement. One student in each group used their mobile device and a QR code scanner app to unlock the website and respond to the teacher’s prompt. Students explored the school looking for clues to learn about the movement.


Improve Parent Communication
Mobile devices have the potential to bridge the gap between the home, school, and social media world. At Hanover, PA, I encouraged parents to join my text messaging cell classroom group. I was surprised by the results. Of my 55 US history students, 35 of their parents participated. Parents commented that they appreciated the text message reminders about homework & tests, updates about their child's progress, and even enjoyed the in-class texting activities. Parents are now more informed about how their kids are doing and are better able to help their children with their schooling, which is key to student success.
Ways to Use Mobile Devices in your Classroom
One activity in which I involved parents and mobile devices I call "text a friend." For example, my students text a family member or friend asking the question "Did you vote in the last election? Why or why not?"  Through the responses our class received we were able to learn firsthand far more than just having the textbook or teacher’s perspective. Mobile devices truly bring the world into your classroom.

This year I will be teaching in Cold Spring, NY, which is a very supportive and innovative district. This is the first year I am actively ENCOURAGING my students to use their mobile devices in the classroom. I made clear mobile device classroom expectations on an infographic. I am providing a student guide to technology assignment for homework during the first week of school.  I will be  urging my students to use applications on their devices: My Homework app to keep track of their assignments, a QR code reader for QR codes in my lessons, Easy Bib to properly cite sources, Evernote to take notes, SoundGecko to take any online text and convert it to mp3, just to name a few.   

These rules are the foundation for mobile device expectations in my classroom. My students sign a form the first day of school acknowledging that they read and agree to the mobile device rules. If you set clear expectations and maintain them, your students also thrive with devices in the classroom.
Goals for the Future
My hope is that I will teach my students to be responsible with mobile devices and encourage them to use their devices for more than just for social purposes.  21st century technology has the potential to encourage student growth, collaboration, research, and skills they can apply throughout their life. Schools across the country need to be more flexible with their policies. Mobile devices can enhance instruction and learning if done appropriately.


Websites referenced
Melissa Seideman is currently an 11th grade Regents U.S. History, 12th grade Government/Economics, and AP Government and Politics teacher at Haldane High School in Cold Spring, NY.  In addition to five years of teaching social studies, she is the author of the blog Not Another History Teacher. Melissa is presenting Mobile Devices in the classroom at the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington in November 2012. She is also an active member of Twitter’s #sschat and a teacher trainer for My Big Campus. You can follow her @mseideman

Melissa grew up in Boonton, NJ and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies Education at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. While teaching full-time in both Geneva and Trumansburg, NY she earned her Master’s Degree in Inclusive Special Education at the University of New England. She lives with her husband and their two adorable rescue dogs in Poughkeepsie, NY.
You have read this article Cell phone ban / Cell phones in Education with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/09/teacher-shares-secrets-to-success-in.html. Thanks!

The Innovative Educator hosts keynote student panel at 9 pm EST tonight!



What happens when students are kept prisoners of their teacher's past?

For today’s youth life outside of school is a fast-paced, connected environment where students have the freedom to learn in the spaces and with the tools they love. Once inside school walls however, digital devices and resources are often banned, collaborating is viewed as cheating, tools of engagement are seen as weapons of mass distraction, and students are prohibited from accessing the very sites and resources necessary for real-world success. 

During the Learning 2.0 Live Virtual Event I spoke to a panel of tech savvy students devoted to education reform. We discussed:

  • Problems that result when we restrict students from using technology
  • Some of the flawed logic for doing so, and
  • Solutions to overcome these obstacles  

Listen to the session here.
. 

Students who will be on the panel include (in alphabetical order):

Jabreel Chisley |  Ohio Virtual Academy Sophomore
A sophomore with the Ohio Virtual Academy and an advocate for and researcher of meaningful responsible education reforms, special education, early childhood education, poverty issues, and gender and sexuality equality within public schools. Also blogs for the Cooperative Catalyst, a progressive education reform blog, as a student blogger.
Twitter:  @enragedstudent 

Lucia Grigoli | Newton North High School Senior Lucia is a senior at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts. She serves on her school's Student-Faculty Administration, where she introduced and successfully passed a  bill to utilize social media in school for educational purposes.

In addition to her work on the local level, Lucia is a national advocate for student voice. She helps lead a national initiative to give students a voice in their own education, in addition to being a board member at both the I.M.P.A.C.T Academy for Youth and the National Young Women’s Council.
Twitter: @luciagrigoli

Nikhil Goyal | Syosset High School Junior
At age 17, Nikhil Goyal is the author of One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School to be published in September 2012 by Alternative Education Resource Organization. His pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, NBC, Huffington Post, and Edutopia. He has also contributed three Letters to the Editors for the New York Times. Nikhil has spoken to thousands at conferences and TEDx events around the world from Qatar to Spain. He has also guest lectured at Baruch College in New York. He is leading a Learning Revolution movement to transform the American school system. A senior at Syosset High School, Nikhil lives with his family in Woodbury, New York.
Twitter:  @TalkPolitical

Imtiaz Majeed |  West Orange High Graduate, 2012
Imtiaz is a 17 year old entrepreneur, blogger and lifelong learner.
Email: imtiazmaj@gmail.com
Twitter:  @ImtiazZMajeed
Where you will be joining from: Orlando, Florida

Zak Malamed |  Great Neck South High Graduate, 2012
Zak Malamed is an 18-year-old advocate for the student voice in education policy. He is the organizer of the #StuVoice Twitter chats and StuVoice.org. These efforts focus on uniting and centralizing the student voice. Futhermore, Student Voice provides a support network of students worldwide that will work with students and for students to enhance and empower the student voice.

A graduate of Great Neck South High School, Malamed served as Class President for three years and Student Government President for one year. He also served as Long Island Regional Director and Political Director for the New York High School Democrats. He works summers at The Lanier Law Firm, PLLC. Malamed also serves on the Do Something Youth Advisory Council, the National Youth Association’s Policy Council, and is working closely with local politicians to develop youth advisory cabinets. In 2012, he received both the NASSP/Herff Jones Principal's Leadership Award and awards from the Long Island Press for his work as a high school journalist. Today he practices journalism at The Student Voice blog and as a contributor to the Huffington Post. This fall he will be a freshman Government and Politics major at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Twitter:  @zakmal

Nathan Wong |  McGill University Management Psychology Student
Nathan is an undergraduate student at McGill University. He loves to find novel ways to apply the concepts he is learning in school to real-life organizations and social situations, with a particular focus on the field of education. To do so, he creates and facilitates workshops, blogs, Tweets, and has speaks at conferences such as this year’s 140edu conference. Upon graduation in 2013 Nathan plans to implement his ideas on a larger scale and is considering doing this via being a curriculum designer, a team-building coach, or an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist.

Nathan is passionate about helping students explore their fullest potential, and to understand the inexorable value of learning. He believes that our educational systems have yet to catch up with the past 50+ years of psychological literature. Nevertheless, he has faith that, in the future, our schools will find ways to better motivate and inspire their students.
Twitter:  @Engaging_Edu
You have read this article break the ban / Cell phone ban / Cell phones in Education with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-innovative-educator-hosts-keynote.html. Thanks!

Not good for the gander?

During a recent Digital Age Learning conference, participants were asked to bring an artifact to to represent the completion of one of these sentences.  

  • I learn best when....
  • My favorite new idea is...
  • I know I understand something when....
  • When I need help I...

Everyone was asked to reveal their artifact and find three people who were given questions different than themselves and discuss why they choose the artifact they did.  I was very pleased with my choice and ready to open some eyes.
What happened next both surprised me and caused me to smirk.
Nearly every person had the same artifact. Sadly, though, like the teacher’s edition of a textbook, this artifact that many adults choose learning, understanding, getting help and new ideas, is off limits to students today.  

The artifact was a cell phone.  
Everyone excitedly shared how it helped them learn by providing them access to material, resources, learning networks, enabled them to capture ideas, get help, and achieve greater understanding in numerous ways.

Unfortunately, many schools are stuck in a culture where the teacher’s knowledge is power and their students can only access that knowledge via them.  This artificial method of cutting students off and keeping them stuck in the past is both unjust and denies them what should be a basic right in schools: A student’s freedom to learn with the tools necessary for success in the world.  

Administrators, teachers, parents, and students need to stand up, work to break the ban, and demand the right to learn with the tools their teachers know are necessary for optimal success in school and in life.  


Check out Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning for more ideas about thinking outside the ban to harness the power of student-owned devices for learning including policies, contracts, management ideas, and research.
You have read this article Cell phone ban / phones in Education with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/08/not-good-for-gander.html. Thanks!

3 reasons students are banned from BYOT / BYOD

In New York City the mayor has banned students from using the technology they own and love for learning in school. This decision is not left to teachers, parents, school boards, or administrators. It is a mayoral mandate that despite protests, is closed for discussion.


Here is why the chancellor and mayor do not give students the freedom to choose the tools that work best for learning:
1) Since 2006 the mayor has vigorously defended the ban on student owned digital devices in school calling them unnecessary and disruptive distractions that interfere with learning.


2) In light of the recent scandal at Stuyvesant High School, the NYC school chancellor explained that we must ban students from using their own technology because people are always trying to think of new ways to do things like get answers to questions. He says, that’s cheating and it’s not acceptable.


3) The mayor's latest rationale for banning student tech in schools is kids might use them to watch pornography. “You have a big liability with pornography. The city would get sued right away.” And, in fact, it is our systems lawyers who are making policies and guidelines for students and teachers.


School policies and guidelines look very different when those in charge spend time working, or at least consulting, with those who know how to empower students to learn about that which is meaningful to them with the tools they love and/or own. When that happens policies can shift focus from doing what is easiest, to doing what is best for students.
You have read this article byod / BYOT / Cell phone ban / Cell phones in Education / new york city school chancellor with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/07/3-reasons-students-are-banned-from-byot.html. Thanks!

5 Reasons to Allow Students to Use Cell Phones in Class

Guest post by  Cross posted at A Teacher's Life for Me


Flickr/William Hook
This morning, a discussion between members of my PLN on Plurk got me thinking about rules in school that ban cell phone usage.  In today's post I'm going to explore five reasons why banning cell phones in schools is bad policy and detrimental for our students.
  1. If we are preparing our students for life after school, we should allow them to use the tools they will be using when they get there.  How many jobs can you think of right now where a smart phone is not beneficial?  Mechanics order parts on their phone, engineers view blueprints, doctors calculate dosages, and grocers check inventory.  The list is endless.  By the time our students enter their professions the need to utilize mobile technology will be even stronger.  Not preparing our students for that world is negligent. 
  2. In a time when schools are facing tightening budgets, using technology that is readily available is logical.  How many schools point to a lack of funds as a reason they are not doing more with technology?  We can go a long way towards solving that problem by using technology that is available for free and probably in a majority of HS students' pockets.
  3. Mobile devices are great for teaching 21st century skills.  If you want kids to learn to collaborate, what better tool can you use than a phone?  Videoconferencing with people all over the world becomes easy.  One of the main arguments against student phone use is that kids might cheat.  My response is that tests that are so lacking in rigor that students can look up answers on a phone or get them from another student are lousy and outdated in a world where information is free and easy.  We need to get used to the fact that kids don't need to know "stuff" nearly as much as they need to learn to use that "stuff."  Tests of recall don't prepare our students for the world ahead.  Kids know this - it's why they think school is irrelevant.  Kids working together to find solutions to problems (collaboration) should be encouraged, not labeled as "cheating."  Policies that ban cell phones because students might text each other are short-sighted.  As Kevin Honeycutt is fond of saying, "Students used to pass notes on paper.  We never banned paper."
  4. Double standards are not OK.  I know of several districts where administrators come into classrooms with iPhones and/or iPads to take notes on teacher observations.  Yet, in these same classrooms students are not allowed to use mobile devices.  The message this sends to students is totally unacceptable.  These are great tools.  Kids know it.  Let them use them.
  5. We need to teach kids responsible ways to use technology.  Keeping them "safe" by refusing to expose them to technology is irresponsible on our part.  Students are using cell phones whether we ban them in school or not.  They are communicating, sending pictures to each other, using social media and social networking, and consuming information.  We need to be teaching them how to do this while protecting themselves from both mistakes they might make that will follow them for decades and others who want to do them harm.  The dangers and pitfalls of using mobile devices aren't going away.  Isn't it our responsibility to teach our students to be safe?
For those who have read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies, a member of my PLN showed drew a great parallel between events in those stories and this debate with the following quote:
"Children, put away your wands. You won't be needing them." - Delores Umbridge
Now it's your turn.  What are the policies on cell phones in your school?  Do you think phones should be used by students in schools?  Are there ways to ensure that phones are not misused in schools if we allow them?  

Check out Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning for more ideas about thinking outside the ban to harness the power of student-owned devices for learning including policies, contracts, management ideas, and research.
You have read this article Cell phone ban / Cell phones in Education with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/07/5-reasons-to-allow-students-to-use-cell.html. Thanks!

How an innovative educator became interested in mobile devices for learning

In September 2005 the decision to ban cell phones in New York City public schools was enacted. At the time policy makers saw cell phones as nothing more than a distraction and tool for academic dishonesty while parents viewed these devices as a lifeline to their children.

The “No Cell Phones” rule was strictly enforced with the help of the New York City Police Department, which was enlisted to conduct random sweeps, complete with metal detectors, and to confiscate technology from kids, many of whom were reduced to tears. There were educators on both sides of the issue.  Some were relieved by the policy but others not only trusted their students to behave responsibly, but also understood that cell phones could serve as powerful learning tools.  My friend and thought-leader, Marc Prensky was outspoken on the issue, explaining in his presentations and writing, “What Can You Learn from A Cell Phone? Almost Anything!”
In his blog, Weblogg-ed, my friend and mentor Will Richardson shares some important lessons students learned as a result of the ban.  
“First, the cell phone ban teaches students they don’t deserve to be empowered with technology the same way adults are. Second, the tools that adults use all the time in their everyday lives to communicate are not relevant to their own communication needs. Third, they can’t be trusted (or taught, for that matter) to use phones appropriately in school.” (June 1, 2007)
Despite the ban, I joined Richardson, Prensky, and other educators, parents, students, and even policy makers in being keenly aware that cell phones are an important part of the way kids communicate and learn. We know that if we don’t model and allow students to demonstrate the appropriate use of these technologies, for accessing information, for communicating, in safe, ethical, and effective ways, then we have no right to be surprised when our worst fears come true.

I was frustrated by the ban, and like the students and their parents, I felt powerless. However, while students couldn’t be empowered to use their technology in schools, what first inspired me to take notice of cell phones as learning tools was the day that I spent at the Google Teacher Academy. It was there that I learned about Google SMS, a tool I could use to harness anytime/anywhere without a computer, and without the Internet.  All that was required was the ability to text from my phone.  Exciting!  I could find definitions of words, translations of sentences, currency and measurement conversion, calculator functions, weather, and much more, all with just a basic cell phone.

Next up was when I attended Alan November’s Building Learning Communities conference.  I met up with other innovative educators after the first conference day and we spent an hour or two experimenting with ChaCha. Just text 242 242 on your phone and ask anything at all.  Wow! I thought.  With just a cell phone anyone could find out anything at all that they wanted to know. I saw this as a powerful tool for both teachers and students, many of whom had access to cell phones but not the Internet at home. It was then that I really recognized the power of cell phones as a tool that could help bridge the digital divide for students.

I began integrating the use of cell phones into my teacher professional development.  I showed teachers how they could use things like Google SMS and ChaCha and I also began using polling tools like Poll Everywhere, Text the Mob, and Wifitti.  Unfortunately, my excitement was not shared by everyone. A supervisor discovered I was allowing teachers to harness the power of cell phones and mandated that I refrain from using the banned student devices with teachers.  In 2008 it became a news story. The headline in the New York Sun read Despite School Cell Phone Ban, Course Sees Them as Aid. I was told I could teach the class, but that no one could use their cell phones!  

An expert at thinking outside the ban, while not thwarting outdated mandates, I didn't let that stop me. I used the Google SMS virtual phone and showed teachers how to use tools like Cha Cha and polling from their computers.  Then I explained all of this could be done with just cell phones as well. Teachers were empowered with ways to access knowledge and information through either a phone OR a laptop. They could use this knowledge for themselves and they could also model this for their students who may not have Internet at home, but might have access to cell phones.

Interestingly at the same time I was told I couldn't use real phones when teaching educators how to embrace their cells for learning, the Department of Education was working with Roland Fryer on  the Million Cell Phone program which provided thousands of cell phones to students as incentives for achievement in school.  When they heard of my work and direction, they brought me in to consult with them on how they could embrace the devices as instructional tools. Finally, we were empowered to use the devices in our pockets for learning with teachers, and students outside of school.  Progress!  

In 2009 it seemed we had taken another step back. The New York City Department of Education discontinued texting services for administrators which hindered our ability to build upon what we had started.  Not only were students not entrusted to use technology appropriately, but educational leaders were also suspect.  The lines of communication and strategies I had incorporated into my professional development were swept away in an instant.  

Many of us were frustrated, yet instead of accepting the ban, I worked to educate my superiors by sharing the ways we were using texting for educational purposes. I wrote an article explaining how cells could be used to enhance the work of educational leaders (these ideas are covered later in this book) that was shared both in my blog and in Gotham Schools, a local source for education news.  Good news! After sharing ways educational leaders were using texting to work more effectively, our texting ability was reinstated for those who indicated they were using cell phones for such purposes.

Today I embed the use of cell phones into the work I do with teachers and students.  At my training center I bring students and adults together in an environment of respect, trust, learning and we are a fully “No Ban Zone.”  I have seen first hand the excitement, creativity, and learning that occurs when adults and students are trusted and empowered to use the tools they choose. I’m not alone.  Educators across the world (many of whom you’ll hear about in this book) are harnessing the power of student-owned devices like cell phones for learning with great success.  

I believe we should empower school leaders, teachers, students, and their families to use the best tools they have available to them for learning. It is my hope to inspire others to not only think outside the ban but to work to break the bans that are unnecessarily and unfairly holding our 21st century children in the world of their teacher’s, leader’s, and policymaker’s pasts.  

Check out Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning for more ideas about thinking outside the ban to harness the power of student-owned devices for learning including policies, contracts, management ideas, and research.
You have read this article Cell phone ban / Cell phones in Education with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-innovative-educator-became.html. Thanks!

Criminalizing & profiting off students is wrong

Little has changed here in NYC since the Mayor decided we'd treat students like criminals, have em go through metal detectors and force em to give up their digital devices upon entering school. 

Since then I have written more than 100 articles, taught classes, and a written book about the benefits of harnessing the power of cell phones for learning. This especially made sense when the cell phone-banning city  I work in was distributing the devices to thousands of students as part of an incentive program that won the Cannes Lion Titanium Award. 

Unfortunately, even after the writing, teaching, and distributing of devices, kids are still banned from using their personal learning devices. 

A couple years ago Will Richardson explained the important lessons this teaches kids.
  1. It teaches them that they don’t deserve to be empowered with technology the same way adults are.
  2. Tools that adults use all the time in their everyday lives to communicate are not relevant to their own communication needs.
  3. They can’t be trusted (or taught, for that matter) to use phones appropriately in school.
Not only are we teaching kids these misguided lessons, but as recently reported in the NY Post & Huffington Post, they must pay an outside company to store them. These companies are making millions every year off our kids.  

So, I suggest this.

Rather than create a system of fear and compliance, why not lift the ban, empower students to use the devices responsibly and support teachers in incorporating the use of mobile devices for learning?
You have read this article Cell phone ban with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/06/criminalizing-profiting-off-students-is.html. Thanks!

Bring Your Own Device - Questions to Consider

Guest post by - Pamela Livingston | Cross posted at 1:1 Schools

The buzz in 1-to-1 right now is about BYOD - Bring Your Own Device - and it's not a fad and it's not going away. There's a convergence of factors causing it including:
  • Hardware is diverse and at price points that are more affordable
  • Schools are hyper budget conscious
  • The "cloud" (previously called The Internet, the Web and the Information Superhighway) is ideal for core apps which are free or inexpensive with such as Google (although be sure to use GAFE), and Zoho
  • Parents are realizing that a digital device is necessary for learning
  • Schools want to be sure students possess 21st Century skills
But BYOD upsets apple carts right and left. We've been building school infrastructures for a long time that have supported a data-centric model in that IT directors allow or disallow devices on the school network according to a set model which is partly about good design and support, partly about supporting what already exists and partly about not taking on new projects or approaches that require more work, resources, and skill sets. And I've been a tech director in schools so know firsthand that opening a can of worms when it impacts the network, the laptop/desktop standardization, and the hardware replacement plan is not something many people will relish.
But then there are the students. They grow and develop and move to the next grade level and out the door to college and to life. They need to be empowered and learn in an environment that encourages them to think and write and research and publish and present and analyze and create new ideas and solutions to problems. They also need to own and understand the vehicles used for learning. So this might mean BYOD.
In order for BYOD to work well there must be a strong partnership between administration, Board members, teachers, technology, students, and parents. Everyone is going to be impacted by 1-to-1 no matter how it is implemented, whether BYOD or a standard hardware platform either provided or specified by the school or district. But with BYOD it's likely you are going to see some pushback from technology people because of the complexity, change, work, planning and resources required. So here are some questions to consider:
  • Have you visited a BYOD school or district?
    • If not a team with representative stakeholders should do so armed with lots of questions
  • Are you already using Google or Zoho or some cloud solution?
    • Without cloud apps BYOD is going to be nearly impossible to implement in a meaningful way
      • You need the entire school/district community to be able to communicate, publish, present and share centrally
  • How will you define BYOD?
    • Will there be a minimum device or specification?
    • Will smartphones be one of the devices?
  • How's your network - is it ready for
    • Wifi everywhere with multiple roaming wireless devices
    • Centralized data security (Barracuda, Lightspeed, etc.)
  • How will you address logistics?
    • Will students be charged with keeping their devices charged, ready and safe/secure?
    • Will you have "loaner" devices?
    • Will devices be locked up somewhere/somehow during lunch, tests, sports?
  • How's your curriculum?
    • Are teachers already used to assignments in Google and in using online social media tools so that student work is already free of hardware requirements - and happening in "the cloud"?
  • How's your digital citizenship education?
    • Do students already know how to keep a respectful appropriate digital footprint?
      • In my book I talk about L.A.R.K. - technology use by students should be L - Legal, A - Appropriate, R - Responsible, K - Kind
  • How's your communication channel with parents, students?
    • If the device is purchased, maintained, repaired and managed by parents and students, it's going to be important to communicate often and well
  • How's your budget?
    • Unless you have planned fully for the changes of BYOD you might be blindsided by some upgrades or unexpected costs so make sure to ask these questions when you are visiting BYOD schools
There are terrific schools that have been BYOD for years, The Harker School in San Jose comes to mind for instance. Many people I respect have been writing about BYOD including William Stites who posted this blog post for Educational Collaborators early this year, Lisa Nielsen who wrote about debunking BYOD for T.H.E. Journal and a recent article in District Administrator starts with a quote from Lucy Gray who I respect very much - this entire article by the way is an important read. TheLaptop Institute which is highly recommended will have threads this summer in Memphis on BYOD.
BYOD can be a solution if you do your planning and homework and try to figure out up front exactly what you're getting into and plan carefully. You'll want to be ready to rethink your network as not being about enabling a few models of specific controllable devices but instead as a pathway to the cloud where your school/district-wide learning community resides.
Related posts:
  1. 1:1 questions to consider 
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For more ideas about thinking outside the ban and harnessing the power of student-owned devices for learning check out Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning.
You have read this article break the ban / byod / BYOT / Cell phone ban with the title Cell phone ban. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2012/06/bring-your-own-device-questions-to.html. Thanks!
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