Friday, October 18, 2013
Monday, September 30, 2013
Managing and Organizing BYOD in K-12 Schools
It is a school administrator’s task to embrace and advocate technology instruction and integration. To effectively implement BYOD, administrators must establish policies and procedures, offer high quality training, and monitor and manage teachers and students.
What is BYOD?
Why BYOD?
Administrators should review existing technology policies and procedures to make necessary changes to include the use of personal devices. According to Chadband (2012), an appropriate use policy “treats the student as a person responsible for ethical and healthy use of online content.” It is critical for students, parents, and staff to understand and maintain high standards for appropriate use of technology devices and programs at school. Also, the school will assume no responsibility for loss or damaged personal devices, so parents, students, and teachers must be advised on proper handling and care.
Administrators must foster a non-threatening learning environment where teachers can access knowledge about different personal devices and how to organize and utilize the devices to enhance lessons and curriculum. It is in the best interests of administrators to use a teachers-training-teachers model. Roscorla (2011) reports on a district that “looks for teachers who let students lead their learning. These teachers can show other educators the projects that their students lead and model how to facilitate lessons.” Teachers may be more willing to embrace the idea of using personal devices if they can see how it is affective in neighboring classrooms. It is necessary, too, for teachers to train students on appropriate use before, during, and after lessons. Continued staff development and training will be needed as technology continues to evolve.
Perhaps the most important role as an administrator who is trying to establish BYOD, is managing how BYOD is intended to be used. Administrators must make it very clear to teachers, staff, students, and families that technology devices will not replace instruction. Personal devices at school are meant only to enhance existing standards and curriculum. Personal devices are an avenue for teaching already established lesson objectives. Administrators must monitor and help teachers adjust for appropriate use of personal devices. Also, teachers must establish procedures for their students to manage personal devices before, during, and after use.
Administrators should be familiar and comfortable with the processes of BYOD in order to have a successful experience. The features to an effective BYOD program include quality training, high expectations for management, and effective policies and procedures. Effective BYOD programs can move to lessen some of the deficits in technology devices in schools.
References
ADMIN. (2013, August 7). Bring your own device, coming to a school or workplace near you. Retrieved from http://www.webbags.org/2013/08/bring-your-own-device-coming-to-a-school-or-workplace-near-you/
Chadband, E. (2012, July 19). Should schools embrace "bring your own device"?. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2012/07/19/should-schools-embrace-bring-your-own-device/
Roscorla, T. (2011, August 30). Bring your own technology empowers educators to facilitate learning. Retrieved from http://www.centerdigitaled.com/training/Bring-Your-Own-Technology-Empowers-Educators-to-Facilitate-Learning.html
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