Teaching as Inquiry - Senior Team BYOD

Teaching as Inquiry - Senior Team - BYOD

Goal:

To use BYOD to effectively support class programmes through purposeful integration.

Data results - BYOD Survey:

The data from the survey showed 91% of students were confident with using an iPad, 75% liked using an iPad and 52% thought iPads supported their learning.

Strategies we used:

We researched a range of primary and secondary schools to see how they were using BYOD. 

We have encouraged students to bring any form of device to kick start the programme. We have used Hapara and Google Drive to push out documents and store e-files.

We observed students to see how they were using the technology without teacher input.

We have confiscated devices for inappropriate use and created a visual poster to reinforce the school’s policy and to try and help improve output.

We have monitored, refined and reflected on our own teaching practice.

Key findings:

Most schools are being prescriptive about screen size, battery life, operating system, wifi connectivity and in some cases key apps required. They are not demanding a particular device however strongly recommending one. This backs our experience that multiple devices makes it very difficult for a teacher to make purposeful integration in class programmes.

A lack of school technology to top up those using BYOD also impacts on integration in class programmes. We simply don’t seem to have as much technology (per child) as many other schools.  

Most children still see their device as a toy and fail to see its potential as a learning tool. We accept this is partly to do with our integration into class programmes which is heavily influenced by key findings 1 and 2.

We need all relevant information (user agreements, notices, etc) accessible on our school website including an easy to view powerpoint that explains the why and how of BYOD. Most schools have something like this on their website.

Our BYOD agreement needs some updating to include further key points we have found in our research.

The importance of a Tech expert that is free of classroom duties to help trouble shoot, refine processes, and to help upskill staff and children.

Security is an issue and more storage spaces are required to ensure safety and to back our user agreement.

Listening to music while working should be from a playlist only and as a reward only.

Action points:

Set specifications for next year and inform parents e.g. screen size, battery life. Perhaps do this now so parents purchasing for Christmas have this knowledge.

Increase the amount of school devices in the senior team to help support our programme.

Create a user friendly powerpoint for our website and add any communication and key information to the site.

Update our BYOD user agreement.

Update usage poster for children to match changes.

Look into employing a Tech expert or increase hours of current Techies to support our programme.

Purchase more lockable storage cupboards to increase safety and security.