UPDATE: June 2013 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Tauriko School's Year 6-8 students have had the option of bringing their own device to school since Term 1 of 2013. We now have a total of 22 students bringing a device to school. A range of devices from our approved devices list are utilized. The most common is an ipad 2 (8 students). Other devices brought to school include: Samsung Galaxy Tablets, Hewlett Packard laptops and MacBook Air's. Devices are predominantly used to access web based resources including google drive and teacher selected websites. The most common browser is Safari. We also have a list of recommended apps on our website. Students come to school with a selection of these apps. installed on their devices. The most common apps used within our classroom programmes include: ipad: Puppet Pals, Popplet, Show Me, Toontastic, imovie, Pic Collage, Pages Android: Pic Collage, Video maker, My Notes Our infrastructure is coping well with moderate speed experienced for most of the day. Improvements to cabling, switches and ports are underway and this will allow us to maximise our ultra-fast fibre connection. To date, we have had no breakages or lost/ stolen machines. Teachers have noted how careful students are with their own device and how diligent they are with storing them in their class lockable cupboard. We have senior students who act as Cyber safety monitors. These monitors visit all classrooms regularly to ensure that students are only using sites directly linked to the Tauriko school website. We also monitor internet searches through watchdog filtering software. To date, we have had one infringement. The site the students visited was http://www.coolmath-games.com/. These students spent a morning-tea time reviewing our school e-values. Each senior class has one loan device. This device is an ipad 2; students without a device can apply to use this for a week at a time. If they are successful, the device becomes the student's to use and look after during school-time. We had to rethink some of the sharing implications of BYOD, as collaborative learning is a key strategy used in our classrooms. The following rule: Devices brought to school are solely for the use of the owner. Cooperative work in group situations may occur, but the owner will remain in charge of the device at all times has enabled us to
continue with collaborative learning while ensuring the control and responsibility of the device remains with the owner. Minor frustrations include a lack of functionality of some sites with ipads. This includes Google Docs, Mathletics and other flash based sites. Students are not able to print from their devices but anything they need to print can be emailed to their Gmail account and accessed from a printer- ready school machine. Use of all devices remains teacher directed, however teachers are finding that students with devices are increasingly sharing new ways that their devices can be used to support teaching and learning e.g. Can I read on my device as my book is on Kobo? Can we create a Show- me instead of completing the practise activity? Can we analyse the plot of the text by creating a Toontastic? A greater choice can also be offered to students in completing tasks i.e. brainstorm ideas using Popplet or on paper, create a thank - you for camp parents using your choice of publishing software, create a movie that share your understanding Coconstructed criteria supports high quality outcomes whilst affording students greater ownership and choice. Next Steps: In week 7 of this term, year 5 students will be able to apply to be part of the BYOD scheme. Professional learning for staff, focused on blended learning and consolidation of new skills will continue. A student e-portfolio trial has begun and will be reviewed at the end of term 2. Research will continue into tools that can be used to provide data on the impact of ICT. A community e- learning expo is planned for term three. The focus of this expo will be students showing their parents/whanau how ICT is used in the learning process. We asked a range of staff, parents and students what they saw as the impact of BYOD. They share their views below: We like BYOD because you don't have to wait for a computer. Your work is personal and no-one else can see it if you don't want them to. You are the one in charge. It's annoying that you have to email your work to yourself to print it out, but we also see why they don't allow it. Nikki and Holly B -students Nikki and Holly B I really like having my device because it means I can always have access and I can select apps and websites to support me with my learning. Downsides, I feel sorry for those that don't have one and I can't lend them mine. Emma - student
BYOD has impacted on my teaching as I can now plan for greater authentic integration that involves bringing the world into the classroom. It also allows me to be increasingly responsive to students needs and interests. I also like the way BYOD has enabled the students more ownership of their learning, both what they learn and how they learn it! Rochelle Jensen- Teacher The ipad has had a positive impact on Madeline's learning. She really enjoys writing stories on it, and doing creative things and she does her spelling on it. We have found that she will be on it every moment if we are not careful. She would rather play on the ipad than do any of her other noncomputer related learning activities. I have also noticed that her handwriting is very messy and do have a concern about when she starts intermediate as she may be doing a lot more writing by hand. Overall we are really pleased with her being able to use the ipad as it has given her a lot of confidence. Robyn -Parent R R We think BYOD is a very good learning tool. It s good because when the teachers are teaching you about something on technology you can find it out yourself. It also means the teachers can teach everyone in pairs /groups about something or find something out rather than having to teach everyone individually. It is also great to be able to have your device set-up for you with all your material on it and not to have to wait to use a school one. Meesha and Lexie -students Lachie loves having his own device and has proven to us his increased responsibility with looking after it so well. It has proven to be a tool which encourages and excites his learning. He uses it at home to complete work as necessary, shows us work he has been doing in the classroom and enjoys uncovering and discovering information that is so easy at his fingertips through use of the computer. He has enjoyed presenting his work with imagination using different elements of the computer, ie font, colour, videos, printing out pictures etc. He is also keen to produce work to a high standard and use the device effectively, knowing that it is a privilege to have such a tool to assist his learning. Sandra Aitken - Parent
I have been surprised how easy it has been to introduce, and maintain the BYOD devices within the school network. The BYOD students are all experts on their own device, and need little help to use them. They teach each other new ways of doing things, and all students will be benefitting by watching them. They show greater respect for their personal device and have learnt to look after them more carefully than they would a classroom computer. The responsibility of saving and filing their documents is another valuable lesson. I have witnessed many creative ways students have discovered to use their device to demonstrate their learning. It is not about the app, or the software: Google apps for education, and the classroom pages on the school website have meant that all operating systems - ios, Android or Windows - can be used equally well, providing there is a connection to the internet via wifi. Restricting the devices to well respected brands with reasonably high specs has also meant that there are very few problems to troubleshoot. It is evident that the pressure on the classroom computers has been alleviated during those times when a teacher requires the use of technology. When computers are not needed, the devices are all safely stored away in the classroom cupboards, and there is little opportunity for the BYOD students to use them recreationally or inappropriately. Lesley Pritchard ICT Support Leadership around the introduction of BYOD is vital. We have been fortunate in having a strong team ably led by Rochelle. She is aware acutely of the concept of blended learning and how this supports both teaching and learning in a 21st century environment. She has a strong team around her. Lesley provides much needed technical support and her enthusiasm and passion motivate and inspire Rochelle and her team further. Lesley makes doable what the professional leaders have in their heads! Having a senior team of Year 5-8 teachers who are excited about this new learning and give this their best has made this an enjoyable experience for those leading this project. Everyone is at a different level, but the culture of openness to learning which exists across the school makes moving forward with this easier than it might have been. I think as Principal, my leadership around this is to do with supporting those with the expertise to do their job and drive the change/enhancement of teaching and learning in the school. Looking for PLD opportunities to support staff and the curriculum team to lead this is also important. It is important that those who lead this are aware that their expertise and leadership is valued and that they are recognised publicly for their work around driving this strategic focus in the school. I think the concerns of the community are slowly being allayed as BYOD becomes part and parcel of what learning is around here. Suzanne Billington - Principal