Digital Age Learning Environments

ISTE Standard 3 - Technology coaches create and support effective digital age learning environments to maximize the learning of all students.

BYOD

Creating a school climate that reflects our digital age is one of my more challenging responsibilities. This is not because of lack of digital tools, we are fortunate to have ample access to chrome books and our administration fully supports Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD), the challenge comes in changing mindsets about what learning environments are evolving into.

Our main objective at our school for implementing school-wide BYOD is providing students opportunities at school to use their personal devices as learning tools. When I present at parent meetings, they express concerns about the devices their students use. They don't understand the games and social apps and don't know how to direct them to learning tools.

Integrating BYOD in my school is a daunting challenge. Late this past school year, I collaborated with my administration to create a vision and a presentation that fully encompasses our goals for BYOD. Since this is vision is schoolwide and involves our whole school community. I led separate meetings for our K-2nd grade parents and 3rd-6th parents, addressing the nature of BYOD and address concerns.

Parent meeting presentations for BYOD: (Sub standards a-g)

Impact: As a result of my parent trainings about the educational uses of student devices, I've had more interaction with parents on a day-to-day basis. I encouraged them to come to me anytime with their questions or concerns regarding their students' devices and I'm pleased that they are following up with me with various questions. A few have even brought up to their child's teacher that they would like the teacher to incorporate more opportunities for their students in their class. This helps me build my case for the purpose of BYOD in classrooms with my teachers, which is a more difficult task. When teachers hear the parents wish for their children to learn to use their devices as learning tools, it opens the door for me to support teachers in the classroom with BYOD. So far, I have had three additional classes begin BYOD and a two more in the planning stages.

Reflection: Change is a process, and with technology integration this process and it's ups and downs are most evident in BYOD in the classroom. People, in general have very strong preconceived notions about children and personal devices. Trying to build awareness about the positive impact that integrating a BYOD school culture has been a slow and rocky road. Ongoing trainings and opportunities to use personal devices in various ways will continue to move the change process along, but I see it as an ever moving target. As technology advances and personal devices evolve, the growing pains will continue.

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