Apr 6th, 2014 by Cathy Jo Nelson
‘On the phone.’ Found on flickrcc.net
How can my students be productive using BYOD?
This is a question frequently asked by teachers in a BYOD environment. Yes it’s a challenge to really integrate the variety of devices students bring with them. But this article featuring Google Apps really made me stop and think.
Teachers must opt in
I work in a Google Apps for Education district. But ours is designed to be an “opt in” set up for our teachers. Our teachers must request the brief training, provide students with an initial overview, give out and take up permission forms, and then implement usage in their classroom or teaching context. And this is true class by class, so even if a student IS using it in one class already, a different class still requires forms, etc.
We have room to grow
Using Google Apps for Education means students who are bringing ipads, tablets, laptops, and even smartphones can USE these devices to be productive for a content area. At least that is the intent with the policy. So it is not unusual to see students in the library, the labs, the cafeteria, and the classrooms openly using their devices. I’d love to see our students using them for more than passing virtual notes (texting) or tuning in to their favorite music (and tuning the classroom instruction out.) BYOD is not permission to have the device out for texting and music. BYOD is about allowing students to use their preferred tool for a learning purpose. Is this a problem in anyone else’s school?
Can’t stop some things…
Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed the devices that are widely visible now throughout school being used for some texting and even listening to music. I hear daily how teachers are glad their students have music to keep them focused, and that without it students seem to be more easily distracted by what is going on around them (i.e. talking with neighbors, not working on the work at hand.) This is all fine and dandy, but the BYOD policy was not adopted to be a classroom management tool. I’m just sayin’. Yes, we have a lot of room to grow.
I don’t think we have as much of a BYOD problem as we have an engagement problem. We are happy to have the devices. I’m just not sure they are being applied more towards usage for learning than usage for entertainment, to the detriment of learning. And I’m feeling a bit guilty over that.