7 #BYOD Building Blocks for Success

As more and more schools make the decision to embrace student-owned devices for learning, it's important that they incorporate strategies for success. Lifting the ban on devices and inviting them into the school is a start, but it is also important to put building blocks for success in place. To follow are the seven building blocks you should put in place to ensure you attain success.

7 #BYOD Building Blocks for Success

1. Start with pioneers - Incorporating cell phones and other student devices into learning works best when teachers are on board. Find out if you have teachers in your building who want to pilot this work in your school.  Let them set the stage and support others when they are ready.  

I want more »

After the Cell Phone Ban - NYC Schools Launch #BYOD

The New York City Department of Education lifted the ban on cell phones last spring. For some schools the difference was that students could bring their phones to school, but have them locked up or out of sight. For some of the more innovative schools however, that meant teachers could empower students to harness the power of student devices for learning.  

That's exactly what happened at Harlem's P.S. 129 where 4th grade students in Stacey Nealy’s and Ryann Geldner’s launched the initiative in their school using the devices to better understand Native Americans. Students read information and sent in their reflections via a student response system from their own phones or laptops. For students without devices they were provided a school-issued device or they shared with a peer.  

In an interview with the Hechinger Report, Amy Thiam, a fourth-grader explained, “We are learning and having fun at the same time.”  You can read the whole article here. 

7 Must-Haves for Teaching + Learning with #BYOD #BYOT

Are you allowing students to bring their own devices to learn where you work? If so, you'll want to become familiar with these seven digital resources.  Each resource is followed by a link to more information and advice for use in the classroom. What’s great about all of these tools is they can be used in environments even if students have a regular phone without browser or app capabilities.  

1. Cel.ly - Cel.ly is primarily a free group texting service. Group texting saves time, improves communication, provides documentation of texts, and sets the stage for easily using many other cell phone tools. The Cells referred to in Cel.ly are instant mobile networks. With Cel.ly, you can have open group chat, one-way alerting, or a hybrid where curators can approve messages.
• Ideas for the classroom at this link.
  

I want more »