Considering BYOD/Devices - Read this list

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I thought about a new post regarding IT Schemes and BYOD.  The idea behind this is to keep it short, simple and to the point.

I’ve created plenty of posts/pages about this and if you have the time they are all linked at the bottom.

So bullet points away:

• ·         Depending what scheme you offer – research, test and research some more.
• ·         Visit Schools and push hard for the bad points (like it or not, many Schools will not want bad press and potentially can lie – I know).  It’s important to remember this part, every School does it and rarely fully admits the negative side.
• ·         If choosing tablets – remember they do not do everything a Mac or a PC can do.
• ·         An Apple device can’t do everything a Windows PC can.
• ·         Android v Apple tablets – There are differences but depends what you want to do exactly.
• ·         List what you want before you make a device choice.
• ·         Free does not mean – good.  Nor does it mean support is available.
• ·         Tablet Apps although more reliable – when problems occur you’re alone.
• ·         Companies may lie and tell you “we support devices” – triple check (no joke).
• ·         Companies will say yes to sell you their product, take what they say with a pinch of salt.
• ·         Provide devices with staff which match in size, spec and type to what Students will use – to test and test some more.
• ·         Size makes a difference when browsing the internet especially with interactive websites.
• ·         Browsers make a difference, what works in Internet Explorer or Firefox may not work in Safari or Google Chrome.
• ·         This is a big undertaking and requires a lot of people to be involved.  This requires senior leadership/teachers direct involvement.
• ·         The scheme leader should be a person of power, this becomes fundamental to your curriculum which impacts teaching and learning.  Grades/Ofsted!
• ·         Keep it consistent, it must work and remember to evaluate the status of the scheme often to improve.
• ·         This is very different to having a device at home that the everyday user has for 30 minutes a day.  This is a device that could be used all day or for a couple of hours.  Everything must work and be straight forward.
• ·         Consider the real reasons you are doing this Scheme, scrutinise it heavily and make sure it’s the right decision.  Question yourself if this is about self-ambition or about children’s learning.
• ·         The Students will download games etc., urge them not to – that these are devices for learning.
• ·         You may not be able to deploy what you want easily and quickly, educate Staff to know how to get 25 students installing software, updates or Apps.
• ·         Windows devices will require windows updates and restarts/reboots often.  They are not designed to be on standby all day every day like a tablet.
• ·         Plan, plan and plan some more exactly what software will be used.  Usually 3 months later someone asks “can this go on all devices” – most of the time the answer will be no.  Who sits the Students down to install this software?
• ·         Avoid the Apple Lover, the Salesman, the Rep – These people will say anything to get you to say YES.
• ·         Some Students are not going to be as “advanced” as you think.  They may be able to do difficult tasks while still ignoring the simple ones.  Don’t take anything for granted.
• ·         Involve everyone, work together and listen to each other.  If you have to delay a scheme by a year – do it.

Support levels to remember:

• ·         Teachers/Support staff will need to know how to use, support and do day to day tasks on these devices.
• ·         IT Support will need to know how to trouble shoot and support.
• ·         A bigger range of devices creates less consistency especially regarding support from all staff.
• ·         Ask who supports what:  Who teaches a Student to use word, internet, printing, email etc.  Who supports a broken device.

Security:

• ·         Not every device will have the same security options.
• ·         Web filtering at School is important.
• ·         Wi-Fi security is important.
• ·         Create a separate VLAN>SSID for Student Wi-Fi (This one is for the IT tech team).
• ·         Educate Students, Parents and Staff to keep safe (you will need refresh sessions often).

Failures, damages or forgotten – The plan B or What IFs:

• ·         Have a plan B in the event of failures/damages.
• ·         Any forgotten devices should be marked down similar to missing uniform.
• ·         Insurance is a high recommendation – damages happen.  Also make sure what is covered – device parts not affecting usage may not be protected.
• ·         Make sure you have extra strong cases, bags that offer the ultimate protection – no joke.
• ·         Extended warranties is a must.  Failures occur and with devices going from A to B all day – this increases failure rate.
• ·         What happens when 25 Students arrive without 25 devices, what if it’s 20 or even 15 devices.  Ask these questions for the What Ifs.

The Cloud options:

• ·         If you go Cloud > Google, Drive, Apps etc. – Remember it WILL impact broadband (ignore those who say it won’t).
• ·         Apps at times will not work unless they are updated, sometimes they can also stop working – They’re not 100% reliable.
• ·         It’s good but how reliable has your internet access been in the last 12 months.  When it goes down, you potentially can lose more.
• ·         Your IT team can’t fix the Cloud.  When Google goes down it goes down regardless of the screaming you’re doing.
• ·         Google Drive/Gmail is pretty good so give it a real shot but some of it is out of the Schools power/control.  It’s free though.

Set out a clear structure of what is expected of everyone and make sure it is followed.  A Scheme can work but anyone who claims it’s not a mission is not being honest.

Always picture yourself with a full class of students, consider the potential risks and problems.  Do not assume it will be smooth sailing.

Read all the blogs and articles you can but look for the finer details.  A lot of posts will not include questions regarding repairs, problems and the day to day issues you can have.  These are usually because it’s an outside blog not someone who actually works on the Scheme.  Find people who are experienced of working directly with BYOD and mobile devices.  Unfortunately I don’t find many of these blogs or even articles.  Instead I find links to School websites that offer BYOD but as we all know they will not openly tell you the dark side of devices.

Final piece of advice – Listen to the pragmatics.  They ask the questions you should.  If mistakes are made and the schemes struggle - the Students are the ones that lose out.

Time for those LINKS and more LINKS.  Theses are all done by my self with quite a bit linked from other websites.

This post is roughly about the cost of "Free of IT" Schools.

Schools Costs with no IT

Articles that seem to reap a lot of praise on technology in Schools yet show little to no experience of being involved.

Articles that "praise" EduTech

Want to buy a device for your self?

Want to buy a device, heres some advice

The questions or perhaps answers Education never asks or wants to know?

Perhaps Education needs to open it's eyes?

The costs of IT, some times no one really truly sees it.

IT - The bigger picture of costs

A simple update on our current status.

An Update on BYOD Schemes

Using phones or perhaps mobile devices in the classroom.  Remember safety is paramount no matter what some say.

21st Century Technology - phones - With 21st Century Problems

Education, EduTech - It's all every where but has to be done right.  Very useful for BYOD/Mobile devices.

Education - Technology - EduTech

What is Cloud, can it be a benefit?

Cloud or not to Cloud

Mainly covering how much of a nightmare it can be, current issues faced and generally will open your eyes.  This also states progress of a company that provided a Scheme that effectively left us on our own.

BYOD Schemes - Pros, Cons - The nightmare

Articles praising #EDUTECH

This is going to be quite a harsh post, it’s important that people see what I see even if they don’t agree especially about #EduTech.

 **Update 2017**
Well today I found another one and it really does sum up "No Reasons" to sign up to BYOD.
7 examples of institutions which understand the power of BYOD and 1:1 learning

Actually it only shows institutions that use BYOD not those that "Understand the power of it".

(Yes I know some of those links don't actually work, I don't think the article writer really checked those links).

This one had to be TOP because they actually look like they've made an effort on a very nice PDF.
http://www.wellington-college.school.nz/byod

One of which I've done my self some time ago.  You try and include as much information as possible all crammed in to a file hoping the Parent will fully read and understand it.  Likewise for the Student.
Only to find the majority don't actually read through it and to ask questions later on (plus complain if a problem occurs and they didn't read the byline).

What is not mentioned here is insurance, warranty, problems and failures.  Like it or not they occur in IT.  Who supports these devices? We know that accidents happen.  As I've covered plenty of times before if a student can't look after their life line smartphone how on earth are they going to look after their learning tool device.  What happens when one breaks? they arrive at lesson without one? that's one student in a class now without a device.  Does the School keep spares? Spares in every class? charge them and pay for their maintenance?

Like I said this link doesnt show anything about understanding it's just simple a collection of institutions that run the schemes.  It doesn't show their success or experience.  Having dealt with PDFs and website information to Parents these all seem like they don't have many years running the BYOD scheme.  Yet again we have an article attempting to praise the BYOD scheme which some people will see and immediately think "WOW LOOK AT THIS".  Wasting more money by the School, Parents and more crucially wasting learning time for students.

I’ve seen a lot of articles like this one:

http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-can-help-struggling-readers

It states that technology in the classroom is great because it can also be accessed anywhere.  Well we all know this right? The majority of us have smartphones, a tablet or laptop.

Thing is, this article is incredibly vague:

·         Doesn’t state what technology is great

·         Doesn’t state what Apps you should use to educate students

·         Doesn’t show who will support it or maintain it

·         Doesn’t state the costs involved in technology

Just like your phone, your car and every appliance you have in your home it will require attention or replacements.  The problem is in a classroom it must work and it must stay working.  Does a teacher always have a backup plan if IT fails? In my experience they don’t.  Teachers always tell me that everything must work and rightly so.

Problem is this article like so many will make people think great let’s get students using technology in my class it’s fantastic.  They then suffer all kinds of problems, they won’t admit it, it will be some one else’s fault – I’ve seen all this a lot.  This has been a total waste of learning time by the students and teaching time by the teacher.  According to the teacher unions staff don’t have the time to waste?  They don’t have the time to discover different things (positive or negative)?  According to these unions Schools don’t have the budget to keep spending on teachers let alone technology or the support required.

Ever had 30 kids bring in their home tech? I have and they will all be different, most of them will know how to do the basics but still constantly ask for your help.  Ever tried to get 30 kids on to a single website using online activities? I have and with different browsers some requiring flash or other bits and pieces it can turn a lesson in to a mess.

Another prime example of an article:

http://www.teachhub.com/5-undeniable-reasons-why-educators-should-embrace-technology-classroom

It goes on about the fact we don’t really need to control what they do?  Because the School Wifi blocks inappropriate websites?

Correction, if we blocked the majority of “inappropriate” websites you may find that even innocent ones may be blocked due to not being categorised.  And does this stop students from attempting to breach the system no course not because the majority of Schools only have half decent filtering.

It goes on about the fact that we need to prepare them for the world?

Even today not every piece of technology is about engagement in the work place.  Everyone working understands their role about doing the job not needing to be engaged.  The interesting thing is the majority of jobs even today in professional environments will still continue to use productivity equipment – Windows PCs or Apple Macs.  They will not give you a tablet, smartphone or any device that looks fancy.  Go to the bank, a lawyer, estate agency, supermarket and behind the scenes or in front of you – is a PC.

It won’t be a device to help people learn instead it’s about mass productivity.  Teaching children life is about engagement is actually teaching them the wrong lessons.  It shows them that if they get bored pick up a mobile, pick up a tablet and do something on the internet.  Instead they should be focusing on getting on with work, getting on with the task at hand.

They already spend their time on Social Networking?

Hold up I thought this article stated that inappropriate websites are unblocked? Social media sites would be about 3^rd on the list of top priority.  The rest being adult and dangerous materials.  This entire segment goes on about educating them to feel a sense of community.  Children like it or not are children and educating them how to use technology doesn’t prevent risks.  I’ve seen it.  You can tell them not to add people they don’t like on Facebook, five minutes later they add them so they can see what’s being said about them.  If adults who know better still speed along the motorway at stupid speeds.. what hope do we have at really changing the way society has raised kids.  21^st Century tech and 21^st Century dangers is real.  If you have 100 students and educate them all you may help cut down 10% worth of problems.  That’s right a measly 10% while the other 90% will continue.

It goes on about the fact that student engagement is needed?

Thing is in today’s world we shouldn’t be resorting to “needing” engagement.  I once sat down with a senior leader who refused to use technology to prove he could get the kids learning without the word “engaging”.  And I have to say I was impressed, it brought me back to the days when I was a kid being told I’m here to learn if I like it or not.  It was understanding that this is my future and it’s crucial.  This teacher told his students what was expected, any student who refused it was immediately put on a behaviour mark.  I must say it had been a while since I saw such commanding respect by students.  The same ones who gave other teachers a head ache even with engaging tools.

Strangely enough that teacher got open praise from the Head on turning little rascals in to grownups.   You don’t need engagement to teach, that is in his terms “the lazy way, not the right way”.  I actually completely agreed.  My statement on technology is always this “it’s there to do a task easier”.  It’s far too easy to stick a tablet in front of a kid and tell them to research WW2.  Do they actually read through it all and take it all in while having a quick look at YouTube or MineCraft websites? Or is it easier to stand in front of a class and describe the world during the war.  Knowing you have their full attention while firing quick questions to see if they are paying attention.

It’s articles like this that create this delusion engagement environment to get students quietly learning but it doesn’t work.  This then spreads to other Schools and other teachers who see the image but don’t see the whole thing.  It spreads like a flood out of control and the majority of people are swept away and will blame technology for their own mistakes.  I see it all the time, when it doesn’t work blame the tech.  Don’t consider that maybe you made the wrong choice.  If you make these poor decisions in education it’s money wasted but even worse – Teaching and Learning time is lost.  A lot of businesses take technology serious because any issues is lost profits.  In education profits is grades translated from learning.  Schools are suffering at times because of making poor decisions.

These articles don’t state what Apps, what technology and again very vague information about what #EduTech works.  Add some fancy terminology, add some positive words with a few doses of Social Media = a general article that gives very little on what technology can do for you.