BYOT Launches at My School!

The high school where I work as a technology resource teacher is about to embark upon a BYOT pilot.  As with any new technology initiative, I'm excited about the possibilities and also concerned about our preparedness.  Yes, we acknowledge there will be problems with things like connectivity, distraction by the tech itself, the online resources we're using may not be accessible just when we are ready to use it; whatever the challenge, it will happen.  Craig Crittendon and Tim Clark offer some good advice for educators on how to eliminate all of these colliding at once on their classroom in blog posts that are centered on BYOT best practices. 

Remember that 21st Century Learning skills are at the heart of the BYOT movement, that it's centered around learning how to learn and solving real world, authentic problems to engage students in higher level critical thinking skills by incorporating the 4 C's (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and YES Critical Thinking) using the #edtech tools they already have in their hands.  Instead of having to say "Put it away," we'll be saying, "Get out your tech!"

Here's a compilation of the advice from both authors along with my own hindsight.

IT Pro Craig Crittendon goes right to the heart of effective #edtech lessons. "Plan in the correct environment - Any time you integrate technology into instruction, and especially when you have specifics in mind (i.e. websites, software, applications, etc), you have to test in the correct environment, which is always specific to your school and to the user," said Crittendon. 

• Plan and test everything in your classroom with yourself and a student testing access on their login or device as well. This process will also give you confidence when delivering the lesson with your students. You'll be able to more efficiently guide students by being able to anticipate potential problems. Just being able to show them "you'll click here" and then "scroll down" gives you confidence and helps your students be confident that the activity is centered on the content, not so much the tool, since you can show them how to navigate to where you want them to explore...this minimizes the poking around and wasting of precious class time. 
• Remember that web content filters change what they are blocking sometimes without your knowing. Most often when problems occur accessing resources that are blocked, it's because the teacher planned at home and didn't try it on their login or the students' login ahead of time. Try it in advance, but also the day before and when you login that morning. This will allow time for your IT folks to help you if needed. One summer when I was preparing to lead a workshop for PE teachers, the nutrition web site we were using got a new sponsor that had links to inappropriate language, literally the day before our workshop. When my co-presenter opened our presentation and started checking all the links, she caught that it was blocked.  We were able to quickly place a troublecall and have it unblocked just for that day since no students were present. Whew!
• Be flexible and have a plan B and C instead of trying to use a specific app on a specific day.  Look at alternative ways to deliver the content to the students and multiple modalities of learning so that you have alternatives as well as are differentiating instruction for your students.
• The goal for BYOT is to become a method of teaching, instead of what you teach. Infuse the lesson with improving skills and critical thinking/problem solving using a device...any device. Be prepared to review and approve a tool students might know about that you don't.  
• Lastly, Crittendon goes on to point out that "Communication is key" - with your IT support staff. Don't wait until the middle of the lesson when something isn't working to seek their support.  We want to help you make your lesson successful, and know that it wastes valuable teaching time when the tech is not working.

BYOT works best as an enhancement to instruction, rather than the focus of instruction itself.  Think about yourself and how you learn best and remember that students need those options as well.  For example, today I  might need a pencil to draw or diagram a concept or I could use a software application like Inspiration or MindView, or a web based tool like Prezi. The choice is what allows us to differentiate instruction for our students and gives alternatives if one of them isn't working.

Tim Clark reminds us that students often know how to use the technology, but often "don’t usually know how to learn with technology. This is something that teachers can facilitate by utilizing the expertise of the students in the classroom to help each other. Teachers can also make assignments more open-ended so that students have opportunities to make choices in both process and product."

• "Teachers have to model the desire to learn by learning alongside students new ways to utilize technology and discover new facets of a topic," said Dr. Clark. Don't be intimidated by how much your students know about technology.  Remember that they can help you and each other with how to apply their knowledge of the technology to the learning.
• Reality check: Students can be distracted by many things within a classroom, even where technology tools are underutilized or banned. Teachers and students should collaboratively develop expectations and protocols in the classroom for the responsible use.
• Technology by itself isn't always engaging. Teachers have to utilize a variety of instructional strategies and digital content to engage student learning as well as some one-on-one instruction or questioning techniques to move them forward.

Keep in mind that you need options in BYOT, LOTS of options. To learn more about BYOT, check out these videos that share the positive outcomes of BYOT from the 2012 Horizon Report by P21, as well as 'Bring Your Own' Basics from EdTech Focus on K-12.  Here's one list to get you started by covering the Basics of BYOT by Lisa Niehlson. Join the #BYOTchat on Twitter Thursday evenings, from 9-10 PM.