Secondary School signed up for BYOD, and what about Primary?

First graders reading an interactive story at BDS Library

Being part of a K-12 institution that takes pride in having a very high profile towards ICT integration in the classroom poses different challenges for everybody around school. Teachers, wondering "what´s next?", students who feel skeptical about the true meaning of BYOD at least for now, parents trying to fall in the line, administrators trying to figure out the budget.

This of course includes me, the Headmistress in Primary, former ICT Coordinator and Systems Manager - mind you I´m still not sure whether this last statement is actually making things any easier for me or not. Our Secondary School (Middle and Senior) is finding its way in the initial phases of a BYOD programme launched this term, back in February 25th, and that is BIG news for us all.

Of course, I feel part of that development. Even if I´m not able to be hands on right now from my present position, I would like to think I´m still its god-mother or something like it (so typical, motherly comment, you´re right). In that sense, I can still see the effects of my actions -good and bad-  a few months back in terms of setting the grounds technologically  speaking (infrastructure) and also thinking about my strong vision to devote all necessary resources for teachers to the lead the change. I´m grateful I can still participate in different ways in the project, as I was recently invited to write out a draft for the mobile device policy for students and hold weekly meetings with key actors in the staff.

Back in Primary, the point is how to adapt BYOD to the early years all throughout Year 6 and yet not think of Secondary school as the crossing line, but looking beyond it. We are moving together, not in batch processing. 

For now, the plan is to use the school´s mobile labs with 10 inch Android Tablets as early as first form, while inviting the eldest students in Primary, i.e. Year 6 for now, to bring their own devices certain days of the week. Both English and Spanish teachers are getting involved, especially our Librarians who have proved to be invaluable players in the team providing the most fabulous contents for students to experiment, learn and have fun. This is probably a keypoint: digital resources. Ebooks, apps, websites, even Britannica Online, they are all essential to offer teachers alternatives while they come up with their own production. We are lucky to have an LMS already well established in all Primary, with teachers being able to design their courses, add content, mentor groups in forums and ignite class blogs in a safe environment, this last something particularly important considering the ages of Primary students, ranging from 6 to 12. So teachers are given the tablets first, to try them out, to play with them, to discuss content with @BDSLibrary, to understand how they can be integrated with the IWB in the classrooms. In a month´s time teacher training will come dealing with specific issues of key content areas like maths and  English, tablet in hand. 

I hope I can slowly see the number of tablets in students´ hands grow, safely and meaningfully, but I´d also love to see staff hugging theirs around school, at a parents´meeting, in the playground and labs, and in the classroom.

Happy Easter for all Christians in the world.