Implementing a BYOD Program

Making the decision to move a school towards a BYOD model can be fraught with danger. This is especially true if you are using table devices. Unfortunately many people still hold the belief that laptops are for working and iPads are for playing or surfing the net. 

One of the things we always do with schools is to work through a BYOD Support Program. This was developed in consultation with schools and has been revised regularly. The school and the community have to be given an opportunity to say how the implementation model is rolled out. I can not stress enough the importance of giving both parents and staff the opportunity to actively contribute to the BYOD conversation. It should never be the case that the school leadership makes a decision and the community is expected to follow.

Here is the outline of the BYOD Support Program that I run. It is conducted over three intensive workshops with the school BYOD Implementation Team. Each session is conducted 6 weeks apart. This is imperative so surveys can be conducted, decisions can be made, discussion and consultations can take place and information sessions for staff and parents can be held. We also insist that at least one member of the school BYOD Implementation Team must be on the leadership of the school. We find that the most successful schools are those schools were the School Principal is the one driving this pedagogical change.

The most successful rollouts are the ones where schools are really open to honest evaluations of the program. We have seen school significantly change their implementation models and even their devices based on feedback from staff, students and the community.

I would love to know what else you think we should include in the Support Program and what has been the biggest plus for your communities when they have moved to a BYOD Model.