Supporting Learners with Technology

Towradgi Public School

Agenda of Meeting 5pm-6pm

• Welcome / Introductions• 21st Century Learning• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

– What is BYOD?– Rationale– Myths

• Trial in 2016• BYOD Parent Weebly• Question and Answer Time

Pedagogy• We are moving toward Self Directed Learning

in the classroom environment

• Individual learners are empowered to take more responsibility for their learning

• Students are able to select their choice of learning tool from within a flexible learning environment to best meet their learning needs

• We have already seen a shift in the learning with 1:3 ratio iPads and the laptop trolley

SAMR

Image from the 21st Century Fluency Project

The Big Question• How can we afford to sustain the level of

technology needed to support this direction in learning?

• BYOD supports our pedagogical direction

Reality

BYOD Is…

BYOD Is…

BYOD Rationale• Choice

– Learners are diverse. Learning styles and preferences vary and we wish to recognise this by allowing learners to choose the device and applications most suitable for them.

• Anywhere / Anytime– Teaching and learning occurs inside and

outside the classroom. We want to empower learners to utilise tools for learning no matter where they are.

BYOD Rationale• Personalised

– By having our own devices we can each have the tools, shortcuts, widgets and add-ons that are the most relevant to us.

• Preparing for the future – Our students will move into BYOD

environments at High School and University.

BYOD Rationale• Flexible Learning

– The nature of learning is changing. No longer do we sit in rows and listen to the teacher. We are creating flexible learning environments that facilitate collaborative and individual learning.

• Digital Fluency – We are empowering teachers and students to

become digitally fluent and responsible users of technology.

BYOD Myth 1• BYOD will result in students engaging in

dangerous activities 

– Our students are living in a digital world with unbounded access to technology. “Without BYOD, at the end of each school day, students leave school and immediately turn on their devices and explore the web, often unsupervised”. We need to prepare them for the digital world in which they live.

http://neal.school.nz/community/news/7-myths-about-byod-debunked

BYOD Myth 2• BYOD will necessitate the standardisation

of apps and software across all devices

– Students are not robots and don’t have to use the same tools and do things in the same way. When teachers work with students to understand learning goals, they challenge students with ways to meet them, which enables real learning to take place.

http://neal.school.nz/community/news/7-myths-about-byod-debunked

Trial

• Grades 3-6 2016• At this stage children can

bring one device (must meet minimum requirements)

• All the info you need is on the Weebly (more on this later)

Minimum Device Requirements• We recommend iPads. In particualar (for new

purchases) iPad2 or newer. We understand that some students currently have an android device. They will be able to use these devices for BYOD.

• The JB HiFi BYOD portal for Towradgi Public School has 2 options.

• JB HiFi also offer payment plans including FlexiRent and 12 months interest free.

• Towradgi Public School has an equity policy that can be accessed on request. This policy addresses issues around affordability and ensures no student is disadvantaged due to financial reasons.

Google Drive

• Google Drive (Google Apps) is an easy-to-use online word processor, spread sheet and presentation editor

• Enables students to create, store and share documents instantly and securely, and collaborate online in real time.

• You can create new documents from scratch or upload existing documents, spread sheets and presentations

• There’s no software to download, and all your work is stored safely online and can be accessed from any computer or student owned device. This will be the standard web platform with Teacher Dashboard to manage classes within Google Apps.

iPad Apps

• We will provide a list of free apps we use at school which we require each iPad to have installed.

• Paid apps are entirely optional NOT a necessity.

Cyber Safety

• Cyber Safety is taught throughout classroom programmes and is reinforced regularly

• Instructions for installing the ‘Help’ button are on the parent Weebly.

Safety Guidelines• Lockable storage cupboards are provided in

each classroom

- Children need to be responsible for their own devices. Other schools have found children lose their jumpers but never their ‘device’.

• Classroom Culture- Expectations will be set as part of the classroom

culture i.e. devices should be kept in school bags before and after school

Safety Guidelines• Towradgi Public School holds no responsibility for

any loss or damage that might occur• Parental Responsibilities • insurance for their device (available from JB HiFi at

time of purchase)• sending a device that meets minimum requirements• Child Responsibility

- charging device at home- responsible for device at school

Safety Guidelines

• How do I keep my child safe going to school?

• We recommend devices are kept in bags out of sight, just as you would with any equipment such as sports gear, musical instruments etc

• Children should be walking to school with an adult/small groups or the walking school bus.

For Parents and Carers• For some of you, this will be daunting.

How will you help you kids do their homework if you yourself can’t use the technology?

• Your children are you best teachers! Learn from them.

• The school will run workshops that help you learn about the ICT used in your child’s classroom.

Weebly

• www.topsbyod.weebly.com• Here you will find a plethora of information

about BYOD in general and specifically about the ToPS plan.

• Please read through the FAQs as they answer questions raised by the survey.

• The JB HiFi Portal will be available soon.

Thank You

Any further questions please contact me. Come into my classroom anytime! I am happy to have any parents sit in on our ICT explicit teaching lessons. I do these every Friday afternoon from 1:45PM-2:55PM*

*This may change in 2016