How we shifted from 1:1 to BYOD: curriculum and business perspectives

Nathan Hutchings (Director of Information and eLearning Technologies)Mark Glover (Business Manager)

What is going to be covered• Describe School

(Context)• Why the move to

BYOD• What we did in

2013 to get started• BYOD in 2014 what

we have learnt so far

• BYOD and Teaching • Our Plans for 2015

& Beyond

Genazzano Profile• Independent K- 12 Catholic Day & Boarding Girls School in Melbourne with approximately 1150 students• 40 Boarders who live off campus • A separate year 9 campus connected by microwave link• Co-educational Early Learning Centre• SES 122• Celebrating 125 Years in 2014• Strong academic reputation• Experienced significant enrolment and capital development growth post 2000

IT@Genazzano 2014• IT services are provided by an external contractors• Services include helpdesk, network management, database administration, engineering, analytics & reporting, development, etc• Pre 2009 – laboratories and small number of laptop trolleys• 2010 + – 1:2 laptop trolleys then in 2011 – 1:1 program/DER• In 2014:

• P-4 iPads (1:1 at school)• 5-6 Tablets(1:1 take home)• 7-8 Laptops (1:1 take home)• 9 – 12 BYOD, mixture of Mac and Windows (min. specs, no iPads)• Multi-Media Mac Laboratory

Why the move to BYOD?• Parent survey in 2013 indicated parents wanted

choice of device• Many families already have a device at home • Funding to support 1 to 1 programs in Schools had

ended• Consumerisation of IT & ubiquity of digital

networks• Learners accessing networks with multiple devices

& platforms• Girls felt more at home on a device they are

familiar with • It is their device so they take better care of it

• IT efforts are better directed at improving access to and effective utilisation of eLearning technologies and learning content (Learning driving IT)

The process to move towards BYOD 2013• Initial trial at separate campus, voluntary

participation • Drafting of final technical device specification • Formal communication strategy to parents • Investigate the financial implications of retiring

existing fleet of Year 7 to Year 12 devices:• Levy changes• Faculty software licences review• staggered start decided due to cost and

wanting to avoid change fatigue• 2014 BYOD Years 9 to 12 then from 2015

Years 7 to 12• Updated Handbook to include BYOD• Selecting on-boarding software to manage BYOD

devices

BYOD introduced in 2014• Introduction was successful with limited hassle• Reviewed wireless connections• Level of enquiries from students has dropped

considerably• Loan fleet established to support students in

need• Trolleys of laptops retained to ensure some

specialist software can be used by students and not purchased by parents• Currently investigating application

virtualization as a possible alternative • Wireless infrastructure critical to ongoing

success as number of devices increases and so does network load

• Multiple training and information sessions delivered to teachers

• Student technology co-curricula program introduced

BYOD and Teaching • Learning material needs to be within an LMS• Video streaming needs to be delivered within the

browser & across mobile platforms• Content needs to have a small digital footprint

(optimize content)• Mandate the use of an LMS for teaching and

learning• But small steps first beware of function

fatigue • Ensure students submit work in cross platform

formats• Don’t assume that students and teachers

know how to do this IT staff need to provide training

• Digital natives don’t exist, students are excellent consumers of digital content, but they are young and learn fast

IT and Teacher training• Provide frequent training opportunities

• Lunchtime, just after school, PD days• Keep your daily/frequent training informal and

brief• Stick to things teachers need to the know now

• For half day or full day training sessions get someone in to deliver it so teachers are not hearing from the same person they always hear the message from

• The LMS is the platform to deliver frequent daily training around

• Need to be available for teachers if they want to drop in and ask a question “No question is a silly question. Share your own teaching IT challenges and best practice”

2015 +• Redefine the role of IT help

desk/services• Parent access to LMS• BYOD from year 7 upwards• Application virtualization• Focus of IT Strategic Plan:

• Infrastructure investment• Content management• Professional Learning• Platform Review/Best Practice• Data Analytics• Classroom technology review• Student Learning Outcomes

Conclusion• Our story• Strategy needs to be

unique to your setting

• Age and Stage appropriate strategies and outcomes

• Drive, communication, perseverance

• Reminding ourselves to “see through the device” and focus on the learning