In some ways, this is a follow-up or companion piece to my post last week when teachers have mobile devices in the classroom, on our findings and efforts to ensure digital access for all of our teachers.
While this has proven to be very powerful for teachers, our next step is around finding access for all students. In a previous post, I shared some thoughts around BYOD and Equity (an issue I think is crucial when looking at getting devices into students’ hands).
In West Vancouver, student access is growing; in some elementary schools students have regular access mainly from devices they bring from home. In other schools it is less consistent with pockets of classrooms having students on devices. One key piece of learning we have realized over the last three years is if students don’t have purposeful reasons to use their device in class they will often stop bringing it.
So, before one announces that “everyone will bring a laptop on Monday” there are ways to work toward changing and improving that experience. The challenges around the recent iPad rollout in Los Angeles schools are a good reminder of the complexity of these kinds of initiatives.
So, what we did rather than focusing on embracing devices and changing practice for the entire year, was to focus on trying it with support for a two- to three-week period. We tried this last spring and have plans to do it again this fall.
Here is a brief overview of the project:
There is increasing support that access to digital resources and tools combined with inquiry teaching and learning practices improves student engagement, learning relevancy and academic success. A challenge in today’s classroom is the inconsistent access to digital tools: some students have access some of the time, some have no access and only a few students have access all of the time. Building on the opportunities from the recent Modernization initiative, the Digital Access Action Research project is aimed at understanding the impact of “ubiquitous” or pervasive student access on learning and teaching.
The Digital Access Action Research project is looking for interested Grades 4 to 9 classrooms willing to try “ubiquitous access” for a two- to three-week period. This would include:
- Sending home a district letter to all parents asking them to provide a digital device for their students during that period. The device can be an iPad or a laptop. For those who do not have a spare device at home, the district will provide a device the student can use during the project.
- Attending a morning session (TTOC included for teachers) prior to the start of the project to plan for the action research and to determine how best to utilize the opportunity that every student will have digital access whenever and wherever they need it.
- Ensuring the students use the device when appropriate during the school day and to have the device taken home at the end of the day
- Completing a follow-up summary around lessons learned and challenges from the project. This will provide a better understanding of the opportunities available through digital access as well as what challenges we continue to face.
There are many details to consider with this project, including:
- When the students should and shouldn’t use the devices
- How to shape the learning activities to benefit most from the digital access and minimize distractions
- How to secure the devices when not being used
- How to problem solve technical problems and challenges
If we want to move towards digital access for students, it is not a proclamation of change — even if students bring devices, very little in the classroom may change. That is why our thinking around this is although some classes and schools are full speed ahead, in other situations we need to scaffold this change and start with projects like this action research.
So, here is what we found:
Director of Instruction, Gary Kern, has also blogged more about these findings here. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ model around our work. In fact, this particular project has shown that sometimes, before we make big changes, we have to take some smaller steps. Before we say all students need to bring devices for the year, let’s try it for three or four weeks; before we say that teachers need to change their practice to embrace the digital landscape, let’s support them through doing it for a unit. And, we were also reminded the power of digital access is its interplay with inquiry and innovative pedagogy.
Many of the classes that were part of this trial in the spring have moved to having students bring devices all the time this fall — it is a bit of a continuum. It is great to say that “all our students have devices” but if nothing else has changed what really is the point? It will be interesting to see our next group of action researchers take up the challenge this fall.
cultureofyes.ca 
There’s a key difference for me here between “buy-in” and “ownership” In the LA model, they were looking for buy in and probably felt they had it. In the complex and challenging efforts to make these major mindset shifts in learning we need teachers to own this. This isn’t about compliance anymore. Really, it’s no different with our students I suppose. What you’ve offered is an opportunity to own this. In the LA model, they were hoping for buy in through compliance. That’s not going to work any more.
Well done.
Thanks Dean – I really like your distinction between buy-in and ownership. I think this distinction nicely describes many of the differences we see in places where educational change works and where it doesn’t.
I see the issue ownership and technology no different than any school level initiative… Parents(wider community) need to believe and trust initiatives are genuine. This comes from time tested efforts not single form letters. People are less compliant than past eras. We live in volatile anxious , even mistrusting times. Schools are just ‘the man’ to many and BYOT feels like a another proxy tax. Educators need to assess their own communities and evaluate their local resources. I’m in favour of providing equal access without question not necessarily 1:1 yet a smart BYOD could supplement choices beautifully. The cynic in me hates to think BYOD would rationalize a policy of cop out by provincial and local sources to account for needs. Great Twitter thread people!
Nicely said Al. A movement to 1to1 seems to happen best at the class or school level. With the exception of what was done in Maine more than a decade ago, the stories I have read on district (or larger) 1to1 initiatives have largely been cases of OPUD (Over Promise, Under Deliver)
Thank you for blogging on this topic Chris; this needs to be kept on the radar. I am disappointed at the lack of response to this posting, and I will therefore offer a few comments of my own (I teach at an independent school). Unfortunately, although much has been said on the authentic integration of technology, meaningful use (read “personalization”) has actually not yet been achieved in a vast majority of our schools (public and independent) where internet access is readily available. Dean eloquently highlighted the flaws of the LA model above; but it also has to be noted that LA was far removed from a “bring your own device” approach. “Buy in” has many faces; natural evolution being the most significant in my experience … Meaningful integration often just ‘happens’ when the teacher is enthusiastic about technology and if supported by administration. As has been stated before, we need to identify those teachers that have already been using their own technology for many years and provide them with the means to meet their technological goals. This is what my school has done – I provided my own iPad and Android Nexus tablet, digital camera and web hosting, and the school then provided me with a laptop, wireless projector, wireless headphone sets, cloud storage, and software (such as Photoshop Elements). Sadly, many teachers will continue to use the technology provided to them mostly to facilitate THEIR work (planning, mark books and PowerPoint presentations). As my child has learnt at her West Vancouver school, providing teachers with a device changes very little in terms of actual integration. In fact, if a student brings technology to class, it is frowned upon (I understand the complexities of a large public school, but still …). Thanks again, and keep flying the flag, Chris!
Thanks for the comment Ed. I am sorry that in your daughter’s case she hasn’t found technology to be a natural extension in her classes. One challenge I find as we support those who are passionate about using technology in class is, for example, we might have 2 grade 6 classes – one where there is regular use and students bringing their own devices, and the other where there is almost no access – parents don’t understand how “we” can let this be. I think our schools that have come to decisions as schools as to how they will all use technology (Caulfeild Elementary is a good example) are on the right track – they can support each other and there are some common expectations between classes and over time.
Appreciate the thoughtful response.
“School leaders often put the cart before the horse, thinking equipment will work miracles, when it is teaching and pedagogy that matter more”.
I often wonder why this statement is not reinforced each and every time a new roll out is put into place. Learning how to use the computer to improve student learning requires training. The guidelines of how to deploy, setup, shutdown, and reset should be a requirement for every teacher wanting to use technology with their students. I remember back when laptop carts were thought be the savior to allow teachers to equip their students with technology so that they would be on board to be a 21st Century Learners. Without proper teacher training, these computer became toys for students. They would pull out the keys and rearrange them as expletives. Overtime, these machines would constantly require tech support and when there was none, they became obsolete. These expensive computer carts now sit idle. I have stories of SMART boards as well, but I do not want to digress.
Training, teaching, and structuring curriculum and pedagogy should be the largest part of any technology roll out budget. When school leaders cheap out on this, disaster is imminent. As Thomas Sowell, the economist, points out, “Much of the social history of the Western world, over the past three decades, has been a history of replacing what worked with what sounded good.” Having technology in the hands of students to improve learning sounds good, but having a chalkboard and chalk in the hands of a competent teacher would make for more sense economically in the long run.
Thanks Ken – there is no doubt that if we continue to teach the same way with technology as without it we should hold-off on the investments. When I see technology used most effectively it is allowing a class to do things that would not be possible without the technology. At times, it is about doing old things better (like replaces math worksheets with a math app that does something similar) but it can be powerful when it does new things that were not possible – I think of the classes that are engaged in digital writing, or using dashboards to build community around books they are reading, or the use of Dreambox to allow self-paced math experiences.
The basic premise of your last paragraph is something that I always try to emphasize – there is still nothing more important to student success than the quality of the relationship between the teacher and students.
Thanks for taking the time to engage Ken.
I can understand what you are saying. If we stay course and do nothing, it doesn’t bring change. On the other hand, if we bring change too quickly without support, you will not have the buy in. I would even add that top down changes without support or regular user feedback will lead to the demise of any program.
Very well said, Ken!
On the topic of engagement Chris, I couldn’t help but notice that my comment above did not elicit a response from you; albeit disagreement. As you have stated, acknowledgement of receipt is simply good blogging protocol; even more so if it allows you to engage in further discussion. I was glad to notice a common theme in your post of November 7, “Where have all the comments gone?” I encourage my student bloggers always to respond to comments on their posts, and to follow up if their feedback is not acknowledged. I am assuming oversight 🙂 Thank you for continuing with thought-provoking posts …
Hi Ed – sorry I missed it earlier . . . I will make up for it 🙂
Not a problem at all Chris; thank you!
Reblogged this on the KSS Learning Commons.