Jessica Fraser
BYOD Teacher Board
At both of my schools, teachers want to know how Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) can be managed and ways the devices can be infused into their lessons. Rather than telling teachers what they can do with BYOD, I wanted to empower them to share their ideas with each other. Above is a photo of a bulletin board I put up in the teacher's lounge. Teachers will use this board throughout the year to post resources and ways they manage BYOD. I also began a Pinterest board with other Digital Learning Coaches where we have been collecting BYOD resources. There is a QR code to the left of my bulletin board that teachers can scan to view my collaborative Pinterest board. Teachers have told me how useful the Pinterest board has been in helping them to figure out how they want to implement BYOD in their classrooms. More teachers are posting their ideas as they become more comfortable with implementing BYOD.
Click the above photo to view the BYOD resource Pinterest page the QR code links to.
This artifact shows that I am working toward meeting the performance indicators for ISTE Standard 3.b: Maintain and manage a variety of digital tools and resources for teacher and student use in technology-rich learning environments. In creating this bulletin board for teachers to add ideas to, I am helping them expand their views on resources for BYOD. Teachers see what their colleagues are doing with student devices and get ideas from ways other classrooms are using devices to create technology-rich learning environments. This bulletin board is also one method that I manage the different ways that student devices are used in the classrooms. I build upon how teachers are using student devices and share what others are doing to promote a technology-rich school environment. By having this bulletin board in the teacher's lounge, it has created much natural conversation about BYOD and has helped reluctant teachers to become more comfortable with the idea of BYOD. All of the learning environments are not technology-rich yet, but I am working toward helping teachers to learn the digital tools and resources that can help their classroom environments to become technology-rich.
BYOD Parent Presentation
At one of my schools, the kindergarten teachers wanted to get started with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) sooner than later. I had numerous meetings with the principal and teachers to discuss their vision for how the devices would be used to support student learning. We talked about how and when the devices would be used throughout the day. We discussed the types of apps and Web-based resources that would be appropriate for the students and would work best with the school's technology infrastructure. From our conversations, I created a rollout plan for BYOD in kindergarten. This plan details a sequence of events and lessons to make the implementation of student devices in kindergarten successful. The first event was to hold a parent meeting. With the collaboration of another Digital Learning Coach, I created a presentation to use with the kindergarten parents. During the parent meeting, I described what BYOD is and the expectations. I also gave parents a list of suggested apps and Web-based resources that align with what the teachers want the students to be working on. At the end of the meeting, I helped parents set up their child's devices so they were ready to bring to school the following day.
Click on the above image to view the full presentation I gave at the parent meeting.
This artifact demonstrates my competence in meeting ISTE Standard 3.f: Collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources that enhance teaching and learning and are compatible with the school technology infrastructure. I worked with my principal and the kindergarten teachers to discuss BYOD and how to incorporate student devices into their daily lessons. We met on several occassions and communicated often via email and on a Google Doc to gather resources. Together, the teachers and I evaluated apps and Web-based resources to determine the digital resources that would best support their students' learning. We also made sure those resources would work well with the school's technology infrastructure. Once the teachers and I determined what their BYOD plan looked like, I helped to begin the process by meeting with parents to communicate the digital learning resources that the kindergarten teachers want to use with their students and how parents can help at home.
Tech Troubleshooting
As I visit classrooms to teach lessons with technology, I come across many problems with the classroom technology. Often times, teachers have given up on fixing the problems out of frustration and don't have the time to keep asking their Technology Assistant for help. Sometimes the teachers don't realize there are problems with their technology and assume that it should be difficult to work with. To keep track of the technology issues I encounter when supporting teachers, I have created a Google spreadsheet. This document allows me to see which teacher technology problems I have taken care of and which ones still need to be resolved. It also helps me to see patterns in technology issues so I can better predict teachers' technology needs.
Click the image above to see my spreadsheet, which is a continual work on progress.
This artifact shows that I am meeting ISTE Standard 3.e: Troubleshoot basic software, hardware, and connectivity problems common in digital learning environments. There are going to be some issues with technology in digital learning environments. As a Digital Learning Coach, I have been able to assist teachers with getting their classroom technology in better working order. I want them to focus on integrating technology into their instruction rather than troubleshooting problems. As this artifact shows, I help to solve problems in basic software, hardware, and connectivity problems that are common in digital learning environments. Once I show teachers how to troubleshoot their technology problems, they are usually able to solve those problems on their own. At the beginning of the school year, I had a lot of technology issues. As the year has progressed, there have been fewer problems. I communicate many of the technology issues I encounter with the other DLCs so they are aware of problems and solutions that I have found. In turn, they share their issues and solutions. As a result of my support, teachers have learned how to troubleshoot more technology problems on their own. Now, I am spending more of my time talking with teachers about how to integrate the technology into their lessons rather than how to get it working.
Digital Age Learning Environments
Technology Coaches create and support effective digital age learning environments to maximize the learning of all students.