1 to 1 Programs:

Pedagogy, Stakeholders& Learning Spaces.

Mark Richardson, ICTeD Services

The Issues in Device SelectionFor many schools, notebook, netbook or iPad programs which give students high levels of access to connected learning environments are now nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, many schools have or are now in the process of replacing their initial fleets of devices. These are either now out of lease or past their use by date.

Schools going through this rollover process, or those implementing such programs for the first time, need to make device selection a significant teaching and learning decision.

Device rollouts are about more than just providing shiny new devices for students. If device usage doesn’t engage students, improve learning and enhance the delivery curriculum through systemic and school pedagogies, they are simply not being used in a useful capacity.

If device usage doesn’t engage students, improve learning and enhance the delivery curriculum through systemic and school pedagogies, they are simply not being used in a useful capacity.

The Issues in Device Selection

Three Critical Factors in Device Selection

Pedagogy

Stakeholder Views

Learning Spaces [Physical and Virtual]

PedagogySo where does a school start? Well, answer these questions about pedagogy and programs first.

• What are your school's values and beliefs? What does it believe about teaching and learning?

• •What is the role of teacher in the learning process? How much responsibility does the student have for their learning? How much trust does the school have in its students?

• What physical spaces are provided by your school for student learning? How much access do students get to those spaces?

• What virtual spaces can students access at school and at home?

• What digital citizenship programs does your school have in place?

• Honest answers to these questions will provide a starting point as to the type of device that will best suit a school's needs.

The worst thing for a school to do is to pick a device first, based on a reason such unit price, or what the school down the road has, or what one person in the school thinks is the best solution and then trying to shoe-horn it into what that school believes and demonstrates about teaching and learning.

Pedagogy• In pedagogical terms, all schools will be

somewhere of a continuum from Traditional Teaching and Learning to Flexible / Personalized Learning.

• The place on that continuum may be flexible within a school, depending upon the learning activity, the year level, the subject being taught and the relationships between individual teachers and learners. However, it should be possible to place those classes involved in a device rollout somewhere on that continuum in a general sense.

PedagogyTraditional learning is ... Implications for devices in

traditional learning is ...

• Teacher centred• Individual learning• More summative assessment• Less formative assessment• Traditional classroom set up• Content driven• Teacher directed activities • About school learning, rather than 24/7 learning

• Quick internet access• A range of software / apps, particularly for desktop publishing• Desktops but also notebooks / netbooks• Wireless internet access important but more for safety reasons, [i.e. no cords], than for portability / mobile learning•Speedy, reliable• Cost effective• Light and easy to carry

PedagogyFlexible or personalised learning is.....

Implications for devices in flexible or personalised learning is......

• Student centred• Individual & group learning• More formative assessment• Less summative assessment• Student directed • Teacher scaffolded• 24/7 learning• Collaborative• Global• Occurring in a variety of learning spaces [both in and out of school]

• Quick internet access•A wider range of software / apps, including multimedia•Access to a school or system Learning Management System•Access to a wide variety of collaborative Web 2.0 tools•Notebooks / netbooks, but could also be a tablets / iPads•Wireless internet access is critical for mobile learning and collaboration•Usability in school and out of school, 24/7• Good battery life•Light and easy to carry•Speedy, reliable• Cost effective

StakeholdersNow it’s time to get the views of all the stakeholders involved. They won’t necessarily all think in the same way!

What device do administrators think best suits there school's needs? What about teachers? What about technicians? What about students? What about parents and carers [especially if they are contributing to the cost of the device]? Does your school system / authority have preferences about devices?

• It is important that you find out what the answers might be at your school. This can easily be done by having stakeholders complete online surveys. These results can be unpacked by setting up some focus groups of stakeholders.

StakeholdersStakeholder Key Needs

Administrators / Principals

Pricing - the device, technical support, warranty, insurance, physical security and cyber security.

Teachers Reliable, speedy and secure. Easily updated / customized for curriculum needs.

Technicians Ease of networking, troubleshooting, re-imaging, synching and security.

Students Customized to their needs, ability to add their own software and apps. Portable and light to carry. Meets their needs at school and at home [if they use the device 24/7]

Parents / Carers

Pricing - the device, technical support, warranty, insurance, physical security and cyber security.

Learning SpacesBut what about the relationship between your learning spaces and the devices?

So, some more questions to ask.

• What are the physical spaces that students learn in at your school?

• • Where do students currently use internet connected devices in your school?

• •Are there internet connected learning spaces in your school that are not used or under utilized? These could be break out rooms, specialist teaching spaces, outdoor areas etc.

• •Investigate the usage patterns of your school’s learning spaces. What factors are involved in this selection and use of these spaces? e.g. teacher preferences, supervision, connectivity, timetables etc.

• Are there projects in place to build or modify physical and virtual learning spaces at the school in the near future?

• What virtual learning spaces are available to your students, e.g. Learning Management Systems, Web 2.0 tools / spaces? Are these available to students 24/7.

• Is online teaching and learning supported by teachers at your school?

Three data sets.

Pedagogy and programs in your school that require or are enhanced by device rollouts.

What different stakeholders think about the important features of devices.

What learning spaces, [physical and virtual], are used in the school and what potential is there to develop spaces that will enhance the 21st century skills and attitudes that are required for a worthwhile device rollout.

Put the data sets together.Be open about your decision making. Share the data with all stakeholders. Look at your pedagogy and programs, what will be enhanced by the rollout? What will be the quick successes? What will take longer to achieve? How will teachers, students and parents need to be supported in this process of curriculum and organizational change?

Look at your current and potential learning spaces. Are there learning spaces that could be better used for 21st century teaching and learning, using the soon to be purchased / leased devices? What actions need to be put in place to change the learning space usage? Is wireless connectivity robust enough for all these new devices?

Consider those stakeholder views on the device rollout. Often the technical opinions and budget allocations will have as big an impact on the final decision as the pedagogical ones do!

Put the data sets together.• • Virtual learning space access, such as a Learning

Management System, is essential for any device rollout to be successful. There needs to be online spaces where teachers can post resources for students, where students can respond to tasks and set up reflective digital portfolios. Students and teachers need to be able to access these 24/7, from school or from home. If your school does not have any access to school operated, or school system operated, virtual learning spaces, there are many Web 2.0 tools and a number of commercial solutions available.

• If you are placing devices in the hands of students, then have your cyber safety programs in place. Support your students in being great digital citizens from the start!

Conclusion

The best thing for a school to do is to pick the actual device last.

Make this decision by matching the device to what that school believes and demonstrates about teaching and learning, after input from all stakeholders.

A good decision will make the best match between teacher needs, student needs, pedagogy, and the resourcing available. It’s an important decision!