VSTE & BYOD Luncheon

VSTE Conference links and musings....
http://www.vsteconference.org/

Educational Technology Luncheon on BYOD...

Va Beach's BYOD policy link
http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/byod/guidelines.asp

VA Beach's BYOD FAQ
http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/byod/index.asp

VA Beach Cellphone Policy
Virginia Beach School Board amends cell phone policy

Rockingham County Cellphone/Digital Device Policy
http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/PolicyManual/JZK.htm

VA Beach session back channel at VSTE
http://todaysmeet.com/BYOD2012

York County Public Schools BYOD Story/FAQ/video
http://www.edline.net/pages/YCSD/General_Info/BYOT/default

Quote from Steve Dembo...keynote... "cellphone is NOT a distraction if it's required to be on the desk."

New Directions on Digital Citizenship

Anne Collier from Netfamilynews.org is a leader in the field of internet safety and digital citizenship.  Her work is both on the mark and up to the moment.  This slideshare presentation "Digital Citizenship, briefly" gives stakeholders in the industry new insights.

RePost: 11 Reasons Teachers Aren't Using Technology

11 Reasons Teachers Aren't Using Technology

Posted by John Spencer http://www.educationrethink.com/2012/07/11-reasons-teachers-arent-using.html

I know that all tools are technically technology. However, for the purpose of this post, I'm thinking computers, tablets and mobile devices. This is not a comprehensive list and I admit that it's limited entirely to my own experiences and my own local context:

1. Fear: Implementing new technology can be frightening on so many levels. Whether it's a fear of letting go of control or a sense that one doesn't have the right skills or a concern about digital footprint, privacy or cyber-bullying, many teachers are simply scared. 

Get Everyone in the Box!

In our introductory faculty meetings, we're demonstrating the BYOT concept and our new cellphone policy.  Our mindset is to not think outside the box... rather, make the box so large EVERYONE can be in it!
We're doing some introductory activities in the 30 minute meeting using QR code readers, Socrative quiz app, and even ChaCha for those with flip phones and non-smartphones.

Links on the topic of BYOT...

• Info graphic on Personalized Learning in 2012
  - "Today’s K-12 students tap into a wide range of tech tools for personalized learning— both in and out of school. Parents support digital learning to prepare their children for the future. See how technology enables new and customized learning that is socially- based, un-tethered and digitally-rich."

Get Ready for Some Great Video Content

We're into the school year and are promoting and educating our new digital devices in the classroom policy (otherwise known as "the cellphone policy")...

Here's a great start with these youtube clips.

• Cell Phones in the Classroom : Learning Tools for the 21st Century
• Cellphones as Learning Tools
• Using Cell Phones To Engage Students in the Classroom
• Social Media in the Classroom
• Teacher welcomes texting in class
• 5 Myths about Mobile Learning(with video)

Google/YouTube Based Digital Ethics Lessons

"YouTube has a firm place in the current classroom. From Khan Academy’s videos to YouTube EDU and beyond, there’s a reason all these videos are finding a home in schools. In an effort to help keep the ball rolling, Google just launched a set of 10 interactive lessons designed to support teachers in educating students on digital citizenship. A topic obviously quite close to Google’s heart."http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/youtube/curric/index.html

Here we go...into the classroom with Digital Devices

Fall is upon us and with new digital devices policies around and commonwealth, it's time to start posting some good links and resources for their use in the classroom.

Here is a good read on 14 Smart Tips for using iPads in the Classroom
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/07/14-smart-tips-for-using-ipads-in-class/

7 Myths About BYOD Debunked
http://thejournal.com/Articles/2011/11/09/7-BYOD-Myths.aspx?Page=1&p=1

Bring Your Own Devices - How Do You Do It Or How Do You Get There?

http://edtechsandyk.blogspot.com/2011/02/bring-your-own-devices-how-do-you-do-it.html

The 10 Commandments of BYOD
http://www.pearltrees.com/#/N-play=1&N-s=1_5478172&N-u=1_695635&N-p=50403188&N-f=1_5478172&N-fa=5477673

Rockingham County moves forward on digital devices policy.

The RCPS school board voted 4-1 to accept the proposed cellphone policy for a one semester trial run starting in the fall of 2012.  The concept received a lot of attention, discussion and research by stakeholders and included a robust discussion on Facebook provided by one of the board members.

Here are some of the comments in italics made by this blog's author on the topic:

The thread posted last week on this topic was informative, full of discussion and had several informative comments by me as I was on the committee that studied this issue for months. Stakeholders had comments and issues raised that were good discussion also during that thread. The committee provided a public page for comments by our division computer supervisor, interviewed students, teachers, administrators, parents and digital specialists within the division.

No unanimous consensus was reached and most likely will never be reached on this topic... understood. Advancing technology will always be uncomfortable for some, will always involve the digital divide(haves vs have nots) but in the larger picture over time enhances education and communication. 

Our digitally connected society is now a fact of life. The genie cannot be stuffed back in the bottle. There is always a downside of free and open communication and access just as there is a downside of oppressive or undue control and manipulation by those in charge.

After studying and researching this HEAVILY for the last several years, I'm convinced it's the right path to take by putting the learners in a position to access more data in their own way. This gives them the opportunity to gain responsibility, learn the ethical use of devices and take possession of their own learning(the goal of modern education).

Most teachers are optimists. We believe students can learn, can adapt and will make the most of a situation. I'm appreciative of the comments from optimistic parents who get it and are willing to express their views publicly.

and another with questions raised in red

"If they can google it, what then is the role of a human instructor? Pardon my old-fashioned ways"

TODAYS media centric classroom promotes the students taking possession of their learning... the OLD model of teacher "pushing" all the data to the student is no longer effective! Students today are interested and willing to take their learning to the next level... personal learning. Teachers today are facilitators of learning. Any time a student goes after the knowledge, is interactive with the lesson, the lesson is better learned. The student takes possession of the process... Self actualization has ALWAYS been the best way to learn something.

Rockingham County Schools Lead on "My Digital Life" Initiative

Rockingham County Schools were the first division in Virginia to implement 100% participation of a Virginia School division.  According to sponsor Neustar, RCPS was also the first school division in the NATION to complete the initiative division wide!

ALL four middle schools in Rockingham implemented the online course in the 8th grade computer literacy classes this spring.  778 8th graders participated in the program.

A video highlight of the awards ceremony at J.Frank Hillyard Middle School is on Vimeo at: https://vimeo.com/43463021

Flickr photos taken by Katie Hughes are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/everfievents/sets/72157629987970424/

Background on the initiative is at: http://www.neustar.biz/about-us/news-room/press-releases/2012/neustar-launches-digital-literacy-and-responsibility-program-for-virginia-schools

Photo: Nathan Lindstrom

Pocket-Sized Revolution

How one district is leveraging smartphones  and other forms of BYOD to disrupt its learning model.


" In fact, a day rarely goes by that the phones-Droid Incredibles, purchased by the school district-aren't incorporated into lessons."

The topic of privacy and school divisions overstepping their legal boundry is a hot and ongoing item.  Here are several more articles on the topic.

Arlington expands social media rules for teachers
Under a new policy, Arlington teachers would have to register social media accounts geared toward instruction — such as a class Facebook page or a Twitter account used for homework reminders — with their principals, who would be allowed to request the account’s password.
In the Digital Age, Welcoming Cell Phones in the Class





Do schools have the right to expel students for tweets?
"The ’automatic tracking system’ the school uses apparently tracks tweets whenever a student logs in to their account. There is a question mark circling around whether the system actually works or not — as the student states his message was sent outside both school grounds and hours."



The implications of schools demanding access to student mobile devices
"As the backlash from the parents of affected students increases, schools are looking for ways that they can legally monitor cyberbullying — which usually takes the form of text messages or communication across social networks."



Amidst a Mobile Revolution in Schools, Will Old Teaching Tactics Work?
“People are talking about this being an inflection point,” said Elliot Soloway. Soloway is a professor at the School of Education at the University of Michigan, and a longtime proponent of mobile learning. “It feels like something major is about to happen. It went from a silly idea, to, ‘Of course it’s inevitable.”

But recently – in the last two or three years – something has changed. Schools seem to be getting over their fears and want to bring the Web and social media and all the attendant digital tools into the classroom. You can see this change reflected in a slew of new Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) across the country that emphasize responsibility over mere acceptance and the implementation of school-wide blogs and even the distribution of smartphones for classroom use.

How Teachers Make Cell Phones Work in the Classroom

"As soon as kids walk in, Musallam sends out a text blast through Remind101, asking them a challenge question that’s related to the day’s lesson. “First person to tell me the units on K for a second order reaction gets chocolate,” he types and sends off. His students know he does this regularly, so they’re constantly anticipating the question during the day, in and out of class."

Good article on "How Americans really use cell phones" CNN

VSTE response to DOE discussions

"The medium is not the issue; in fact, educators should model appropriate digital citizenship when using technology to communicate in appropriate, timely, and powerful ways. VSTE strongly advocates for professional development and training materials to better prepare educators to leverage the technology for positive interactions with students."


http://vsteonline.ning.com/profiles/blogs/vste-responds-to-the-virginia

Cellphones Empower Crime, Spoofing, Riots

Social media to blame for Lamar High School ‘riot’
One school is dealing with just how effective a cellphone can be to start a riot in their school.
"...He said the seven students who were punished were found to have instigated the incident using social media. He said the administration tracked them down through interviews with students, watching security tapes and reviewing Twitter posts, particularly those “creating a buzz” about it beforehand."
Read the article

The Untraceable Man
" To spoof means to appear from somewhere or someone else than the original and true number so basically by spoofing a SMS message the receiver of it will not know it is from you and basically you can make it appear to come from any number you want. Use your imagination with this one because it is quite fun. The real problem is that they usually cannot respond to your message as most of the SMS spoofing services are offered online"
http://untraceableman.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-spoof-sms-text-messages.html

SpoofApp: Fake Your Caller ID and Voice on the iPhone
SpoofApp is a native application for the Apple iPhone that lets callers pretend they are calling from a phone number other than the one they are actually calling from.
http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/97428

Continued BYOT discussion and links

Our Cellphone policy committee meets this coming week.  We continue to search and discuss both sides of the BYOT.  Please comment on what your division is doing.
Here are some more current links on the topic:
http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2012/04/byod-new-one-one
Harrisonburg City Schools and Karen Campbell are leading the way in Western Virginia with the BYOT initiative.
http://web.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/tech/docs/tech_plan/Guidelines_Student_Devices.pdf
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/Schools_Will_Change_Cell_Phone_Policy_146754075.html
and from Michigan
http://www.neola.com/godfreylee-mi/search/ag/ag5136.htm

Your Policies?

Many divisions and schools have AUP policies that are currently being re-written to cover cellphone use as a computer in the buildings.  COPA laws apply, as well as, appropriate use of the internet.

Share your school or divisions policy.  Links are appreciated.  We're interested in your logic or justifications for your positions as we all formulate positions on this urgent issue.

Cellphone Issues???

Twitter and Cellphones in the Schools.

The blog creator is compiling data on social media cellphone use in VA schools.  This is a contentious issue that I'm sure you are all dealing with in your divisions.

Whether it's questionable use during the school day that violates an AUP...

or

Positive BYOT use during the school day in a classroom setting (I've seen some very cool uses of the phone from QRcode activities to GPS projects)

I'm also specifically interested in experiences with Twitter, reputation damage, cheating, etc.  Interested in experiences with both students and staff.  Twitter now looms as our next great gremlin to deal with. Specific stories about Twitter go to the top of the list.

I'm interested in your feedback, opinions, policy, war stories and positives.  

I'm constructing a presentation for administrators and school board members that frames the issue from both sides.  This genie is not going back in the bottle, so management is now the path I believe that needs to be taken, while honoring the COPA laws, community standards, and AUPs... in other words: the ethical use of the digital device.

Joe

Welcome to Digital Ethics Virginia

This blog will serve as a comments area for ITRT and other stakeholders including students, teachers, administrators in the areas of digital ethics in Virginia's Public schools and homes.

Discussions can include (but are not limited to):
Cellphone Use, Android, iPhone, Digital Devices in the school building, Internet Safety, Bullying, Cyberbullying, Sexting, Texting, Texting While Driving, Reputation Damage, Privacy issues, Hacking, Hoaxes, Predators, Parent issues, Student issues, Staff/Teacher issues, Phishing, Identity Theft, Shopping Online, Picture Privacy Breaches, Social Mapping, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Child's First Phone, WiFi issues and more... whew!