Information Guide Mobile Learning in Today’s Schools Learning Anywhere, Anytime, on Any Device Education is no longer just pencils and paper inside a bricks-and-mortar classroom. It’s using a search engine to define vocabulary words; it’s watching a YouTube video to understand the scientific method; it’s taking cell phone photos on a field trip to use in a report. Technology has placed infinite resources in the hands of students. Now, administrators and IT departments are tasked with how to harness this invaluable resource to benefit students’ learning processes in a safe way. It’s not a question of if it happens. It’s a matter of how. Top 5 Tips for a Successful Mobile Learning Program 1. Create a safe environment A dynamic content filter is imperative for a mobile learning program. An efficient and effective filter blocks inappropriate content, helps identify cyberbullying, and ensures CIPA compliance on and off the network — while allowing the educational aspects of Web 2.0. When your program goes mobile, so should your filter. 2. Manage devices more easily Your IT staff needs education-specific tools to manage your mobile devices. An adept mobile device management (MDM) solution allows management district-wide with easy app installation, device function control, and critical information-viewing with flexible groups and an intuitive interface. 3. Involve educators Consider the balance between what it makes sense for IT to manage versus educators. After all, the devices will be used in the classrooms, and IT can’t spend all its time facilitating teacher requests to unblock YouTube videos. Empower teachers to monitor device usage in their classrooms and trust them to make judgment calls about which sites/ resources are most appropriate for instruction. 4. Provide educator support A mobile device program is a big investment, and professional development can help ensure it pays off. Proper educator training promotes digital literacy and ensures that technology is integrated with curriculum and standards. Educating teachers develops confidence in those who create lessons, plan activities, and work to engage students. Providing guidance to those who use mobile devices in the classroom is an integral part of the success of your mobile learning program and makes mobile devices that much more powerful. 5. Get off to the right start The key is to have a plan. Decide how you want to approach app store IDs: one per individual, one per school, etc. Determine how you’ll push apps and software to your devices. And make sure you get configured properly the first time so you don’t have to redo it. Why Go Mobile? • Immediate access to information • Increased student engagement • Personalized learning • Access to online textbooks • Student preparation for the workforce and higher education • Increased parent involvement • Extended learning outside the classroom • Improved student-teacher interaction • Opportunity for global collaboration • Flipped classrooms • Devices for online testing Challenges of Going Mobile • Deployment difficulties • Budget constraints and equity challenges • Filtering and safety concerns • Teacher/administrator training • Distracted students • Ongoing device management Trying BYOD? Use These Top 10 Best Practices 1. Cover the whys. What makes BYOD a good fit for your district? 2. Get buy-in. You need a solid, written plan to get approval from your board and buy-in from parents and teachers. 3. Determine the devices. Determine what you will allow on campus, including whether you’ll only allow devices with WiFi connectivity or also those with 3G/4G connectivity. 4. Update all AUPs. Set and share policies for what, when and how students can use their own devices on campus and determine how you’ll enforce them. 5. Plan your IT support protocols. Determine what IT will and won’t do on personal devices and what hours IT support will be available. 6. Educate teachers. Give them basic advice to support lessons across multiple platforms. 7. Address equity. What will you do about students who don’t have a device? Make supplemental devices part of your plan. 8. Prepare your network. Get your wireless infrastructure ready for BYOD demands, determine how you will secure your primary network, force personally owned devices onto a separate LAN, and provide filtered access through that LAN. 9. Be prepared. BYOD is a big change for many districts. Prepare yourself by reading about and talking to districts that have done it. 10. Be flexible. Stay nimble and ready to adapt to surprises, good and bad. What can you do with a mobile learning program? Try a flipped classroom Invert traditional teaching by offering online instruction outside the classroom and bringing “homework” into the classroom. Keep absent students on track When a student is home sick or on vacation, he can keep up with assignments and lectures using a device. Allow “tech breaks” To combat possible distractions, try giving students a limited time to check texts or email (whatever is approved) every couple hours. Encourage students to take notes on their device Help to prepare students for college by teaching them this invaluable skill. Conduct surveys 87% of parents say that the effective implementation of technology within instruction is important to their children’s success. But only 64% say their children’s schools are doing a good job of using technology to enhance student achievement. http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/MobileLearningReport2012.html 65% of middle school students are smartphone users and 52% of them own a tablet. www.tomorrow.org Polling apps can help you get realtime feedback from students. Get everyone talking With a mobile device, shy students can feel more comfortable contributing to class discussions. 4 Ways Mobile Devices Simplify & Improve Testing 1. They offer access (but not too much) Online testing requires that students have devices to access the internet – but you also need to make sure you’ll following protocol to limit student access to appropriate sites or apps during test periods. 2. They eliminate distraction If state exams are hosted through an app, an MDM solution can lock test-takers into that app for the entirety of the testing period. 3. They’re easily monitored No more glancing over students’ shoulders. Classroom management software lets test proctors and teachers see every student’s device screen simultaneously, preventing cheating and other misuse. 4. They’re efficient With bandwidth management, you can prioritize traffic to testing URLs so other network traffic doesn’t bog down the process. Safety and Access — Anywhere, Anytime, Any Device Mobile learning programs aren’t effective with across-the-board policies. Set up policies that are flexible based on time and location. Establishing tighter restrictions when students are on campus and during school hours Lightspeed Systems Solutions With the amazing opportunities of mobile learning come some challenges. Lightspeed Systems has the solution. With three integrated, school-specific elements, our solutions address IT, educator, administrator, and parent concerns — and allow your mobile learning program to be an innovative and successful resource in the classroom. MOBILE MANAGEMENT Our Mobile Device Management solution takes a unique school-focused approach that makes it easy for districts to manage their mobile learning devices. • Push apps, eBooks and updates easily • Configure, control, change password and wipe devices remotely • Add users through your SIS • Share management with teachers with tiered administration WEB FILTERING Our fully scalable Web Filter provides CIPAcompliant filtering on desktop and mobile devices without over-blocking, ensuring that both users and devices are protected — on and off the network. eliminates distractions. However, setting up looser policies for off-network • Customize policies based on user, IP, group or domain use and non-school hours allows students to safely explore the devices in • Pull reports from high-level to detailed their free time. • Make authentication easy with seamless single sign-on • Give teachers the power to override and create web zones Lightspeed Systems creates smart solutions for school networks Find out more at: lightspeedsystems.com/mobile-learning-essentials www.lightspeedsystems.com Main: 877.447.6244 Support: 800.444.9267 Sales: sales@lightspeedsystems.com CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT Classroom Orchestrator gives teachers the ability to monitor students’ devices in real time, ensuring they stay engaged and on-task. • Zoom out to monitor an entire class • Zoom in on students to evaluate individual progress • Record student activity for further review • Intervene or lock devices