10 Tips to make your classroom a BYOD environment

1.        21st century adolescents - many of them own and use these devices outside of school. They have them, we might as well use them.

2.        Tools for learning - making consistent efforts to label the phones as devices sends the message that it’s much more than a toy.

3.        Acceptable Use Policies, align yours with your district to ensure common signs, terminology and consistency will help ensure the policy.

4.        Specific learning outcome - ensure that there is a connected objective to the device. No technology for technology's sake.

5.        Equity – when using, teachers can pair students up, check out devices from library or use classroom iPads to bridge the digital divide.

6.        Increase access - No need to schedule a computer lab, check out equipment from the library or be concerned with having enough laptops in the cart.

7.        Learning during non-instructional time - once devices are incorporated in class, learning becomes anytime, anywhere, any device
8.         Unacceptable use is dealt with accordingly based teacher classroom procedure.

9.        Enhance the pedagogy – it should  boost engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration or evaluation.

10.     Let it Go - student devices can be distracting and empowering at the same time. It might be organized chaos, but keeping them engaged is keeping them on task. Make the your lesson jam packed with activities. Students won't have time to play, surf, text, take selfies (unless it's for an assignment) when an assignment is slotted for just enough time to complete the objective.