Getting Started with Mobile Technology
Just getting started with mobile devices? Here are some of the things that you will need to think about and resources that will help.
First, you'll need to decide:
- Your program goals
- Your implementation plan
- What hardware you need
- What software you need
- What other resources you need
Program Goals
The first part of any new technology program should be setting academic goals.
Too many programs start with hardware and software instead of student and teacher needs. If you begin with what you want to accomplish, the technology pieces will fall into place and your program will be more successful.
Begin with a subject area and grade level(s). Then talk to teachers about what their student challenges are in those areas.
Implementation Plan
The first part of an implementation plan is identifying the students and teachers who will be involved. Often, the most expedient and politically palatable choice is to share mobile devices across classes and grades so that a large number of students can access them.
However, we believe and research and experience supports, that technology will have a much more significant impact if deployed in a one-to-one program, in which each student has his or her own device. It is our experience that these programs are more successful. And when programs are more successful, there is seldom a shortage of funding in getting them expanded.
Beyond that, your implementation plan should include a reasonable schedule (phased rollouts are often much more manageable and successful), a solid professional development plan, and on-going integration support. We often find that one-on-one in-classroom mentoring is much more effective than whole-group workshops.
Finally, make sure to share the successes as well as the challenges everyone is having. A blog is a great way to do that.
Hardware
When thinking about hardware, some of the preliminary decisions to be made include:
- Manufacturer
Make sure to choose a manufacturer who knows how to deal with big school orders. You might also want to look at product line stability. Manufacturers who are more consumer-oriented sometimes change their product line often, frequently discontinuing models and bringing out new ones, which can be frustrating to schools. Mini-laptops also tend to be more stable products than devices like ebook readers, tablets, or cell phones. - Operating system
Mobile devices often come with different operating systems. Mini-laptops come with Windows or Linux. Tablets, ereaders, and cell phones come with Android, iOS, and others. Many districts prefer Windows because of network authentication and management they want to do; however, this is less important than it used to be with Web 2.0 software. The most important consideration is what kind of software you want to run and whether the device and the operating system you choose supports it. In addition, it is always a good idea to have teachers and students test out some of the devices you are considering to see what works best for them. - Screen size
Mobile devices come with a variety of screen sizes from very small cell phone screens to 12" or larger laptops. Again, the intended use for the devices should be considered. It is also worth considering that smaller screens use less battery power, are less expensive, and are more portable, making them easier to integrate. - Solid state (flash) memory vs. a hard drive
Flash memory is faster, but can be more expensive. Hard drives have greater capacity, but often this isn稚 necessary with Web 2.0 applications that store information on the Internet.
Beyond those decisions, here are some other important things to look at:
- Battery life and power
Battery life and power consumption are one of the biggest challenges in implementing mobile programs. Getting devices with batteries that last through the school day is desireable. - Number of USB ports
More USB ports is better! With the large number of peripherals that use USB ports, you can never have too many. - Other optional peripherals
There are many peripherals you might want to consider, such as integrated web cams (which are also great for recording video for student projects), external CD and DVD drives.
Software
As with other computers, you値l need to evaluate which software you need to accomplish your goals. Most of the inexpensive mobile devices don稚 include the Office suite. However, a no-cost substitute for this is Open Office or Google Docs.
There are many great, free Web 2.0 applications that work well in the classroom to improve instruction. A huge advantage of these is that they can be accessed by any computer with web access. This is very helpful in file management issues as well.
Other Resources
Here are some other things you may want to consider in planning for your laptop implementation:
- Professional development – Plan for high quality professional development and support. We have found that one-on-one in-classroom mentoring is often more effective than traditional workshops to help teachers meaningfully integrate technology into the classroom.
- Wireless infrastructure – Make sure you have adequate access points and bandwidth to support the number of devices you値l have in use.
- File management – As teachers and students are using laptops more, you値l want to have a place for them to keep their files and recommendations for file naming, backing up files, etc. Options for file storage include network drives, flash drives, or Internet storage. The latter is generally preferred
- Student log-ins – If you are using Web 2.0 applications, your students will need to register with a user name and password. If you work out a standard system for this and help support students in keeping track of log-ins, you値l save time and avoid file loss down the road.
- Home use policy – Think through a policy on using the mobile devices at home. While this seems like a scary proposition, our experience is that students are very responsible at taking care of mobile technology, in part because they view it as a privilege. Encouraging students to develop responsible habits is an important life skill, and they値l get a lot more benefit from the technology if they are allowed to use it at home.
