6 replies to this topic

[Andrew Field]

Coming out of a conversation on Twitter a few moments ago - Doug and I stumbled up the real problem about using phones / iPods / digital devices within schools.  A little background - in my ICT suite (large room, 50 PCs, lots of space), we have 'free' wi-fi.  Any student who wants to can connect to the internet.  We have wireless security, but I just dish out the password.  This is safe because all we give students access to is the Internet, which is in turn filtered through own own filters (once it has been through the county).  Thus there are various students with iPod touches and lots of PSPs and suchlike.

Thing is, in reality, students aren't allowed these devices even in school.  Mobile phones, due to insurance and security concerns, are not allowed.  Yet every - and I mean every - student has a phone with them. The basic consensus is that students don't have them on, keep them in their pockets and then switch on when out of school.  A quite literal definition of powering down.

Schools have to find a middle ground here.  Clearly we don't want students with their phones on, answering and texting when they should be concentrating in class, but as phones become ever more sophisticated we simply cannot ignore the digital resources the students bring into class.

We haven't quite hit the resource that changes everything yet - but the advances of the iPhone and iPod touch - perhaps with a flavour of the EeePC - together with all the rival developments - mean that students will soon have an ideal learning resource in their pocket.

This is very tricky though - I fully understand the precautions that schools have to take.  Insurance claims together with potential other issues cause an instant ban.  Yet is there a middle way here?  A way of getting students to use phones / devices for positive educational use but not cause headaches for the school bursar?  Surely the fact that a phone is insured on the bus or as a student walks to / from school means schools don't have to take on that responsiblity.

So - here is a call to, erm, mobiles.  Ideas for an Acceptable Use Policy for Mobile Devices in schools.

[Andrew Field]

A few links that I've just found:

An insurance link (and obvious advertising):
http://www.hbosplc.c...section=Halifax

Quote

Personal Belongings
For those items that are normally worn or carried in everyday day life Halifax Home Insurance offer Personal Belongings cover away from the home both in the UK and abroad.  This cover complements their unlimited sum insured contents insurance* and provides cover for items such as jewellery, money, credit cards and mobile phones.**

* Inner limits apply to certain areas of contents cover, including; money restrictions, single article & high risk item limits and contents left in the open. High risk items are subject to a £2000 limit per item. Details are available within the policy and schedule.

** Aggregate limits of between £2,500 and £10,000 apply. Individual limits apply to mobile phones, money, credit cards and pedal cycles.

Do schools kill creativity?
http://www.handheldl...58/topic,1311.0

Mobile phones - constructive not destructive?
http://www.slideshar...ructive-124979/

http://www.handheldlearning.co.uk/

[Doug Belshaw]

Thanks for getting the discussion going, Andrew, and for the links. I'll put a shout out on Twitter for links to AUP's worldwide - perhaps we can glean something from them?

Also, what about 1:1 laptop schools? Is the school responsible for insuring these? How do they manage to afford this? Perhaps we could investigate that avenue.

Finally, I'm part of (albeit on the periphery) of a Becta/Historical Association project into using mobile devices in the classroom. This might be something that could be explored with their resources...  

Doug

[Andrew Field]

Doug Belshaw, on May 7 2008, 07:49 AM, said:

Also, what about 1:1 laptop schools? Is the school responsible for insuring these? How do they manage to afford this? Perhaps we could investigate that avenue.

  I know at the International School of Toulouse they give each student a laptop and have lots of spares just in case.  I think the key thing there is that the school have provided them, rather than the students themselves.  They are surely responsible for the day-to-day use of it though.  They afford this because of their sponsorship by Airbus.

Quote

Finally, I'm part of (albeit on the periphery) of a Becta/Historical Association project into using mobile devices in the classroom. This might be something that could be explored with their resources...

Ah yes - great connection.  I guess this might take it slightly off in a different direction as I believe this was more about providing students with devices, but it can surely form a major part.

Digital devices only really become transformational when they become as common as bringing a pen to a lesson.  I suppose one solution to the problem is for the devices to be provided by the school - but this really doesn't appear to be a realistic proposition across UK schools.  Yet that isn't really what I'm after either - I'm after a way to encourage and safely use mobile devices in school.

Then again, just like students forgetting their pen, I left my iPod touch at home today

[Doug Belshaw]

I've tried to widen the discussion by posting about this on my blog here:

Towards a forward-thinking Acceptable Use Policy for mobile devices

Doug

[Paul Scullion]

My first post here, so not wanting to wade on to a heated discussion I shall just offer the below link for reference.

http://www.apple.com...n/ipod/lessons/

The idea of using such technology does have a lot of potential in my opinion, but the management issues that could potentially come with it are significant.

Paul S

[Doug Belshaw]

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum! Thanks for the link, haven't seen that one before and it looks useful.  

Doug