Running head: PROJECT PLAN 1

Introducing BYOD to the Elementary Classroom: A Project Plan

Maureen Deming

EDU 627

Dr. Kathy Milhauser

PPROJECT PLAN 2

Introducing BYOD to the Elementary Classroom: A Project Plan

The benefits of integrating technology into education are numerous and well-

documented. Thoughtfully designed instruction that draws on technology can motivate and

engage learners (Cheng et al., 2009; Revere et al., 2011; Wlodkowski, 1999), give them multiple

means of accessing content and sharing understanding (Perkins, 2009), and draw upon the latest

neuroscience research about how the brain learns best (Bailey et al., 2015). Technology also

allows for more personalized teaching and learning (George, 2013; Song et al., 2012).

Deep River Elementary School (DRES) is piloting a 1:1 iPad program in the fifth grade

this year. Students in grade six only have access to a laptop lab, which is shared with grade five,

and a small set of classroom iPads. Since a decision about expanding the 1:1 program will not

come for another year, the faculty and administration at DRES have the opportunity to fill the

void with a bring your own device program (BYOD). BYOD allows students to leverage the

tools with which they are already familiar to advance their learning (New Media Consortium,

2014). With the prevalence of personal mobile devices, even in the upper elementary grades, it

is more practical than ever to allow students to use them in school (Project Tomorrow, 2014).

This paper presents the plan to design a BYOD program for grade six. This program will

encompass technological infrastructure, policies, and support for teachers to integrate BYOD

into the curriculum, culminating in a pilot classroom. The first section will define the scope of

the project, and detail the requirements, schedule, and budget. The next section features the

work breakdown structure, detailing the various tasks, as well as the responsible parties.

Afterword, the details of the communication plan and quality management plan are described.

Finally, a comprehensive schedule is provided.

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Stakeholders

Principal District Technology

Coordinator

District Technology

Integration Specialist

DRES Network

Technician

Grade 6 Teachers Grade 6

Paraprofessionals

Reading Consultant Specials Area

Teachers

Students Parents/Guardians Tier II Reading

Interventionist

ELL Teacher

Project Proposal

Scope

The aim of this project is to introduce BYOD to the sixth grade classrooms of DRES by

April 2016 at a cost of 80 hours and approximately $372. This year, the fifth grade classrooms at

DRES are piloting a 1:1 iPad program. The sixth grade students, however, must share small sets

of classroom iPads and a mobile laptop lab. BYOD affords numerous pedagogical and learning

advantages (George, 2013; Song et al., 2012) on devices the students are already familiar with

(New Media Consortium, 2014).

This project includes analyzing and updating the school’s technological infrastructure and

technology acceptable use policy. It also includes training teachers on incorporating personal

devices into instruction. The following table outlines in more detail what is, and what is not,

included in this project. Even more detail is found in the next section of this paper, the work

breakdown structure.

Included Not Included

Analyze and update Wi-Fi, security, hardware

for charging devices

Purchasing devices and/or charging cables for

student use

Analyze and update acceptable use policy Guiding parents to specific retail locations to

purchase devices

Training teachers on integrating 1:1 devices in

all areas of instruction

Developing specific lesson plans

Pilot Class Money for teachers to buy apps, e-books,

subscriptions, or accounts

Communication with parents and Board of

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Education about benefits BYOD, acceptable use policy, as well as student work and

progress

Fig. 1 Scope

The table on the following three pages presents the work breakdown structure.

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Requirements

In order for this project to succeed, several requirements must be met. Before personal

devices enter the classrooms, there are technology requirements that must be met. The school

must have enough Wi-Fi entry points to accommodate the increased user load. Security systems,

such as firewalls, must be in place to keep students and data safe. An integral part of this safety

is student and parent understanding of the acceptable use policy. Teachers must be willing to

participate in this project, which will involve extra training and meetings. Teachers must be

willing to adjust their instruction and pedagogy to integrate students’ personal devices. Finally,

there must be a sufficient number of students with personal devices in order to make this project

successful.

Milestones and Target Dates

1. Analysis of infrastructure and acceptable use policy completed – November 20, 2015

2. Updates of infrastructure and acceptable use policy completed – December 4, 2015

3. Meet with parents to introduce BYOD program – Week of December 7, 2015

4. Train teachers on integrating devices – January 8, 2016

5. Pilot class begins – January 25, 2016

6. Follow up meetings during pilot class – Every two weeks during the pilot, starting the

week of February 1, 2015

7. Pilot class ends – April 29, 2016

Budget

There is a minimal monetary budget for this project. Most of the funds allotted will go

towards hardware: Wi-Fi hubs and power strips for charging. Some money is earmarked for

PPROJECT PLAN 9

parent communications that use mailings instead of electronic means. The cost in terms of hours

of work is greater. The following tables detail the budgeted costs in dollars (Figure 2) and hours

(Figure 3).

Item Cost Units Total Cost

Apple Airport $180 1 $191.43 with tax

Power Strips $16 9 $153.14 with tax

Postage – Parent Mailing $.49 55 26.95

Total Cost: 371.52

Fig. 2 Monetary Budget

Task Employee Number of Hours

Analyze infrastructure District Network

Technician, DRES Network

Technician, Principal

3 – one hour per employee

Update, distribute, and install

hardware

DRES Network Technician 1

Analyze and update

acceptable use policy

District Network

Technician, DRES Network

Technician, Principal

6 – two hour per employee

Parent Meeting to Introduce

BYOD

Principal, DRES Network

Technician, Teacher (1)

6 – two hours per employee

Teacher Training Session Principal, Technology

Integration Specialist,

DRES Network Technician,

Teachers (3)

12 – two hours per employee

Follow-Up Meetings

(approximately 5)

Principal, Technology

Integration Specialist,

DRES Network Technician,

Teachers (3)

30 – one hour per employee,

per meeting

Fig. 3 Time Budget

Communication and Quality Monitoring

While project plans typically include a number of components, including risk

management plans, stakeholder assessment, and change management plans, educational projects

most commonly include clear communications, schedules, and data to track progress. A clear

and thorough communications plan is essential to any project. Unclear or inappropriate

communications can derail any project at any time (Cox, 2010). By planning for the sharing of

PPROJECT PLAN 10

information, the project manager can increase buy-in from stakeholders (Charvat, 2002). Parent

buy-in is essential, especially since some may need to purchase a device for their child to use in

school.

A teacher’s schedule is always busy, and adding another project requires thoughtful time

management. A complete project schedule allows teachers time to plan lessons and activities, as

well as to plan for absences due to meetings and training. Administrators need time to train

teachers as well as time to meet with parents. By laying out the schedule at the beginning of the

project, adequate time can be given to each step of the project.

Quality management is very similar to the academic field of assessment. Decisions about

processes and products are made with data which is provided through the quality assurance

process (Post University, n.d.). If DRES wishes to expand the BYOD program, the pilot must

show success in transforming teaching and improving student learning. The proposed quality

management plan monitors progress towards the goals of the roll out program throughout the

project process.

Communications Plan

Recipient Content Channel Frequency Person

Responsible

Teachers, DRES

Network

Technician,

District

Network

Technician,

Technology

Integration

Specialist

Meeting

announcements and

reminders

Email Before

training,

parent

information

session,

and before

each

biweekly

meeting

Principal

Parents Announcement of

meeting/presentation to

introduce BYOD

Email (Parents

who have

requested paper

copy

communications

Once Principal

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will receive a mailing.)

Parents Updated acceptable use

policy for sign off

Paper copy sent

home in students

folder

Once Students

Students Announcement of

BYOD program

In class Once Teachers

Parents Follow-up from

presentation to

answering questions

Email (Parents

who have

requested paper

copy

communications

will receive a

mailing.)

Once Principal

Parents Examples of student

work with personal

devices

Class websites

and newsletters,

school Twitter

account

Monthly

during the

pilot

Teachers

(websites and

newsletters),

Principal

(Twitter)

Board of

Education

Examples of student

work with personal

devices, data from

quality monitoring

In person At March,

2016 and

May, 2016

board

meetings

Principal,

Teachers

Fig. 1 Communications Plan

Quality Management

The quality monitoring plan has two areas of focus: instructional goals and the

communication plan. The table details how progress toward each instructional goal will be

measured. Afterword, the plan to monitor the communication plan will be explained.

Instructional Goal Method/Measurement Frequency Person Responsible

To communicate clear

expectations and

accountability

procedures for

personal device usage

in the classroom.

Quiz to check for

understanding.

Once, during

the first two

weeks of the

pilot

Teachers

To communicate clear

expectations and

accountability

procedures for

personal device usage

Sign off on acceptable use

policy.

Once, before

pilot begins

Students, Parents

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in the classroom.

To use multiple

functions of personal

devices as an

integrated learning

tool.

Survey asking students

about prior personal and

school use of devices, and

preferences for using

devices in school.

First day of

pilot, before

developing

classroom

expectations

Teachers

To build team level

knowledge and skill

for consistent

successful integration

of personal devices.

Written lists detailing

various ways in which

devices are used, including

specific apps, programs, and

websites. These lists will be

shared and analyzed at

biweekly meetings.

Weekly Teachers

To build team level

knowledge and skill

for consistent

successful integration

of personal devices.

Survey teachers about their

knowledge and use of

personal devices in

curriculum.

Once before

training, and

again during

final week of

pilot

Technology

Integration Specialist

All instructional goals. Meetings to discuss

experiences and lessons

learned.

Every two

weeks during

the pilot (see

schedule below)

Principal, Teachers,

Technology

Integration Specialist

Fig. 2 Quality Monitoring of Instructional Goals

To monitor the quality of communications, a checklist will be used (Fig. 3). The person

responsible for each type of communication will complete this short checklist each time a

communication regarding the project is sent. After the pilot is completed and the final wrap-up

meeting is held, the principal will send out a final survey to parents, teachers, and network

technicians asking for their experiences and opinions about the communication for the project.

Date: Type of Communication

Including Channel:

Recipients:

Was the communication sent

on schedule?

Yes No

Were the planned channels

used to communicate?

Yes No

Feedback from recipients:

Fig. 3 Communications Quality Monitoring Checklist

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Schedule

1. Contact parents to announce presentation of BYOD – November 16, 2015

2. Meeting: analysis of infrastructure – November 19, 2015

3. Meeting: analysis of acceptable use policy – November 20, 2015

4. Updates of infrastructure and acceptable use policy completed – December 4, 2015

5. Updated acceptable use policy communicated to teachers – December 7, 2015

6. Announce BYOD program to students – Week of December 7, 2015

7. Meet with parents to introduce BYOD program – Week of December 7, 2015

8. Presentation follow-up sent to parents – Week of December 14, 2015

9. Parent and student sign-off on acceptable use policy due – December 22, 2015

10. Survey teachers about knowledge and usage of personal devices – Week of January 4,

2016

11. Train teachers on integrating devices – January 8, 2016

12. Pilot class begins – January 25, 2016

13. Survey students about prior device usage and preferences – January 25, 2016

14. Quiz to check student understanding of expectations and procedures – Week of

January 25, 2016 or February 1, 2016

15. Written lists detailing device usage in classrooms – Weekly during pilot

16. Follow up meetings during pilot class – Every two weeks during the pilot, starting the

week of February 1, 2015

17. Monthly parent updates via class newsletters and websites

18. Set dates for meetings to discuss each instructional goal

19. Present at Board of Education Meeting – March, 2016

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20. School vacations

21. Survey teachers about knowledge and usage of personal devices – Week of April 25,

2016

22. Pilot class ends – April 29, 2016

23. Final wrap-up meeting – May 3, 2016

24. Final presentation to Board of Education – May, 2016

The PLE page dedicated to this project may be found at

https://learningforthelonghaul.wordpress.com/edu-627/

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References

Bailey, F & Pransky, K. (2015). Implications and applications of the latest brain research for

learners and teachers [Webinar]. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/professional-

development/webinars/implications-and-applications-of-brain-research-webinar.aspx

Charvat, J. (2002). Project communications: A plan for getting your message across. Retrieved

from http://www.techrepublic.com/article/project-communications-a-plan-for-getting-

your-message-across/1061894/

Cheng, Y. & Yeh, H. (2009). From concepts of motivation to its application in instructional

design: Reconsidering motivation from an instructional design perspective. British

Journal of Educational Technology, 40(4), 597-605.

Cox, D.M.T. (2010). Project management skills for instructional designers: A practical guide.

New York, NY: iUniverse, Inc.

George, S. (2013, March 6). The future of education: Sajan George at TEDx UNC. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah-SmLEMgis

New Media Consortium. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K–12 Edition. Austin, TX:

Johnson, L., Krueger, K., Becker, S., & Cummins, M. Retrieved from

http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

Perkins, D. (2009). Making learning whole: How seven principles of effective teaching can

transform education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Post University. (n.d.). EDU 627 Managing instruction & technology: Unit 7 – Monitoring &

controlling the project. Retrieved from

http://www.coursematerials.net/edu/edu627/unit7/index.htm

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Project Tomorrow. (2014). Speak up 2013 national findings: The new digital learning playbook,

advancing college and career ready skill development in K-12 schools. Retrieved from

http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU13StudentsReport.pdf

Revere, L. & Kovach, J.V. (2011). Online technologies for engaged learning: A meaningful

synthesis for educators. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 12(2), 113-124.

Song, Y, Wong, L., & Looi, C. (2012). Fostering personalized learning in science inquiry

supported by mobile technologies. Educational Technology Research Development, 60,

679-701.

Wlodkowski, R.J. (1999). Motivation and diversity: A framework for teaching. New Directions

for Teaching and Learning, 78, 7-16.