Every student has different skills, different strengths, and different weaknesses. Some learn quicker and prefer visual lessons, while others require hands-on experience and multiple attempts to master a concept. Luckily, in the 21st century, there is plenty of technology available to help close this gap and level the playing field among students in a given grade or given classroom. When schools ensure that each student has access to the same tools by creating 1:1 programs in which each child has their own laptop or tablet with which to learn throughout the school year, they’re doing more than giving kids a new way to learn—they’re better preparing them for their futures.
As Many as 50 Percent of Classrooms Have Gone 1:1
We know that 1:1 learning programs are important, beneficial, and gaining steam among today’s educators. What many of us have probably failed to realize, however, is just how important and popular they have become. A recent report cited a survey in which teachers across the country were interviewed and the results were pretty jaw-dropping. About 50 percent of those teachers responded that they already have 1:1 device programs in place in their classrooms, a pretty large number in the quest to truly revolutionize education. This means that 50 percent of students across the country have daily access to a laptop or tablet that they can use to significantly extend their learning. And, that number of 50 percent? It rose about 10 points from just over 40 percent last year.
Studies conducted over the last 15 years show that the fact that this number is rising so quickly is very good news for students. In fact, 1:1 programs have been directly linked to dramatic increases in student achievement, specifically in English, Math, and Science classes. Access to technology that’s up-to-date and as boundless as a computing device is the first step for increasing student retention and readiness. These studies showed that having a device in the classroom not only helps students learn some of the most important tech skills they will need, but it also helps them improve their academic performance almost immediately. To create successful 1:1 programs in schools, it’s as simple as generating across-the-board teacher buy-in, tech support, and professional development sessions to make sure there is enough substance behind the program to help get it off the ground.
Choosing the right device for students, especially since this sometimes involves different kinds of devices for kids in different grades, is something else that needs to be considered, but, again, is not that big of a burden. School administrators have figured out that matching a device’s strengths and weakness with what they hope to accomplish in their curricula helps to create a smooth transition and is another reason why the number of 1:1 programs continues to rise. Since traditional notebooks work better for older students and educators who have been around long enough are able to pick up on this trend, many will recommend saving them for when students get older. It’s little things like this that help teachers and administrators develop their 1:1 programs and another reason why their popularity is continuing to grow. There’s no reason to believe that the trend doesn’t shoot up another 10 percentage points as we could see 1:1 learning in as many as 60 percent of classrooms by 2018.
How 1:1 Implementations Can Go Wrong and What to Avoid
If you’ve ever read any of our weekly posts, you know that there’s very often suggestions for the best way of doing things sprinkled in with warnings of what to avoid when launching a specific EdTech initiative. In this section, there’s a whole lot of what not to do when beginning your 1:1 program. There are a few specific things that teachers and principals tend to do incorrectly either when designing or launching their 1:1 programs, but the good news is that they can be easily avoided with some prior proper planning. Though 1:1 programs start with choosing the right device for your specific teaching style, classroom layout, and students, the process involves more than that for getting everything to flow just right.
Before you even fully get started, it’s important to not get too caught up in deciding what device students are going to be using in the classroom. Besides how well the device actually works, each one of them comes with nuances, like how easy they are to order and how helpful the company is, that teachers shouldn’t have to dwell on for too long. To ensure this part of the process is fair, try inviting in many different teachers to get a feel for varying opinions and open people's minds up to alternative possibilities rather than just jumping for the first one you see. It’s also important to remember that it will probably not be perfect. Just like we build snow days into the school calendar, it might be helpful to build extra training days into the rollout schedule so that teachers may use them if they ever need some extra time to prepare.
Since there are so many differences among today’s teachers as they all feature unique attributes and strengths, some who have been there before say that while one approach worked well in one school, there is a good chance it would fail in another. Some of the key factors in 1:1 implementation are leadership, funding, professional development, and educating students on digital citizenship. It’s blending each of these ingredients together effectively that’s the key challenge for schools. Having strong leadership as well as a crystal clear vision can go a very long way in building a profitable 1:1 program in schools. Then, the team in charge of the initiative has to make it happen. They can’t just sit back and trust that great things will happen all on their own. It takes careful planning and dedicated action to ensure that students are able to excel in the classroom with the help of a 1:1 program.
The Key Ingredients Needed to Make 1:1 Work
We just told you what not to do when creating your 1:1 program, so we thought it would only be fair to provide some surefire ways to get it to succeed. Like we said before, however, 1:1 programs rarely work just because school staffs want them to work. It takes some careful planning and attention to detail to ensure that they do. As long as everybody involved knows why they are creating such a program, that’s a good start. With 1:1 programs, students are able to explore learning much more deeply and effectively, but a properly researched plan is important to ensure that everything is set up for them to succeed. That and a strong infrastructure are key ingredients in making 1:1 launches as close to flawless as possible.
While some schools feel they are more than capable of launching their 1:1 programs in a year or less, others will find that a gradual approach is more beneficial in their particular school climate. In any case, creating an implementation timeline is ideal, so that everybody knows what is expected of them and when they need to have tasks completed. These plans can be copied from district leaders, which is, in fact, something a lot of people recommend. Building a plan based on what has been done at the top will help make sure key elements aren’t missed and also leave more time for learning, motivating, and cultivating the right school culture. Now, one of the most important pieces of this puzzle is getting teachers throughout the school (or district) on board. Teachers play a vitally important role in this process and they need to be fully aware of the benefits of a 1:1 program and, more importantly, to their students.
Once the program is launched, it’s beneficial for teachers to continue receiving ongoing PD so that they have the chance to ask questions and address things that come up during classroom use. For example, knowing if a BYOD program will help or hurt your existent 1:1 initiative is something teachers might not be able to determine until they’re a few weeks in. Once the program is launched is the time to look at the school’s funds to determine if there is enough money available to sustain the program in its current form or if there will need to be any sort of adjustments made in the future. Most importantly, teachers, principals, and district officials should monitor the results of the rollout very closely so they have a crystal clear picture of what is working well and what needs improvement. Monitoring the results and sharing the lessons learned from your 1:1 program is extremely important as you continue to drive toward finding the ideal environment for both teachers and students.
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for 1:1 Classrooms
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the 1:1 game, we know that every educator appreciates little tips and subtle tricks that help make things go just a bit smoother. Teachers who have been there before have learned so much and are able to offer those new to 1:1 programs with small tricks and large-scale advice for making the operation run as smoothly as possible. From the time the decision is made to create a 1:1 program, there are some tricks to here’s what you can do to eliminate the hiccups. Even in the very preliminary planning portions, teachers should remember to use the advice they have received from colleagues (whatever it may be), take the time to ask for student input (since they are the ones who will mainly be using the devices), search the Internet for crowdsourced tips, and maybe even take an online course to refine their knowledge.
Just before actually putting a 1:1 plan in place (like within the first couple days of school), teachers can take the time to better prepare their students for what they’re about to get into. It can be helpful to set some rules, have a device training day, create ways to constantly remind students to make sure their devices are adequately charged, and teach kids a bit about digital citizenship. Then, there are the things you’ll realize might be worth having once you launch your 1:1 program. Things like charging carts or new apps you hear about along the way might be worth exploring if they seem likely to help the process flow more fluidly. Teachers also sometimes realize that giving their students a break from their devices is just as beneficial, so don’t be afraid to turn them off every once in a while so kids don’t get bored with the same old new stuff.
The versatility of 1:1 programs—whether they’re featuring Chromebooks or some other device—allows educators to accomplish a lot if they know where to start. For instance, devices can be used to gamify a classroom, encourage students to think visually, become content creators rather than consistently consumers, and collaborate more effectively. They even enable kids to start coding in simple but foundational ways right from their desks. Imagine that—all these suggestions and we’re not quite done yet. As long as they’re planned strategically and continue to show positive results, teachers can also use their 1:1 programs to flip lessons, refresh learning objectives, and provide students with immediate feedback that they can use to bolster the skills they’re cultivating. We could go on if we had more space and time, but those are some of the highlights students can accomplish through 1:1, empowered learning.
Keys to 1:1 Success
You’ve made it this far—past the planning stages, rollout preparation, and initial implementation and now it’s time to see if your 1:1 program will be a success. The first few weeks after the launch are often the most important as both teachers and students are still getting a feel for their new devices and how the learning experience has changed. Hopefully, by this point, you have a very clear vision of why you have undertaken this challenge, but it is always helpful to remind students of the importance of consistent learning rather than focusing solely on the new technology. Always remembering the “why” of your 1:1 program above the “what” and the “how” will go a long way in ensuring its success.
Just because the 1:1 program has officially launched does not mean that the planning should stop. While the content of teacher planning has obviously changed, educators need to remain alert throughout the duration of the program and constantly be prepared for how students will be using their devices on any given day, including the projects and activities to assign them. Also, teachers will pretty much know right away how well the bandwidth in their school works, but it’s important to keep an eye on it throughout the course of the first few weeks. Slow connections can interfere with student work and progress and a lack of cyber security could be damaging to both them and their devices. Presumably, teachers will want their students on their devices as much as possible, so they also need to monitor how well the school’s network holds up when 20 or 30 students (just in that one room) are logged in at the same time.
Part of planning out what kids will use their devices for is made easier by creating a timeline. If you think that sounds like lesson planning, well, you’d be right! It might be wise to start off slow with just an hour or two of device time per day or you might want to jump right into full-scale 1:1 learning—whatever seems to work best for the students. Just remember that 1:1 learning is not a race—you can take it as slow or as fast as you’d like in order to create the most effective education. Though they probably won’t realize it, the opportunity for 1:1 learning can play an important role in getting elementary-aged students college- and career-ready. The skills they will learn during a 1:1 experience are easily carried over into other areas of their education and will soon be able to be applied to problem solving in the real world. So, it’s up to teachers to trust their gut, stick to the plan, and make sure everyone gets it right!
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