Planning for and managing 1:1 digital devices in your school
This guide offers schools starting points and a brief roadmap to support planning for, and managing, a 1:1 digital programme.
Clarify your e-learning vision
Ensure your school as a whole, and the wider school community, has a clear and shared vision for learning with digital technologies. A clear plan and sense of purpose facilitates a smooth implementation process without wasting time, energy, or money.
The 1:1 digital devices plan is one part of a wider digital technologies plan.
Clearly articulate from the outset:
- the ways 1:1 devices will be used to enhance and transform learning
- benefits to student learning.
Michael Williams, principal Pakuranga College, shares the importance of articulating why you are using digital devices, what it looks like, and what it means for learning. This should be part of your digital strategy and a measure for decision making.
School stories
Resources to support developing an overall strategy for digital technologies
e-Learning Planning Framework (eLPF)/Te Rangitukutuku
The eLPF helps you to self-assess your current situation and consider the next steps to take when developing your vision and strategic plan.
Information, examples, and resources that support the integration of e-learning into your school vision, strategic planning, and policies.
Learning with 1:1 digital devices
Key areas to consider when planning your school 1:1 programme. Three key areas to explore are:
Resources for leaders involved in planning and implementing a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programme. This guide for schools or districts in the USA has a lot of information and examples relevant to New Zealand schools.
9 Steps for schools to create their own BYOD policy
A nine step action plan for schools from TeachThought USA.
The strategic thinking roadmap – supporting the development of your digital technologies action plan
An online guide designed to help your leadership team implement a strategic direction that ensures technologies are integrated into planning for effective teaching and learning.
Planning for 1:1 devices
Introducing 1:1 devices into your school is a complex process that requires extensive planning, communication, and ongoing evaluation. When planning, take into account the need to be responsive to the needs of teachers and learners as your implementation progresses.
At this stage schools may decide to work together as a single community to support each other and share resources.
The needs for each school and the resulting plan will be different but could include the following:
Set up a team
"Your team are responsible for driving the process."
Every decision made by the team should be underpinned by the school’s vision for e-learning.
Agree early on:
- the way the team will work
- expected commitments
- how their work is communicated to the school community.
Select team members with a mix of capacity, beliefs, and experiences. Suggested team members:
- school leader – principal or another member of the senior leader is critical to the success of the process
- e-learning leader – teacher or specialist who will facilitate that learning for the whole community (students, the teachers, and parents)
- teaching staff – including those from different areas of the school, for example junior and senior school, different subject area
- community representative/s – consider a mix of very supportive and those who are less sure of the value digital technologies. A mix of voices will help you to identify the issues most likely to arise in your community and the ways your community may respond
- student representative/s
- board member
- critical friend – someone from outside the school/community who is encouraging and supportive, to provide honest and helpful feedback.
Jane Danielson, principal Hingaia Peninsula School, explains the role of their e-learning leader as being, "a person who will facilitate learning for our whole community for the students, the teachers, and for the parents."
Community engagement
"Community engagement is critical to the change management process."
Begin by sharing stories and examples from other schools to help your community understand what it means to have a digital rich learning environment. Focus on how increased access to digital devices will benefit learning and effective learning design.
Gauge the feeling in your community
Use a variety of communication channels such as:
- face-to-face meetings
- surveys
- newsletters.
Initial engagements with parents and whānau may include:
- how parents/caregivers feel about the overall direction
- what support parents can provide
- what concerns need to be addressed to make it work well.
When initial consultation is completed and analysed, plan:
- how you will use the resources already available in your community
- address community concerns.
Evaluation
Consider how you will evaluate the effectiveness of learning with 1:1 digital devices.
- What baseline measures do you need before implementation?
- What data or qualitative information will you collect during the implementation phase and after?
- What are your success indicators?
Parents from Wairakei School describe the benefits that being in a BYOD class has had for their children in terms of increased motivation, improvements to learning, and greater independence. They value being able to support their children and see their progress more readily.
More information »
- "Measuring" the impact of BYOD at your school? – a VLN discussion
- Leadership and community engagement
- Wairakei School – Room 1 2014 BYOD trial, information for parents
School stories
Stocktake – are you prepared?
BYOD and 1:1 preparedness checklist – Connected Learning Advisory
A checklist to help you reflect on your school’s readiness for implementing 1:1 devices in terms of:
- community
- teaching and learning
- policies and documentation
- support
- infrastructure.
Professional learning
"Plan professional learning for teachers."
Identify what teachers need to know or be able to do to make implementation successful. A simple staff survey can identify strengths and gaps to help you to prioritise professional development sessions for groups or individuals.
e-Learning coordinator, Allistair Williamson explains the systems and professional development in place for teachers to support the successful use of BYOD in the classroom.
Dominic Killalea, DP Wellington High School, outlines their key considerations when setting up the infrastructure to support reliable access and connectivity.
More information »
Training for teachers – Needs analysis – a VLN discussion
School stories
Research
Gather information on how other schools have managed to increase device access for their students so that you can make informed decisions.
e-Learning leader, Kate Friedwald describes the step-by-step process she went through from researching BYOD to setting up a classroom learning programme using BYOD. She talks about how she involved parents and what she did over the first weeks to ensure students were confident at using the technologies to support their learning.
Connect with other schools
Connect with other schools, especially those in your local community, to see what they have done and hear about their successes and challenges.
More information »
- Research and inquiry – includes a list of relevant readings and resources.
- Preparing your school for BYOD – webinar recording, 25 March 2014. Topics covered include: device choices, community involvement, and device management.
- EDtalks BYOD – A series of videos from teachers and educators explaining different aspects of introducing BYOD into schools.
Investigate technology options – pros and cons of different devices
Identify your needs, then identify what specifications you require from the technologies to support learning.
Deputy principal, Dominic Killalea discusses why Wellington High School encouraged students to bring the device they use at home to school. They have a minimum set of specifications for purchasing a device, which are updated annually.
To become familiar with the latest devices develop a list of options and identify the pro’s and con’s of each one:
- talk to a wide range of people including staff from other schools and experts
- trial different equipment with staff and students. A small outlay at this stage may save you in the long run
- ask experts in the field to show you what devices can do.
More information »
- Procuring Digital Technologies (Connected Learning Advisory article) – includes information on cost considerations such as warranties, insurance and ongoing costs.
- Which device? – a VLN discussion
- Pakuranga College device specifications
- Wellington High School BYOD recommendations for 2018
Investigate funding options and costs
Successful 1:1 device programmes require sustained investment that goes beyond the devices alone. A thorough financial analysis of each option is essential and should take into account up-front and ongoing costs (both to the school and/or the parents).
The main ownership options are:
- school owned
- leased by parents but managed by the school or a trust
- owned by student/family/whānau, for example Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
- mixed – school owns some devices and students own some; for example, your school may buy high end devices for a design suite in a BYOD school.
Enabling 1:1 access for all students
Many schools overcome equity issues by either providing a number of devices at school for students to use for the day, or by setting up a lease-to-own arrangement for students (at around $3 to $4 per week). For example, because most families within the Manaiakalani Cluster (a community of collaborating schools) do not have the resources to provide devices for their children, they pay $3.50 per week over three years to own their child’s device.
If you are planning a model where parents are expected to fund devices, consider the approach you will take for those that cannot afford to purchase devices. Many schools have long term payment schemes and hardship funding.
Lease versus purchase
Decide whether you prefer to lease or buy devices outright.
- Lease vs buy – a VLN discussion
- Device funding
Select your approach
Once your research is completed, select your approach or trial different options.
Will you specify the device type?
- one device throughout the school – simplifies management as students, teachers, and technology support is based on only one system
- mixed model – allows different technologies to be used for specific purposes.
Staff at St Hilda's Collegiate explain the process they went through to select the 1-1 device they are currently using. This involved:
- identifying their needs
- visiting other schools
- trialling different equipment with staff and students
- looking at costs and servicing.
Dominic Killalea, Deputy Principal at Wellington High School, discusses their key considerations for selecting student devices. Rather than saying students need a particular device, they identified set minimum specifications. Dominic highlights the different needs of junior and senior students and how this informs which devices and programmes are most appropriate.
School stories
Other considerations
- Security – how will devices be kept safe?
- Storage
- where will devices be stored?
- do you need specialised storage units?
- what about during P.E. or field trips?
- Charging – do you have enough power outlets and chargers?
Systems manager, Alistair Montgomery describes St Hilda's management to ensure students can keep working on their laptops all day, relying on the battery. Charging stations are monitored by security cameras. Built in chargers are being developed for students to use to enable them to keep working if necessary.
More information »
Groups of teachers share how they manage device storage in these VLN discussions.
Trial or pilot
Trialling the selected option(s) in a single classroom or group of classes is always a good idea. This will help you identify issues and address them before rolling out to the school as a whole.
More information »
BYOD trial at Wairakei School – a series of videos illustrating Wairakei School BYOD trial from beginning to end, including evaluation.
Implementation
"Communication is critical to success."
Before you begin the implementation phase, make sure that any issues identified in your planning phase are addressed. This includes addressing concerns from your community – parents, whānau, students, and teachers.
Identify and address the communication needs for your school community. Take into account parents first language and communicate in as many ways as possible, including:
- school newsletters
- social media channels
- notices home
- community meetings at different times of the day.
An implementation plan will consider:
Digital citizenship and cybersafety
Address digital citizenship and cybersafety before, during, and after 1:1 device implementation so all parties are clear about what is expected of them. Co-constructing your agreement with students and your community will go a long way to preparing everyone for safely using 1:1 devices.
More information »
- Digital citizenship
- Digital citizenship – a Connected Learning Advisory article
- NetSafe kit for schools
- Digital citizenship – a VLN group
Supporting staff
Work with your teachers to make sure they are prepared for teaching and learning with 1:1 devices. This will require initial and ongoing professional development based on their needs.
Dominic Killalea, DP Wellington High School, describes their professional development model for supporting teachers.
School stories
Resources
- e-Learning Planning Framework/Te Rangitukutuku – use the eLPF to identify where your teachers are at and plan next steps for learning.
Supporting parents and whānau
In your communications with parents, demonstrate examples of using 1:1 digital devices, along with good teacher practice, showing improved engagement and learning outcomes. Begin by using school stories and examples from Enabling e-Learning school. Over time, you can create your own similar stories to share.
Ben Britton, e-Learning leader Wellington High School, and students describe the impact of having their own digital device on learning, student agency, and collaboration.
Parents want to know that adding more technology into their children’s lives is going to have some kind of tangible, positive impact on learning. Explain how 1:1 devices enable students to:
- become creators of new knowledge not just consumers
- have seamless access to learning between home and school
- collaborate and communicate easily with peers, teachers, and other experts
- easily manage their own learning
- share their learning with parents and whānau.
Being able to answer parents questions will go a long way towards helping them understand your school’s reasoning for introducing 1:1 devices.
Examples of school website information pages
- Pakuranga College – eLearning and BYOD
- Wellington High School – Bring Your Own Device
- Wairakei School BYOD programme
School stories
Supporting your technicians
"Implementation of any 1:1 device plan needs good technical support."
In the first days, plan to have technical support on site to address unforeseen issues as they arise. In some schools, teams of students have undertaken this role to support ICT specialists.
Review your ongoing provision for ICT support
- Include a member of your ICT support team on your digital technologies team.
- Communicate clearly your school’s requirements to your ICT support team. It is best to describe your requirements in terms of teaching and learning outcomes.
- The ICT “jobs list” should be available to all and the criteria for prioritising jobs transparent.
- It is best if the ICT support team is accountable to a single-person who has enthusiasm and time to ensure the team performs well.
- Co-construct targets that take into account the needs of the school and the ability and resourcing available for ICT support.
- Have regular dialogue with your ICT support to track targets.
- It is quite normal for ICT technicians to have to acquire new skills, sometimes at short-notice.
If your school is large, consider more formal ways of managing your ICT support team. For example, using The Framework for ICT Technical Support (FITS) .
More information »
Filter by: BYOD Primary Secondary Community engagement Whānau engagement Professional development Infrastructure Leadership e-Leadership Strategic planning Student agency
Developing the infrastructure for 1-1 devices
Systems manager, Alistair Montgomerie, describes the infrastructure set up at St Hildas to enable all students and staff to use the Internet as part of their 1-1 laptops programme.
Managing battery life
Systems manager, Alistair Montgomery describes St Hilda's management to ensure students can keep working on their laptops all day, relying on the battery.
Opportunities in teaching and learning
St Hilda's Collegiate teacher, Donna Smith describes how the 1-1 laptop programme, along with using e-portfolios, gives her flexibility to be more responsive to the learning needs of the students, and enhances her ability to support student learning.
Selecting a 1-1 device
St Hilda's College staff explain the process they went through to select MacBook Pros as the 1-1 device they are currently using.
Support for teachers
Principal Melissa Bell and the e-learning leaders at St Hilda's Collegiate describe the professional development they have in place to support teachers with teaching and learning.
Technology supporting the school vision
Principal Melissa Bell describes St Hilda's school vision and how it is supported and enabled by technology.
Orewa College – A vision for e-learning
Mark Quigley, Deputy Principal, and Tony Zaloum, Director ICT Projects, explain their vision for e-learning as they embark on implementing BYOD for Year 9 students at Orewa College.
Technology transforming education
Dr. David Parsons, Associate Professor Information Technology at Massey University explains the digital divide is not only about access but about how devices are used.
1:1 Netbooks – Allowing excellence in the classroom
Tyler, a year 6 student with dyspraxia, uses a netbook to help him write creatively instead of being inhibited by the speed of his handwriting or his ability to form letters.
Netbooks – an "onramp" to success in literacy
Using a netbook, Google docs, and blogging has increased engagement and improved learning outcomes for student Kieren.
A 1:1 netbook programme makes a difference for all learners
Implementing 1-1 netbooks has enabled personalised learning to meet the needs of all students in the senior classes at Parkvale school and provided opportunities for success.
BYOD – Information and support for parents
Teacher and e-learning leader, Kate Friedwald explains the information provided for parents at Wairakei School to introduce a BYOD trial for Year 5/6 students in 2014.
Setting up BYOD in the classroom at Wairakei School
Kate Friedwald describes step-by-step the process she went through from researching BYOD to setting up a classroom learning programme using BYOD at Wairakei School.
BYOD – Technical systems and setup
Principal, Shane Buckner and e-learning leader, Kate Friedwald, talk about the systems and setup they have at Wairakei School to successfully use 1-1 devices.
Outcomes from the BYOD pilot at Wairakei School: Parents reflect
Parents from Wairakei School describe the benefits that being in a BYOD class has had for their children.
Supporting successful BYOD implementation
e-Learning co-ordinator, Allistair Williamson explains key steps for implementing BYOD at Pakuranga College.
BYOD – Planning your digital strategy
Michael Williams, principal Pakuranga College, discusses some of the key questions they worked through when developing their digital strategy.
Using the SAMR model to evaluate technology use
Ben Britton, lead teacher ICT at Wellington High School, discusses how they use the SAMR model to evaluate plan for effective use of technologies in the classroom.
BYOD – Setting up a robust infrastructure
Dominic Killalea, Deputy Principal at Wellington High School, discusses some key infrastructure considerations to ensure good connectivity across your school.
BYOD – Selecting devices
Dominic Killalea, Deputy Principal at Wellington High School, discusses their key considerations for selecting devices for students.
Preparing for BYOD – Professional development
Dominic Killalea, Deputy Principal at Wellington High School, discusses the importance of making time for professional learning.
BYOD – Benefits for student learning
Lead ICT teacher, Ben Britton and students at Wellington High School describe how 1:1 devices have enabled student agency.
Planning for learning with BYOD
Wellington High School teacher, Ben Britton describes the differences and opportunities to planning and teaching as a result of using online resources and students bringing their own devices.
BYOD – Impact on student learning
Pakuranga College principal Michael Williams explains, learning has become more collaborative and students are more engaged.
BYOD – Benefits for students
Students from Pakuranga College, along with their deputy principal, Billy Merchant, share how using their digital devices to access online resources supports their learning.
Planning for success – Be clear about your purpose
The principal and deputy principal of Pakuranga College talk about planning for successful implementation of BYOD across the school.
BYOD – Consulting with your community
Pakuranga College deputy principal, Billy Merchant explains their ongoing community consultation process, which includes how and why students devices, and digital citizenship.
Selecting a device for BYOD
Michael Williams and Billy Merchant from Pakuranga College, explain their change in pedagogy from telling students which device to purchase to being "device agnostic".
Pedagogy underpinning BYOD
Wellington High School Principal, Dominic Killalea explains the pedagogy behind their BYOD approach which supports lifelong learning.
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Key resource
Learning with 1:1 digital devices
Key areas to consider in your school digital device or BYOD programme – information, school stories, and resources on Enabling e-Learning.
Enabling e-Learning resources
e-Learning Planning Framework/Te Rangitukutuku
Use the eLPF to identify where your teachers are at and plan next steps for learning.
A series of videos illustrating Wairakei School BYOD trial from beginning to end, including evaluation.
Information, school stories, and resources to inform schools developing policies and practices.
Examples of school website information pages
Connected Learning Advisory articles
Web resources
The NetSafe Kit helps schools to address student cybersafety and support digital citizenship.
The Hub works with established organisations who share the vision of raising student achievement through effective and innovative use of computers and digital technologies.
A handy reference book for anyone involved in ICT management or day-to-day technical support in schools. It can also be used by anyone defining ICT or technical support strategy in schools. The guide is complementary to the Framework for ICT Technical Support (FITS), developed by Becta and freely available on the Becta website.
Access NZ Training agent for FITS through The Technology Hub.
Preparing your school for BYOD
Webinar recording, 25 March 2014. Topics covered include: device choices, community involvement, and device management.
A series of videos from teachers and educators explaining different aspects of introducing BYOD into schools.
Resources for leaders involved in planning and implementing a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programme. This is a guide for schools or districts in the USA but has a lot of information and examples relevant to New Zealand schools.
9 Steps for schools to create their own BYOD policy
A nine step action plan for schools from TeachThought USA.
This guide has been produced in response to a number of specific queries from schools. It should not be read as a recommendation or endorsement of any specific product. The Connected Learning Advisory is a Ministry of Education supported service that provides schools with technology information relevant to their queries and does not recommend one product over another.
Guides and resources
Decision-making guides, how-to guides, and checklists
In-depth guides
- Developing your digital technologies action plan
- Digital technologies supporting senior secondary learning
- Making the best use of your student data
- Planning for and managing 1:1 digital devices in your school
- Using social media to connect with your community
- Using digital technologies to support Māori learners
CLA e-Learning community discussions
Join these groups to participate in discussions, ask questions, and share resources with other educators.