Are Students Off-Task in Class on Phones? There's an App for That!

As teachers and administrators, grappling with off-task behaviors and distractions when it comes to student phones in the classroom has occurred at some point. Recently I recently learned about Pocket Points, an app that educators are using to promote better decision-making amongst students with the goal of keeping them off their phones when not being used to achieve learning outcomes associated with the class. More on this in a little bit. 

I am a huge proponent of harnessing and leveraging mobile technology in the classroom. As the principal, I decided to implement Bring Your Own Device back in 2010 as a way to not only take advantage of student-owned devices but to also improve the learning culture through more empowerment and ownership.  In Uncommon Learning, I detailed the necessary steps we took to ensure success. The key, whether 1:1 or BYOD, is to thoroughly plan and put learning at the forefront for kids, teachers, and administrators.  

However, planning can only get you so far. Building pedagogical capacity both with and without technology must be prioritized.  Mobile technology is more accessible than it has ever been. The urge to go on a personal device in schools, with and without mobile learning initiatives, has grown exponentially.  Up until recently, there have been two main deterrents:

1. Well-designed lessons that are relevant to kids combined with sound classroom management
2. A school culture that empowers kids to use their devices responsibly

Now the above strategies might still work well, but in my experience working in schools as a job-embedded coach, I have seen more and more students off-task. No matter how well we plan or work to develop a positive school culture, off-task behavior still occurs. Enter a third deterrent mentioned at the beginning of this post called Pocket Points. 

Pocket Points was founded in 2014 by two college students who noticed a disturbing trend among their classmates in that too many kids were spending class glued to their phones, ignoring their professors' best attempts to teach them. They had the idea to create an app that would reward students for paying attention in class. They got local businesses to agree to offer free and discounted food as rewards on Pocket Points, and it spread through the campus like wildfire. Within a few weeks, half of the student body was using the app. 

The developers spent the next few years spreading Pocket Points to every college in the country as well as high schools. Through their growth, they came to the realization that the problem was even more prevalent at the high school level than college, and these teachers felt the impact more than anyone. As a result, a Teacher Rewards program was developed. This program allows teachers to directly offer rewards to their students on Pocket Points for staying focused in class. The hope is that it will act as a support tool that teachers can use to help their students develop healthy phone habits while maintaining engagement on learning tasks in the classroom. In the near future teachers will have the ability to "whitelist" certain educational apps, meaning students could continue to earn rewards while using these as part of the learning process. This should help teachers who integrate phones as educational tools keep their students on task.

Getting started is easy. Students can download the Pocket Points app for free from the app store. They sign up, select their school, and they can begin earning rewards. Here they will find a gift page on the app full of rewards provided by companies, including Redbox, Panda Express, and Papa Johns on the national level. There's a variety of online companies that are available to all students as well. In many areas, partnerships with local restaurants and retailers provide even more rewards, all of which cost points.

Points can be earned in a variety of ways. Initially, they could only be earned when a student had his or her phone out of sight when not being used as part of the teaching and learning process. Now kids can earn points when they are not in school, though they need to set and successfully complete a time off phone goal to get the points. There is also a great feature where the app automatically tracks when a student is driving and gives points if he or she remains undistracted.

Schools and teachers can leverage this app to provide positive reinforcement while combatting the issue of off-task cell phone behaviors, which cause a distraction in the classroom. This issue has become pervasive in many cases while frustrating teachers and administrators alike. It's a battle that most are tired of fighting. 

Empowering kids to use devices as tools to support and enhance their learning is, and always will be, the goal. However, balance is critical, and technology will not improve every lesson or task. In either case, Pocket Points might be an option to help overcome battles with phones to create a school culture that sets up students for success now and in the future. 

A Practical Way to Increase Access to Mobile Technology Regardless of Age

More and more schools are either installing or improving WiFi networks in schools. We still have a long way to go in many places, but the increase in access provides kids with an array of innovative learning opportunities that continue to evolve.  With a pedagogy first, technology second if appropriate, approach to instructional design, educators can begin to support and enhance lessons with an array of tools. Sites like Common Sense Education and edshelf make it easy to find the right alignment to the right instructional strategy.  However, if a well-designed assessment is in place, then the natural course of action is to allow learners to select the best tool for the task. 

Even though the cost of mobile devices has gone down, considerable purchasing challenges persist. With that being said I do want to share a pretty cool and practical idea I stumbled upon during one of my coaching visits with Wells Elementary School.  As I was conducting some learning walks with the admin team I noticed some kindergarten students in Deborah Weckerly’s class engaged in blended learning activities using smartphones. As a successful Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) campus, I wouldn’t have been surprised if in fact some of the students were learning with devices that they had brought in from home. Knowing though that it is never safe to assume, I asked Deborah if the kids were using their own devices. She laughed and said no in a way that affirmed the apparent observation that these students were kindergarteners. I was then left wondering why I even assumed that they might have brought devices to school.

Since the kids weren’t bringing in the devices, I inquired as to how they made it into the classroom. Deborah then showed me a basket that had at least five devices in it at the time but held a total of eight or so when full. She then explained that over the years she had asked her family and friends to donate older smartphones for use in her class instead of trading them in for cash or towards an upgrade.  I thought this was a genius idea!  She now had enough devices connected to the district’s secure WiFi network to support individual or station-rotation blended learning. 

Image credit

For many learning activities, it’s not the device that matters but instead what learners can do with access to an array of interactives accessible on the Web. I can relate to this as well.  As my wife was preparing to upgrade her iPhone, she asked me if I wanted to as well. I thought about this briefly until settling on just inheriting her older 6 Plus. For what I use my smartphone for all I needed was a right amount of storage and the ability to access the Internet for the few apps that I depend on regularly. 

Innovative educators like Deborah Weckerly are always looking for ways to improve the learning experience for kids.  Regardless of your position, think about reaching out to your family and friends to acquire mobile devices before they are ready to upgrade.  These tools can then be used as part of pedagogically sound blended learning or used to support BYOT initiatives where students forget to bring their device or do not have one of their own. In the end, it is essential to always look for ways to improve access and ensure equity so that all learners are provided with a relevant and challenging learning experience. 

For more mobile learning resources check out this Pinterest board. 

Asking the Right Questions About Mobile Learning

As of late, I have been engaged in a great amount of work, either assisting districts and schools as they begin to implement mobile learning (1:1, BYOD) or helping them get their programs on track.  Over six and a half years ago, I helped successfully implement a Bring Your Own Device initiative in my school. Not only were we the first to do it in my state, but there weren't many great examples to pull from at the time.  Thus, many lessons were learned the hard way. It is important to remember that change has to be treated like a process as opposed to one single event. The success of mobile learning relies on proper planning, reflection, and evaluation to improve. 

The key to successfully implementing sustainable change begins with asking the right question(s). Below are some questions to help you ascertain where you are, but more importantly, where you want to be with either 1:1 or BYOD. 

• Is your infrastructure ready? Has an infrastructure audit been completed?
• Have you developed a shared vision that takes into account staff, student, and community input? For success, all stakeholders must be on board and have clear outcomes developed.
• Have you developed a strategic plan to ensure the initiative will positively impact student learning? How will you measure success and evaluate effectiveness? Has curriculum been updated and other resources explored?
• Have you created policies that protect students and staff while promoting creativity?
• Has staff been trained in digital pedagogy (lesson/project design, assessment, etc.)? Do they possess the confidence to integrate the devices with purpose to support/enhance learning? Have administrators been trained on digital pedagogical techniques in order to provide valuable feedback to staff? Have fears and challenges been addressed? How will equity be ensured in a BYOD environment? What will you do if students forget their devices, don’t have them, or have no access to WiFi outside of school?
• Has a plan been developed to train students? What will be done to educate parents?
• How will you build community support?
• What evidence will be provided to the BOE and community that the initiative is a success?

Determine where you want to be and how you are going to get there with your mobile initiative. Once you have answers to the previous questions, reflect on the drivers of a successful mobile learning initiative to ensure that the stage is set for improved student learning outcomes. 

Altering the Path to BYOD

The following is a guest post by Sherry Spier, a K-12 Media Specialist Coordinator in the Cinnaminson School District (NJ).  In this post Sherry reflects on here recent visit to New Milford High School, which took place on January 11, 2013.

For the last year, myself and four other members of the Cinnaminson School District staff worked relentlessly to start a pilot Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) program at Cinnaminson High School. We worked together to create an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and a FAQ sheet for students and parents. We researched how other school districts began their program. We asked for volunteers.  I thought we took all the necessary steps to pilot this program. After meeting with Eric Sheninger and touring New Milford High School, I now recognize that we share similar goals for a successful technology program, but our steps have not overlapped to make the same progress. 

Image credit: http://info.netcenter.net/Blog/bid/230893/Small-Technology-Big-Risks-Top-5-Mobility-FAQs 

The technology committee took all of the necessary steps, but maybe not the correct path in implementing our BYOT program.  Our first steps should have involved our key stakeholders, the students. We did not ask them key questions which should have driven our implementation. We should have asked them what devices do they currently have and what are they using their devices for?  What can they show the teachers and administrators that we don’t already know?  What do students need to be able to do when they graduate that they can not currently doing that involves technology?  All of these questions (and more) should have been our first steps in the path to developing a BYOT pilot program.

As we forged our way ahead, the technology committee should have made a greater effort in enlightening the educators and administrators who are stakeholders in this process.  By not providing adequate support, in-service training, brainstorming, or sometimes an ear just to listen, we may have missed key components necessary for our goals to be met.  Most importantly, a level of trust amongst all stakeholders through proven accomplishments will move the pace of the program ahead by leaps and bounds.

The most important lesson I learned while meeting with Mr. Sheninger that will help guide us back on the right track is that I need to be the catalyst for change. My schedule allows me the freedom to pop into classrooms and assist teachers as needed.  I need to model what I know about technology and share that with administration and my peers.  I need to build enthusiasm for this program. 

Maybe the path we took to get where we currently are in our pilot is not the same path NMHS took to get where they currently are, but you can not change history.  Now is the time to retrace our path, make the necessary changes to continue to journey ahead, and move together to make Cinnaminson’s BYOT program a growing success. 

Streamlining BYOD With ClassLink

After a semester long pilot program with the senior class during the spring of 2011, we rolled out our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program to the entire student body in September.  Throughout the entire 2011-2012 school year, we worked to refine our approach, implementation, and learning outcomes for the program.  The model that we developed is customized, based on our student body and overall objectives of the program. 

Students are permitted to use their devices for learning during non-instructional time (i.e. lunch) or in class at the discretion of the teacher.  Mobile learning devices (i.e. cell phones) have been successfully integrated as student response systems using free web 2.0 tools such as Poll Everywhere and Celly.  Smartphones and Internet accessible devices have been used by students to conduct web-based research, take notes using Evernote, manage work through Google Docs or Dropbox, organize their assignments on their calendars, and develop projects with a variety of other tools.  Even though our school has more than enough available technology in four computer labs and two mobile carts, some students are more comfortable working on their own devices.

One thing we quickly realized is that our students owned and brought a diversity of devices to school including smartphones, iTouches, iPads, laptops, and other tablet devices (Kindles, Nooks, Playbooks, etc.).  The challenge then became how to deliver a uniform experience across all devices in order to assist with the teaching and learning process.  The solution came in the form of an award winning, web-based application called ClassLink Launchpad. 

With ClassLink students and teachers can access a customized dashboard that is pre-loaded with a variety of tools that are used on a regular basis.  I was able to establish the specific tools added to each of the respective dashboard (teacher, student).  The best part is that for both groups the dashboard appears the same no matter the device that is used to login and access it. Below is what the dashboard looks like for my teachers.

Setup was a breeze, which was managed by both representatives from ClassLink and my IT department.  Student and staff information was uploaded from our information management system (PowerSchool) in a seamless fashion. Existing usernames and passwords for both teachers and students could be used to access the ClassLink Launchpad application.  An added bonus for my teachers was that Classlink allowed them access for the first time to their school drive, which we call the p drive.  With this feature on their dashboard they could not only access files that have been saved for years at home, but they could also work from these same files now at home and conveniently save.

We began using ClassLink late in the spring, but are extremely excited about the promise that this solution holds to enhance the teaching and learning culture of our school through BYOD.  There are so many more features that my teachers and I will explore in the coming months.  More training and webinars will be provided for my staff so they are comfortable using ClassLink with learning in in mind.  We will also focus on making students aware of ClassLink and the dashboard that has been specifically created for them.

How do you manage your BYOD program if you have one at your school?  If you don't, what are the factors holding you back?

Getting to Know Celly

As we continue to move further to enhance our Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiative at New Milford High School we are continuing to look for cost-effective resources to support this endeavor. One such resource is Celly.  Celly lets people create private communication networks that work really well for situations that other social networks and resources don't. It also provides schools with a platform of tools that can be used to accomplish a variety of tasks.

This Web 2.0 tool is particularly interesting for educators because it allows for communication with students and parents via text messaging.  Celly’s rich suite of tools for schools offers the following features:

• Moderated messaging so students can help each other and ask questions with guidance from the teacher.  It can also be used to establish study groups called "cells" where a constant activity stream is generated.  This stream also becomes searchable.  I like the fact that cells can be established by a teacher and used for threaded discussions or by students to collaborate on homework or projects.  Groups can also be created for specific clubs/activities or to manage field trips.
• Polling for instant evaluation and clicker replacement.  I am a huge fan of using mobile learning devices (i.e. student cell phones) in class as part of an anticipatory set, to review prior learning, to check for understanding and/or assess, or as a form of closure.
• Establish an interactive wall during class, assembly, or movie to increase engagement. 
• Ability to send alerts, notices, and reminders. 
• Increase community engagement and enhance outreach by creating cells to gather information on aspects relevant to your school.
• Built-in feature that can be used to take notes.
• Versatility in access.  Celly is accessible from the Internet, SMS (text message), and email.  It also works on any type of cell phone.
• Phone numbers and emails are never shared or exchanged 
• Best of all it's a free service.

With over 1 million text messages sent last month Celly is growing fast. They are even about to release an Android app.  To learn more about Celly and to get started creating your own cells click this link.  You can also check out this tutorial or the video below to get started quickly and easily.

The Seeds of Innovation

The following is a guest blog post by Dr. Franklin Turner who recently visited my school.

A few weeks ago, I made a commitment to visit schools that are using social media, smartphones, texting, and other digital technologies, as a vital part of daily classroom instruction.  The only criterion that I had was the school had to be entrenched in their use of the above-mentioned technologies.  There are plenty of schools that have very expensive artwork on their classroom walls (i.e. Smart Board).  I call them artwork, because they are collecting dust from not being used at all or being under utilized.  Not enough schools are truly integrating technology into instruction, as well as encouraging students to bring their own technology to school.  Recently, I made my way to New Milford High School in Bergen County, NJ.  

Image credit: http://www.vicc.org/momentum/spring10/story4.jpg

After spending a few minutes with Principal Eric Sheninger and the faculty at NMHS, it was obvious that they get it.  It being, that technology, if used responsibly is a great asset for teachers to improve instruction and for students to enhance their learning. 

Principal Sheninger took me to a class where the teacher was preparing to cover a trigonometry concept.  The teacher had just received all the pieces of technology to basically have an inexpensive Smart Board.  He had connected an iPad to a wireless AppleTV and the television to a computer projector.  This allowed the teacher to instruct his students using the iPad.  The wireless connection between the iPad and the Apple TV gave him the freedom to move around his classroom.  The freedom to move around the classroom allowed him to engage more students and improved the management of his classroom.  The teacher was planning to use the iPad to show his students websites that were related to what he was covering in class that day.  He wanted to show his students some real-world examples of practical applications for concepts that were being covered in class.  I believe helping students to apply what they learn in the classroom to the real world is arguably the greatest responsibility of a teacher.  Job well done by this mathematics teacher!

Then, I met with two other math teachers who showed me how they use smartphones to increase class participation and to assess their students learning.  The teachers used polleverywhere.com to ask their students questions.  Students answer the questions by texting their responses to a number that is on the screen in front of them.  Asking their students to answer questions consistently during class affords the teacher the opportunity to receive real-time feedback and to formatively assess if their students understand the concepts being covered in class.   Also, texting their responses engages all the students in the class, as compared to, the most outgoing students.

Finally, I had a chance to visit with the students during lunch period.  I need to point out that students are allowed to use their technology during lunch i.e. their cell phones.  I did not see a single student at anytime talking on their cell phone or consistently texting.  I would say that more then 70% of the students in the cafeteria were working on some kind of school related task.  I can confirm that when I was a high school student (when Duran Duran was a big deal), maybe 10% of the students in the cafeteria at my high school would be engaged in school related work.

I need to point out that this type of commitment to technology could only be possible with a principal that is dedicated to creating an environment that maximizes student and teacher growth.  Most schools have bans on cell phones and like technology. Principal Sheninger obviously sees that social media and students bringing in their own technology are great educational tools.  Unfortunately, many administrators and teachers do not fully understand the value of these technologies.  Lastly, it is very important to point out that Principal Sheninger provides his teachers with the proper support (i.e. professional development, the equipment and hands on guidance) for them to be successful with the effective implementation of these technologies in the classroom.  In addition, he makes sure to provide training to NMHS students on how to use technology responsibly.

Lastly, I used Poll Everywhere in my senior seminar the next day and it was a big hit.  My college students really enjoyed using it.  The participation level in my class increased dramatically.  Once you learn how to use new technology you have to implement it and that was a key lesson I taught to my seniors.  In addition, I explained to my students why using such a website would be useful to them and their students.  Then, I gave my students several examples of how they could use this website in their elementary school classrooms.

Franklin Dickerson Turner, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Queens College, CUNY.  His research focuses on the effective usage of social media, texting and other digital technologies with enhancing instruction and learning.  Also, his research looks at race, social class, and gender in educational settings.  You can learn more about Franklin at www.franklinturner.com and @doctorfranklin.

It is Time For Schools to Seriously Consider BYOT

This piece is cross-posted at the Huffington Post.


As we continue to move even further into the 21^st Century, technology becomes more embedded in all aspects of society.   As a father, I see this firsthand with my son, who is in first grade.  The gift he wanted the most this past Christmas was an iPod Touch, which Santa was kind enough to bring him.  Then there is his younger sister who will regularly ask to use my iPad so she can either care for her virtual horse or dress Barbies in creative ways.  As I download all of the apps on these devices, the majority of their time is spent engaged in games that require thought, creativity, and sometimes collaboration. My point here is that many children across the world have access to, and are using, technology outside of school in a variety of ways.  Not only do many have access, but also older children possess their own devices (cell phones, smart phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers, etc.).

Image credit: http://blog.eboardsolutions.com/?p=118/

As society continues to move forward in terms of innovation, technology, and global connectivity, schools are being stymied by relentless cuts to education.  This has resulted in the reduction of staff, larger class sizes, lack of follow through to repair aging buildings, and the inability to keep up with purchasing and replacing educational technology.  It is essential that we rectify all of the above mentioned impacts of budget cuts, but when it comes to technology the perception is that it is the least important area in which to invest precious funds.  This is why the time is now for districts and schools to seriously consider developing a Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiative.

The world of education is often defined by the “haves” and “have nots”.  It is this separation that ultimately drives decisions when it comes to educational technology.  Why should students in less affluent districts not be afforded the same opportunity as those with large budgets to utilize technology as a learning tool to create, collaborate, connect, communicate, and develop essential media literacies?  A BYOT initiative makes sense as we can now leverage a variety of devices that many of our students already possess.  It is how we utilize these student owned devices in schools that is the key to a successful BYOT initiative.

There are many well-respected educators that I greatly admire who feel that BYOT has no place in schools.  Their main reasons for this are equity in terms of students that have devices and the belief that it is each district’s responsibility to provide all technology to be used by students in schools.  I wholeheartedly agree with their positions, but those of us in the trenches must play with the cards that we have been dealt.  As educators, it is our duty to do everything in our power to provide our students with the best learning opportunities possible and in many cases allowing students to bring their own devices to school assists in meeting this lofty goal.

We launched our BYOT program at New Milford High School this past September after just piloting it with the senior class last spring.  There have been many lessons learned from this journey, the most important being that the students have greatly appreciated this shift.  Policies have been developed for students to bring in their own computing devices, a ban on cell phone use during non-instructional time has been lifted, and educational programs have been put in place to teach our students about digital citizenship, responsibility, and footprints.  We did not let excuses, such as equity, stop us from moving forward with an initiative that is turning out to have real value to our students and teachers.  Key components of a successful BYOT initiative include the following:

• Begin to change the way students view their devices by changing the language when they are referenced.  Students need to fully understand that they are tools for learning.  Make consistent efforts to refer to them as mobile learning devices.
• When using these devices in the classroom, the teacher must ensure that there is a specific learning outcome connected to the device.
• Ensuring equity is important and we must be cognizant of those students that might not own a device.  Determining those that do not in a confidential manner is very important.  If using mobile phones, teachers can easily pair students up.
• A BYOT initiative can actually supplement what a school might already have in terms of technology and increase access.  For example, let’s say a school has a laptop cart with only 20 devices because that is all that could be afforded, but there are 25 students in the class.  Student owned technology could then be utilized to close this gap.
• Develop appropriate support structures that align with current Acceptable Use Policies.
• Provide professional development and resources to teachers so that they can be successful in implementing mobile learning devices.
• Treat students like 21^st Century adolescents.  Many of them own and use these devices outside of school.  If we can focus use on learning, then why would we not allow them to bring these tools and use them in school? 
• Unacceptable use is dealt with accordingly based on a school’s discipline code.  This should not be considered different than any other infraction.  When it comes to off task behavior in the classroom, this is most likely the result of a poorly planned lesson or ineffective classroom management techniques.
• Promote use of student owned devices for learning during non-instructional time.  At NMHS, one can now routinely see students using their devices during lunch to conduct research for projects, complete homework assignments, and organize their responsibilities.  Additionally, we have seen a dramatic reduction in behavior issues.

Instead of bashing BYOT and coming up with ideas on how and why it won’t work or how it is unfair, we would be best served to brainstorm ways in which it can become an educational component of our schools.  The excuses to write off BYOT only serve to undermine the students that we are tasked with educating.  A BYOT initiative will be unique to each district and should be carefully constructed based on socioeconomics and community dynamics.  To begin the process students should be asked for their input.  What are your thoughts on BYOT in schools?  If it has worked for you, please share your experiences.