Hardware

3 Ways K–12 Educators Can Help Students With Device Readiness

School leaders share their proven formulas for reducing the number of forgotten or uncharged devices.

Erika Gimbel is a Chicago-based freelance writer who specializes in B2B technology innovation and educational technology.

How can schools ensure their K–12 students come to class with their devices ready for learning? We talked to two experts who shared their methods for keeping student devices safe and charged.

1. Use Multiple Channels to Share Reminders with Parents and Students

Schools should communicate regularly with parents and students about charging devices and remembering to bring them to school.

“I’ll remind students and parents every Sunday on our learning management system, on our Facebook page, through all our communication channels to bring their devices to school charged,” says David LaMaster, an assistant principal at Kanawha County (W.Va.) Schools. “It gets repetitive, but I’ve had parents thank me for doing it. And it pays off. It’s all about putting the percentages in your favor.”

Click the banner to unlock complimentary resources from CDW for your modern K–12 classroom.

2. Cultivate a Sense of Device Ownership Among Students

Jason Bailey, director of innovation and design at the State Educational Technology Directors Association, says that students must feel ownership over their devices.

“If students feel like these are their own devices, they’ll take care of them,” he says. “If you give a freshman a Chromebook and you say, ‘OK, you’re going to use this for four years and take it with you,’ they are more likely to treat it better.”

3. Make Student Devices an Integral Part of Everyday Learning

Bailey adds that fully integrating devices into the curriculum leads to better student preparation. Administrators can help by providing a consistent learning experience through universal design and offering professional development for teachers.

“Students have to know that the devices are relevant to the learning process and know that if they care about school, they’re going to need their devices ready and charged,” he says.

monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images