Instructional Technology
Parish Announces BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
At Parish, our Remarkable Realities strategic vision articulates our intent to leverage technology to foster teaching and learning. Much has been accomplished to enhance the School’s technological infrastructure and students are now invited to use personal computing devices on campus, specifically in 7th through 12th grades. We are pleased to share our philosophy and recommendations with you on behalf of the strategic technology committee.
The first phase for creating access to mobile computing, particularly in our Upper School, was enhancing our technology infrastructure. To this end, in the last 18 months, the following key upgrades to our infrastructure have been made:
- Campus-wide upgrade of the wired network and installation of wireless access points throughout much of the Midway Campus.
- Increased Internet bandwidth from 6Mbps to 20Mbps in December 2010 to 50Mbps in November 2011. Hardware required for these increased speeds was upgraded allowing for future expansion.
- Adoption of Google Apps for Education giving students access to a comprehensive suite of tools for productivity and collaboration from any location with Internet access.
Simultaneously, members of our committee researched extensively the current trends in “one-to-one” or mobile technology seeking the solution which would support our programmatic goals to develop digital, global citizens who have the capacity to:
- think Critically and in original, innovative ways;
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
- Collaborate purposefully and as part of a community of learners; and
- Create meaningfully to solve real-world problems.
An emerging trend in instructional technology at this time is actually one Parish has embraced over the last several years. Known as “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD), this model espouses prioritizing a wireless-enabled environment which then affords users to bring a tool which, while meeting certain specifications established by the school, best meets the users’ needs. The BYOD approach is gaining currency because it removes schools from assuming the role of owner and distributor of a device and places the user in control of that decision. In a world in which technology changes occur rapidly, this has significant economic efficiencies for schools while allowing students to use devices with which they are most comfortable.
In the last two years, Parish has increasingly allowed students to bring their mobile computing devices to campus. With this announcement, we are establishing a clearly articulated set of guidelines for how we, in partnership with families, plan to meet the technology needs of our students.
As Parish works toward meeting our strategic initiatives, we know questions will arise. We are committed to keeping you informed and will keep a dynamic list of FAQs on our web site. You may also contact us at iTech@parishepiscopal.org.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMMITTEE FOR TECHNOLOGY
Dolores Gende, Chair
David Ostroff, Co-Chair
Faculty & Staff:
Emma Heaps
Lucy Henard
Leigh Ann Jones
Gretchen Peterson
Sherie Skillern
Paul Tidmore
Parents:
James McLendon
David Santucci
Students:
Chris Ponners
Cara Santucci
