As a growing number of schools adopt bring-your-own-device programs — bringing a slew of unique devices into the classroom — one expert is offering tips to help teachers craft lessons that are device neutral. Ron Milliner, director of the Kentucky Academy of Technology Education, says teachers should incorporate BYOD into existing lessons while not worrying so much about the actual devices. Students, Milliner said, will find the applications they need and collaborate to provide technical support.
The soft-spoken director defines DNA as “lessons that can be completed on any device,” whether it’s an iPad, Android tablet, or smartphone. As more school districts become BYOD, DNA lessons are an important component in allowing students using different devices to do their homework. But don’t be intimidated by all the acronyms. What Milliner and his team show teachers is that moving to a digital structure doesn’t necessarily require big changes to existing lesson plans.
“I think it adds a lot of stress to the teachers when they think, ‘Here are these students that are going to bring in all kinds of devices, and I don’t know what they are and how to use them,'” Milliner says. “What we try to do is show the teachers you can basically take the assignments you already have and convert them.”
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