“BYOT” Starts At Clarkstown North And South High Schools

Clarkstown North and South High School students and teachers can bring their own technology devices with them to class as of Monday.  The “Bring Your Own Technology” (BYOT) program is believed to be the first of its kind in Rockland County. 

John Krouskoff, the district’s director of instructional technology, said they have already seen how technology can increase student engagement in the classroom and BYOT goes one step further in getting students more involved in learning. It allows students and staff to use the district’s wireless Internet connection for access to the district’s web based resources.

“The advantages of have the opportunity to bring one’s own technology to school is that it allows students and teachers to take full advantage of the rich digital resources that are available at any time and in any class,” explained Krouskoff. “Student learning need not slow down because certain information is available only in the library or in a computer lab.”

He said BYOT fulfills one of the district’s goals to expand the amount of technology in front of students, who had requested the program.

The district prepared for the initiative by increasing Internet bandwidth available in the two high schools. Krouskoff anticipates it will need to be expanded again as more of the school’s approximately 3,000 participate through the end of the school year in June.  Students can bring in laptops, netbooks, I pads, tablets and smartphones.  Controls have been put in place to keep tabs on usage and a password will be required to access the public side of the district’s wireless network.

 “The students’ use is monitored much as it is on school computers and devices,” said Krouskoff.   “By using our wireless network, Internet content is filtered as it is on school sponsored devices.  All the data goes through the same filter.”

High school and middle school students also received district email accounts through school-sponsored G-mail. The “address by design” identifies students as students and allows them to email their peers and teachers within the district. The will not be able to send or receive emails outside the district.

High school students are not required to bring in technology.  They have access to laptops, netbooks, desktops, and Chromebooks in the schools. Krouskoff noted when there are a limited number of devices available and students pair up to learn, there is greater collaboration.

Overall the first day went well.  Public Wi-Fi is not available in every single part of the school and those areas without it will be assessed to determine if they need it.  In some instances, users did not allow sufficient time for the public access point to assign an IP number to a personal device and that will resolve itself as users become more familiar with the system.

Members of the technology committee supported the implementation of BYOT.  The district does not take responsibility for any device that is damaged, lost, or stolen.  Krouskoff said the program is slated to expand to the middle school in September.

The Board of Education’s policies and regulation are available on the district’s website at District Offices - Instructional Technology - Forms and Policies and http://blogs.ccsd.edu/jkrouskoff/acceptable-use.