6. Classroom Devices during COVID-19
Who would have imagined the impact of a global pandemic on education?
Teachers, families, and learners are experiencing circumstances that require flexibility, patience, and grace. Some districts continue to hold classes in person yet need to have supports in place for quarantining. Some schools are totally virtual, and man
y are doing both. What does that mean for digital device implementation and management?
In-Person
Students will be either carrying their device or accessing it from a charging solution. Consider how to safely manage the flow of accessing and returning devices with social distancing and sanitization standards. Here is another eBook that dives deeply into this topic:
If you are sending devices home, here are some considerations:
• Set up a help desk call center for families
• Train help staff on software to manage a device off site
• Create a plan of safety protocols to drop off and pick up devices in need of repair
• Plan for sanitizing devices before repair
• Have portable access points available for families in need of internet access
The Do’s & Don’ts for Safe Classroom Device Deployment
DO
- Plan social distance strategies during device deployment
- Separate charging stations in the classroom when possible to avoid crowding
- Individually assign students their own device and shelf/slot/bay
- Consider the teacher’s risk if they touch the devices
- Disinfect devices & carts between different groups of students use
DON’T
- Don’t permit students to crowd around laptop carts
- Don’t send groups to retrieve their devices all at once
- Don’t share charging carts between student cohorts without disinfecting first
- Don’t forget to consider the teacher’s risk if they touch the devices
- Don’t underestimate the extra time a safer deployment takes with big carts