Streamlining Mobile Device Deployment for Teachers in Schools

With many organizations requiring mobile devices for work, educational institutions have also followed suit. Besides a computer, mobile devices are now considered essential in school as it helps in creating a positive learning experience for both teachers and students. There are different types of mobile deployment. Some of the notable ones are: bring your own device (BYOD), choose your own device (CYOD), and company-owned, business only (COBO). Let’s get to know these approaches to mobile device deployment. 

Bring Your Own Device

One of the most popular trends in the workplace is BYOD. Bring Your Own Device is quite literal – teachers get to bring their personal gadgets to the workplace. They use these devices to connect to organizational networks and to engage in other work-related activities. As you can imagine, bringing personal devices also comes with a host of risks. Data theft and malware are some of the biggest risks that bringing your own device can bring. Hence, not all educational institutions support BYOD, especially when proper security measures haven’t been established. 

Choose Your Own Device 

Another type of mobile device deployment is choosing your own device, wherein the school provides a list of devices to teachers. They have the freedom to pick their own device. And as it is an institution-provided list, these devices comply with security policies and workplace requirements. 

Company-Owned, Business Only 

The other type of mobile deployment is company Owned, business Only. The name speaks for itself – the institution provides the mobile device. However, usage of these devices is restricted to work use. 

How to Streamline Mobile Device Deployment

Part of proper mobile device management is the streamlining of mobile device deployment. Here’s how you can do it:

Create a Mobile Device Policy 

First things first – create a mobile device policy. In your policy, clearly state the dos and don’ts when using mobile devices. Discuss the websites they’re allowed to visit, the files they’re allowed to download, and even the software they’re required to install. And to help in controlling access, using lockdown solutions like Surelock allows you to turn mobile devices into kiosks. That way, administrators have full control over the applications that teachers have access to. 

There are other policies you can implement that beef up your security, one being the use of passcodes. This ensures that mobile devices remain secure and consequently, decreases the risk of hacking and theft. If you want to tighten your security, you may use two-factor authentication and set minimum password requirements. 

Creating your mobile device policy shouldn’t just be a one-time thing. Rather, it’s a continuous process of learning about the new trends and updating your policies as necessary. This helps your school stay safe from the threats of cyber attackers. 

Use Mobile Device Management Software

Having an IT department in your institution that uses mobile device management (MDM) software is worth it. This helps in enforcing your security policies, identifying and tracking mobile devices, and automating the deployment process. 

MDM software is essential in maintaining the security of every school. Moreover, it allows administrators to effectively manage mobile devices all from one central location. Hence, using this type of software can effectively streamline mobile device deployment. 

Employee Training

Cybersecurity training is highly recommended for employees, especially when they’re dealing with confidential data. With attackers getting more creative with their cyberattacks, teachers need to be kept up to speed with the latest cybersecurity threats and how to prevent them. It’s just like treating your own health – prevention is better than cure. 

Manage Your Use of Resources

Before you even consider deploying mobile devices, you should have an idea about the resources you need and where you’ll get them. For instance, will a third party manage your mobile device management software? Or will you hire employees to manage your IT department? Occasionally, other schools might choose a third party to handle their mobile device management so their staff can fully focus on other value-adding work.

And for mobile devices, you have to consider whether you will be buying them or leasing them. The thing about these gadgets is that they can be rendered obsolete as technology catches up with the latest trends. If you don’t want the additional hassle of planning what devices to provide to your teachers, then you might want to consider leasing. 

In Conclusion

Mobile devices changed the education landscape by improving classroom productivity, providing access to educational resources, and communicating with students and other teachers. That’s why streamlining mobile device deployment is necessary as mobile devices are now a fixture in the educational setting. 

Whether teachers are allowed to bring their own device or if schools provide it to them, there are a few approaches that can help you in streamlining the deployment process. These include creating a mobile device policy, using MDM software, employee training, and managing your use of resources. 

Do you use mobile devices in class? Share in the comments.

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About the Author: Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He is currently finishing his Doctor of Education degree at Miriam College. Bash writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle, and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management, and traveling are translated into his works.

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