New TIME Model Emerges to Move K-12 School Districts Beyond BYOD in Shaping Curriculum Delivery Advancements

San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) April 30, 2014

Seeking to change the way K-12 educators think about technology in the classroom, Networld Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of value-added information technology solutions, today announced TIME (Technology Independent Model for Education™), a new concept in K-12 technology designed to optimize education outcomes for school districts across the U.S.

The TIME concept was formulated by Networld Solutions' VP and Principal Education Technology Consultant Darryl Vidal, who has been involved with planning technology for school districts for more than 20 years. Vidal is a frequent speaker and the co-author of "N3xt Practices: An Executive Guide for Education Decision Makers," a new book aimed at guiding K-12 education decision makers through the successful planning and implementation of technology strategies.

According to Vidal, TIME moves K-12 technologists beyond BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to focus on the use of technology for advancing curriculum objectives.

"BYOD is passé as a concept for next-generation learning. And while school districts are deeply entrenched in it – whether they've addressed it yet or not – the reality is, educational technology should not be about the device. It should be about enhancing curriculum delivery," he says. "It doesn't matter which devices your students use as long as the appropriate devices are available when the curriculum plan calls for them to be used."

In working with school districts across California, including San Diego Unified and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, Vidal knows first-hand that 1:1 devices often represent an ownership and insurance nightmare for school districts. In addition, these devices oftentimes are selected based on district technology equipment standards instead of curriculum requirements.

"The fact is, 1:1 devices aren't always being used correctly in many school districts because of a rush to provide some device for every student, even if the curriculum doesn't require a device. The device is simply a tool for accessing student data, which is likely stored in the cloud," Vidal says.

If the curriculum plan calls for a lecture, or field trip, there's no reason for the student to carry a laptop and a smartphone, Vidal contends. "On the other hand, if a Chromebook is needed for this project – here it is. iPad? Get it, or bring it. You need 32 iPads – roll them in," he says.

For testing, Vidal is advocating that schools re-consider a return to the computer lab, where students and teachers alike can eliminate the distractions and issues of 1:1 devices in the classroom. And if any student needs a home computer, Vidal says school districts should be prepared to loan them one.

"TIME is 1:1 computing when you need it, tablets when necessary, and no devices during lecture. It's that simple," he adds.

More Than a Concept: TIME Is a Movement and Methodology

Networld Solutions' TIME model embraces a process and methodology similar to the company's service-marked MapIT™ methodology, with an approach that will not only help school districts define curriculum requirements, but also establish the processes and procedures to manage diverse, multi-device environments using a just-in-time provisioning model.

Like MapIT, TIME provides a system of rules, principles, processes and practices for the customization and successful implementation of educational technology. This proven approach, combined with deep industry expertise, enables Networld Solutions to effectively deliver highly customized, state-of-the-art technology solutions.

N3xt Practices Book for Education Decision Makers Now Available on Amazon

With plans to expand on TIME in his upcoming K-12 technology book, Vidal's current book, "N3xt Practices: An Executive Guide for Education Decision Makers," co-authored by Michael Casey, is now available on Amazon. The book marks a milestone in Networld Solutions' continued efforts to foster the use of technology to advance education outcomes. As an educational technology partner, Networld Solutions offers experience in everything from campus-wide wireless and compliant communications networks to virtual classrooms, and now it brings it all together for school districts with the TIME methodology.

For more information on TIME, visit Vidal's blog at http://www.vidalcasey.com/?p=241.

For more information about Networld Solutions' K-12 Technology Solutions, visit http://www.networldsolutions.com/service.html.

About Networld Solutions
Serving businesses throughout California and the West Coast, Networld Solutions, Inc. offers a team of value-add IT consultants for customers in K-12 education, healthcare and the enterprise and small to medium business markets. Networld Solutions, Inc. is in business to help organizations grow through the strategic use of IT, and takes pride in its customization expertise and can design and implement any solution to fit a business' needs. For more information, visit http://www.networldsolutions.com.

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The company, brand and product names are used herein for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Technology Independent Model for Education is a trademark of Networld Solutions, Inc.

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