PROS:
- Students are able
to bring their own technology into the classroom
- Students are able
to experience a wide variety of technology
- Schools can save
money on technology
- Assignments for
students are on their own devices which could help completion rates
CONS:
- Teachers may not
be able to help students if their are issues with the technology
- Not all students
may be able to afford technology
- Teachers may not
know what software the students have available on their technology
- Schools may not
have the infrastructure for the connections of all the devices
I personally do not mind the idea of a BYOD policy.
I teach in a high school and one of our goals is for our students to be ready
to go on to the next stage of their life, which in many cases is college. In
college it is a BYOD environment in many places. Students need to be able to
use their technology in a safe manner. They may not be able to use the technology
in their classrooms in college but there are many times where an assignment or
lecture is online and being able to use the technology is important to their
grade.
Fang writes, “Many students expressed a strong preference
to bring laptops into their classrooms so that they could take notes (2009) .” This is a prime
example of part of our job at the high school. We are preparing students to be
able to use the technology outside of the classroom. By allowing students to
learn how to use the technology in school students are allowed to learn the technology
in a safe and secure environment where making a mistake is okay (Fingal, 2012) . I think in order to
fully prepare our students for the world outside the classroom a variety of technologies
and learning experiences should be our goal and a BYOD policy allows for this
to happen.
Fang, B. (2009, December 22). From Distraction to
Engagement: Wireless Devices in the Classroom. Retrieved from EDU Cause:
http://er.educause.edu/articles/2009/from-distraction-to-engagement-wireless-devices-in-the-classroom
Fingal, D. (2012). Is BYOD the Answer to Our Problems
or the Worst Idea Ever? Learning & Leading with Technology, 5 - 7.
Elizabeth, I also agree that BYOD is a good idea. You bring up some good additional points though, like preparing them for college and teaching the students to use their devices appropriately and safely in high school before they graduate. Even if students don't go onto college, where you mention all students BYOD, they may start a job and having experience using technology is key in today's workforce for most jobs. I can also see how BYOD allows students to experience different kinds of devices through their friends and classmates in school, thus preparing them even more for what it is like after high school in the work force or college. Outside of high school there is a wide variety of personal devices and laptops.
ReplyDelete-Christine
Elizabeth, I really enjoyed your post. I think that you make some really good points about having our students ready for life beyond high school. However, BYOD in college and in the workplace is very different from what we might experience in public education. In those environments, minimum standards for technology are set so that everyone can access the right software and applications. I get nervous thinking about the wide variety of devices that students in high school might have and how that would impact the teacher's ability to truly enrich learning. Some students might have a smartphone that is several years old, slow and unable to download newer apps. Laptops and tablets with similar issues as well, whereas other students have the latest and greatest. How do you overcome those challenges of BYOD?
ReplyDeleteI'm noticing that our high school teachers have less concerns about BYOD than our teachers who work in elementary/middle schools. Interesting! :)
ReplyDelete