Bring Your Own Device—Will this trend stick or fade?
Ten or fifteen years ago, if a student had their phone out in class it would earn them a trip to detention, or a stern look from their teacher at the very least. Now, districts across the country are embracing “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) or “Bring Your Own Technology” (BYOT) policies. Technology is pricy, and BYOD or BYOT allows schools to stretch their budget by using the money elsewhere, while still implementing technology into their curriculum.
However, like with every new trend in education, there are pros and cons when it comes to BYOD. We’ve rounded up the top reasons to implement (or not implement) BYOD in your school:
Pros:
• Students are familiar and comfortable with their own technology
• Tablets or smartphones are lighter, faster, and less likely to be forgotten at home than textbooks or notebooks
• Schools save money on tech and can focus tech budget on helping students who can’t afford the technology on their own
• The internet provides an endless resource at students’ fingertips
• Teachers can use videos, apps, and other resources to personalize and differentiate teaching
• Many students already own and love their own devices—BYOD makes it more likely that they will complete tasks and assignments
Cons:
• That many devices in use can overload a school’s network infrastructure
• Students may be distracted by their devices and it may open up the door for cheating
• Since students are responsible for their own devices, they may forget to charge them, forget them at home, and can even bring a virus from home into the school
• BYOD brings the possibility of theft, not only of the devices but also of data
• Not all mobile devices are made the same, so some may be slower or have different apps and capabilities
• Parents may resist the idea of having to buy mobile devices for their children
There is more to learn about BYOD than what is on this list, but we hope this has provided important information to get started. As for the cons list, there are many ways schools are working around these obstacles in order to reap all of the benefits of BYOD.
Would you consider implementing BYOD in your district or school?
Other resources:
•https://www.k12blueprint.com/toolkits/byod
•https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/20-pros-and-cons-of-implementing-byod-in-schools
•https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/stem/schools-move-toward-bring-your-own-device-practices-to-boost-student-tech-use/2014/09/14/4d1e3232-393e-11e4-9c9f-ebb47272e40e_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.49e642bf7fe5
•https://elearningindustry.com/using-byod-schools-advantages-disadvantages
•http://neatoday.org/2012/07/19/should-schools-embrace-bring-your-own-device
