Is BYOD the Answer to Our Problems or the Worst Idea Ever?

Resources are limited at some schools and some cannot even afford the technology resources. BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. It is thought that BYOD is the future because some schools lack funding to buy technology resources and some lack the knowledge to implement technology. However, BYOD can cause high teacher anxiety and unfair for students who don’t have the top of the line technology. Others say that BYOD permits collaboration and sharing of resources. To deal with fairness, they compare that it is the tough reality of having luxury and standard/basic. BYOD still helps technology be incorporated into almost all classrooms because not all students really need the same device to use the Internet. Students can find the right tools and assess their learning needs without adult intervention with BYOD. Others complain about the image of having all thirty students with all different devices and not knowing what to do. Today, teachers desperately encourage students to have their cell phones powered off during class. However, with BYOD the key is a cell phone.  They promote to have the cell phone ban removed in schools and to instead have the cell phones connected to the internet and involved with the class lesson.

            I think BYOD is an interesting concept because almost everyone has a smart phone or tablet, laptop, iPod, or iPad. There is also a huge funding problem for schools that cannot meet every teachers’ and students’ need. As a society, if we were all already so connected to our smart phones, wouldn’t it be smart to incorporate the device in your learning and teaching process? Personally I haven’t used my smart phone for the learning process but I can definitely see how I can incorporate it in the teaching process. In classes today, I’m usually researching something on my phone, although I have student computers in front of me! Preference of technology is important to a student’s learning process. I know funding for schools is difficult and it seems that this could be the answer to our problems.

This article connects to ISTE standards for students and teachers. ISTE Standard 6 for students is Technology operations and concepts and is when students “students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.” With BYOD they all are responsible for their own technology learning experience. ISTE Standard 3 for teachers is Model Digital age work and learning and is when teachers “communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers, using a variety of digital age media and formats.” With the use of multiple technology learning devices, the teacher will be able to transform her lesson plan to suit all devices for the benefit of the student and his or her learning process.

Do you think BYOD is the answer or the worst idea ever?

McAnear, A. (2012 February). Is BYOD the Answer to Our Problems or the Worst Idea Ever. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 5-7.