BYODAdding the Movement of Technology to a Static Classroom

Bring Your Own Device

• What?

• A School of the Future

• BYOT in Action

• Pros/Cons

• Article 1

• Tech Chart

• Article 2

• Discussion

• Resources

We’ve Heard About It…So What is It?

• BYOD or Bring Your Own Device is a movement that was coined roughly eight years ago

• It originally started as a workplace movement before branching out into other areas, such as:

• BYOT – Bring Your Own Technology (Educational)

• BYOD – Bring Your Own Device (General)

• BYOPC – Bring Your Own PC

• BYOP – Bring Your Own Phone

• With technological advances, you can see that many of those can now be bundled under one heading.

BYOT In Action

Question: How would you help convince parents who might not be sold on allowing their child this kind of freedom in the classroom?

The Path to the Future

Pros• Breaks SES boundaries

• Updates don’t require new sets of textbooks

• Instant information

• After school help

• Portability

• Encourages creativity

• Allows interaction and opportunities for all types of learners

Cons• Initial costs

• Student/teacher training

• Perceived unfair advantages

• Funding

• Theft/damage

• Classroom management

Article 1• Survey to discover:

• Which new technologies are being used by teachers in literacy teaching

• An understanding of the contexts in which teachers use technology

• Teachers’ perceptions of how technology helps to achieve and reshape their pedagogic goals

• New Literacies

• Change in writing practice

• Technology is often approached as a separate discipline rather than a mutual entity

• Schools are notoriously slow to change

• Examining technology and its influences

• School

• Classroom

• Home

Technology School (%) Classroom (%) Home (%)

Desktop PC 82.0 85.7 70.9

Laptops 74.1 54.1 84.9

Interactive WB 68.4 76.0 5.8

Data Projector 81.8 53.3 9.1

Internet (Wired) 83.5 82.9 49.4

Internet (Wireless)

70.8 58.9 74.4

Smart Phone 6.2 4.6 96.9

iPad/Kindle 39.4 21.2 66.74

Digital Camera 76.0 64.6 89.1

DVD Player 77.8 64.4 86.1

Printer 91.4 58.3 85.0

Scanner 77.9 29.8 75.7

External Hardrv. 32.5 21.9 89.4

GPS 7.1 1.2 97.6

Article Two• It’s not just about laptops anymore

• The schools should focus on high speed internet, not on the devices

• Schools are finding that the best solution to technology is BYOT

• It’s not (and should not be) about the money; it’s about education

• Don’t be afraid to let your students teach you

• When the students provide the technology, less time is spent on tech support

• The question is: how to manage the devices?

• Schools can help the transition by providing software support/downloads and electronic textbooks so that all students have access to the same material

Discussion

I think it’s safe to say that we agree that ignoring technological advances is a detriment to ourselves, our students, and our profession. We are also not ignorant nor naïve of the effort that will be required to institute a technological overhaul in our schools, especially the many in lower income, inner city areas where the upfront costs distract from the obvious long term benefits.

• How far are you personally willing to go to integrate technology in the classroom? Would you purchase tablets for your students? Would you rally, hold bake sales, or give speeches about the advantages?

• One of the many concerns about technology is that students will become less socially capable. Do you think this is true? What is your experience with this? How has your ability to socialize away from your computer changed and what can this experience do to help you reach your students?

Resources

Kervin, L., Verenikina, I., Jones, P., & Beath, O. (2013). Investigating synergies between literacy, technology and classroom practice. Australian Journal Of Language & Literacy, 36(3), 135-147.

Norris, C., & Soloway, E. (2011). BYOD as the Catalyst to Transform Classroom Culture. District Administration, 47(9), 114.

Ullman, E. (2011). The New One-to-One. Technology & Learning, 31(7), 54-57.