B is for BYOD
What is BYOD?
BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. It means that students are encouraged to bring their own devices to school to use within the classroom. This could be an iPad, an iPad mini, a Kobo, Chromebook, laptop, and the list goes on and on. We have had some success using cell phones as well, although we have agreed as a staff that the teacher must give permission for students to bring their cell phones into a classroom. |
How does it work in my school?
I want to start off by saying that the success I have had in my school with BYOD may not be possible in all schools/divisions. I work in a K-9 school with under 90 students. We have a very active School Community Council and our division supports a BYOD philosophy. BYOD sort of happened naturally in my school; the kids just started bringing their own devices and we didn't stop them. Our middle years staff consists of only four teachers, and we have a very positive relationship with our students, having known them quite closely for many years. We trust the kids to take care of their own devices, and we have not had any issues in the past with broken devices, stolen devices, or misuse of the device.
I want to start off by saying that the success I have had in my school with BYOD may not be possible in all schools/divisions. I work in a K-9 school with under 90 students. We have a very active School Community Council and our division supports a BYOD philosophy. BYOD sort of happened naturally in my school; the kids just started bringing their own devices and we didn't stop them. Our middle years staff consists of only four teachers, and we have a very positive relationship with our students, having known them quite closely for many years. We trust the kids to take care of their own devices, and we have not had any issues in the past with broken devices, stolen devices, or misuse of the device.
What about the students that cannot afford a device?
To supplement the kids that don't have their own devices, our SCC has helped us to purchase iPads and Chromebooks for use by any and all students at our school. We have also purchased some devices with our school budget. Over time, this has worked out to 6 Chromebooks and 12 iPads. These devices are shared between grades K-9, so we book them out for particular periods during the day. My 7/8/9 class has 24 students, but enough have their own devices that only 12 have to use the school's devices. Using a school device is not seen as a stigma at all, because there are days when kids forget their own device, the battery dies, or they need a different tool to accomplish the task at hand. In the end, virtually every single student uses a school device at one point or another throughout a regular day.
To supplement the kids that don't have their own devices, our SCC has helped us to purchase iPads and Chromebooks for use by any and all students at our school. We have also purchased some devices with our school budget. Over time, this has worked out to 6 Chromebooks and 12 iPads. These devices are shared between grades K-9, so we book them out for particular periods during the day. My 7/8/9 class has 24 students, but enough have their own devices that only 12 have to use the school's devices. Using a school device is not seen as a stigma at all, because there are days when kids forget their own device, the battery dies, or they need a different tool to accomplish the task at hand. In the end, virtually every single student uses a school device at one point or another throughout a regular day.
What are the advantages to BYOD?
1. SAVING MONEY - BYOD has provided classroom teachers with an opportunity to integrate technology into our classrooms without having to spend a significant amount of money. We have had to spend a fraction of the money on technology that we would have if we did not allow students to bring their own devices.
2. INQUIRY LEARNING - We have also been able to transform our classrooms into research and inquiry workplaces in mere seconds; we can find information instantly by using the internet on an iPad without having to bring the entire class to the computer lab.
3. DIFFERENTIATION - It helps in differentiating instruction because students do not have to be working on the same project or assignment all at the same time. There could be a small group working with technology, another group is with the teacher, and a third group is completing an experiment independently. Having the technology readily available also opens doors to differentiating assignments - whether it be the topic they research, whether or not the teacher provides websites, selecting powerpoint as a modem for presentation vs. prezi vs. a video vs. a written assignment. The possibilities are endless.
4. STRUGGLING LEARNERS or ENRICHMENT - Kids that have learning difficulties are able to have the support of technology so that they can achieve the same outcomes as their peers. For example, for a child that has difficulty decoding words, instead of reading a paper copy of a book, the student can listen to the same e-book and focus on comprehension rather than the decoding. A child that has trouble with physically writing can use a Chromebook to type their work, and print it to our school computers with ease. A student that finishes early can further their understanding on a topic by doing some research on the internet or completing an online quiz.
1. SAVING MONEY - BYOD has provided classroom teachers with an opportunity to integrate technology into our classrooms without having to spend a significant amount of money. We have had to spend a fraction of the money on technology that we would have if we did not allow students to bring their own devices.
2. INQUIRY LEARNING - We have also been able to transform our classrooms into research and inquiry workplaces in mere seconds; we can find information instantly by using the internet on an iPad without having to bring the entire class to the computer lab.
3. DIFFERENTIATION - It helps in differentiating instruction because students do not have to be working on the same project or assignment all at the same time. There could be a small group working with technology, another group is with the teacher, and a third group is completing an experiment independently. Having the technology readily available also opens doors to differentiating assignments - whether it be the topic they research, whether or not the teacher provides websites, selecting powerpoint as a modem for presentation vs. prezi vs. a video vs. a written assignment. The possibilities are endless.
4. STRUGGLING LEARNERS or ENRICHMENT - Kids that have learning difficulties are able to have the support of technology so that they can achieve the same outcomes as their peers. For example, for a child that has difficulty decoding words, instead of reading a paper copy of a book, the student can listen to the same e-book and focus on comprehension rather than the decoding. A child that has trouble with physically writing can use a Chromebook to type their work, and print it to our school computers with ease. A student that finishes early can further their understanding on a topic by doing some research on the internet or completing an online quiz.
What about the kids that misuse their devices?
To be completely honest, this hasn't really been an issue for me in the past. Students are excited about having their own device because it saves them time and energy borrowing a device. They already know how to use their own device, and they don't have to spend time learning a new one. If they want to save work to finish later, they are able to do that and they have everything in one place. The students know that if they are abusing their device while at school, it will either be taken away from them, they will lose lunchtime privileges, or they simply won't be allowed to use any device. Most kids realize this, and they don't abuse them. The teacher plays a role in this as well; you have to circulate around the classroom and check on the kids just like you would if they were working in a textbook. Let's not kid ourselves here either, when a student "looks" like they are engaged and reading a textbook, a paper handout, or an assignment sheet, it does not mean that they are ACTUALLY engaged! By putting technology into their hands, we have found a way to instantly engage them. It's the world they live in, and they WANT their device with them, just like I do as an adult with my MacBook Air and my cell phone. In the real world, there won't be anyone there to scold them for not being on task. Being able to use media appropriately is a skill they are going to have to learn in the real world, and digital media skills are something we should be teaching our students nowadays anyways.
To be completely honest, this hasn't really been an issue for me in the past. Students are excited about having their own device because it saves them time and energy borrowing a device. They already know how to use their own device, and they don't have to spend time learning a new one. If they want to save work to finish later, they are able to do that and they have everything in one place. The students know that if they are abusing their device while at school, it will either be taken away from them, they will lose lunchtime privileges, or they simply won't be allowed to use any device. Most kids realize this, and they don't abuse them. The teacher plays a role in this as well; you have to circulate around the classroom and check on the kids just like you would if they were working in a textbook. Let's not kid ourselves here either, when a student "looks" like they are engaged and reading a textbook, a paper handout, or an assignment sheet, it does not mean that they are ACTUALLY engaged! By putting technology into their hands, we have found a way to instantly engage them. It's the world they live in, and they WANT their device with them, just like I do as an adult with my MacBook Air and my cell phone. In the real world, there won't be anyone there to scold them for not being on task. Being able to use media appropriately is a skill they are going to have to learn in the real world, and digital media skills are something we should be teaching our students nowadays anyways.
The following video is a summary of the above information. I was interviewed by my digital learning coach for a presentation she did about BYOD and technology in rural schools.
***Thank you to Michelle Morley (digital learning coach) and Susan Brenner (SST in the video) for giving permission to use the video on my e-portfolio.***