BOYD, or Bring Your Own Device, time in schools has been gaining momentum in recent years. BOYD allows students to use their own devices to work on projects and collaborate in groups. Teachers can use this constructively to show the students a new educational app or how to improve a presentation or video.
An advantage of BOYD is that schools can save a huge amount of money by not equipping expensive computer labs. Another is that students can easily access their projects at school or at home without having to email, download, and convert files, some of which may not be compatible with their devices at home or at school.
A potential downside is considering the students who are low-income and do not have devices of their own who may feel left out as all of their peers take out their own devices and begin working. “Schools need to be sensitive to the needs, and ability to afford technology tools, of all families that they serve,” says Peter Vogel, a physics teacher. Another potential problem is that many young people today already spend too much time in front of a screen. Teachers may also have a more difficult time making sure students are staying on task when they are on mobile devices. However, if students believe that they are learning about useful technology that is directly related to future jobs, they are likely to be interested and motivated in the lesson instead of just reading another chapter in another textbook.
“These devices are so influential in our students’ lives. It is part of the way they’re being raised,” says Aubrey Dawe, an elementary school principal. Peter Vogel points out “[BYOD] can save a school money on infrastructure and may foretell the end of dedicated classroom computer labs. However, BYOD typically means a major revamping of a school’s Internet delivery technology, specifically advanced wireless capabilities.”
BOYD allows teachers to incorporate technology lessons in their teaching without having to schedule trips to schools library computer labs. They could opt to stay in their regular classroom and have a short time to use educational software or creative projects. This could save space in the computer lab for classes needing good desktop computers to download large files, such as working on large videos, or a large screen to work on graphic-intensive projects. BOYD device is also a way for schools to demonstrate that learning environments can be innovative and focused on the future instead of stuffy and useless, and to demonstrate that the internet and technology can be extremely powerful tools when used appropriately.
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The amount of screen time and the quality of what is one the screen are two more issues in this BYOD/1:1 device movement. Students can easily get distracted by other apps or the internet.
ReplyDeleteThe study I reviewed in Texas showed that although math test scores improved, kids' self-discipline in using their computers for only school related activities during school declined.
I, too, am worried about the screen time issue. I suppose if the tablets (or whatever) were allowed in the classroom during a focused lesson that required the students to quickly find supplemental information, that may work. the potential for distraction is huge. I doubt that an effective filter exists...one that would allow the students to do meaningful searches while limiting those searches to the task at hand.
ReplyDeleteI in some cases do not agree that children have their own devices at school. This is because I am a daily witness in the field that I work on as students misuse those resources.
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