In the reading "should students use their own devices in the classroom?" They begin by citing an example of a teacher whose class was saved by the fact that most of her students had personal devices (in this case, cell phones) which allowed them to connect to the internet even when the school's own connection went down. While I think that this is a shining example of BYOD in action, I think that there are a number of pitfalls and hurdles to BYOD in education which call into question it's prudence. On the one hand, we have a teacher who says that students
"had done exactly what we educators always dream of: they assessed their learning needs and found the right tool to satisfy those need without adult intervention."
This is wonderful. Not only are the students learning to problem solve independently, but they are also learning to use the technological tools they have at hand as exactly that- tools, as opposed to status symbols or expansive toys. This is the kind of learning which I believe Dewey would have advocated; by way of experience, the students were learning not only new skills, but also a new way of looking at their own tools. However. With BYOD, one cannot ignore the socio-economic implications of the practice, as mentioned in the same "should students use their own devices in the classroom?" article. Where BYOD has become a growing (and mostly successful) practice across college campuses and within companies across the country, one of the fundamental differences between these two organizations and the public school system; In universities, you generally have a group of people who are all willingly subjecting themselves to the financial rigors of school, and in companies you have employees who are being paid to be there, the public school system is unique in which you have a group of students from potentially wildly varying socio-economic backgrounds who are required by law to attend and co-exist. As a result, BYOD in public schools adds a dimension of both financial and social stress to students' lives which they neither explicitly signed on for nor are they being paid for, and which in some cases is unavoidable. As a result, for all the good BYOD can bring (better equipment sooner, training on the latest OS's and hardware) it comes at a potential social emotional cost which may not be worth the risk.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked your comment about devices being used and viewed as tools instead of symbols of status or toys. I think it is critical to advocate and foster the use of the various devices as rich educational resources. The gadgets can do so muchs yet their capabilities are squandered on indulgences such as snapchat and instagram. Students need to understand that these devices are not just things to feed our vanity and voyeurism, but tools which, when used correctly, put us at a great advantage over previous generations.
I never thought about the social-emotional aspect of some students not having their own device. I only thought about that they would be under resources, therefore not being able to participate. You are completely correct, students could have low self esteem as a consequence of not having their own device. I agree with you that there is definitely an advantage to students using their own resources, but is it worth the risk of harming other students self esteem?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't made the connection that universities are in reality all implementing the BYOD movement. This is so interesting! I like the comparison you made between universities and public schools and how BYOD is different in each of them. I definitely agree with you that it would put more pressure on K-12 students. Also, have you considered the stress BYOD might put on teachers in terms on unpredictability in the classroom, and the chances that a student will bring a device in that the teacher is not familiar with?
ReplyDeleteMark, your blog post regarding BYOD is thoughtful and includes one aspect I hadn't really considered that's been discussed, but is important - the social-emotional aspect of allowing personal devices in high school classrooms.You are exactly right that there will undoubtedly be a wide ranging demographic of students in a public high school - those who have the latest iPhone/iPad, etc., and those who just, simply, don't. The stress this can cause students is something that shouldn't be ignored and one I hadn't fully considered, but will. I like the idea of BYOD and believe it can be useful (for example, when using digital tools such as Blendspace) or, as you mentioned, when in-class resources fail. I do believe, though, that as the years go by, smartphones will become universal staples - an eventuality we should be prepared for.
ReplyDeleteMark I really feel you fleshed out something really important with your observation. With my fellow colleagues above who mentioned it I would say addressing the social-emotional aspect of BYOD is very important. I feel that if BYOD was implemented and my parents couldn't afford the device I would have some low self-esteem and I would worry about not being able to get one and catch up with the class. I feel that it can really affect a students attitude towards a particular class and that school should work hard to ensure equity and hold SEL in high regard when implementing BYOD. Great post and insight Mark!
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