On the first day of school students are required to bring pencils, pens, paper … and their cell phone?
Some schools are experimenting with “bring your own technology” (BYOT) policies. Research concluded in April 2010, by the Pew Research Center indicated that 75% of students, aged 12-17, own a cell phone or smart phone. The logic behind BYOT policies is simple—if students already own some sort of smart device, allow them to drive the speed in which technology is updated, saving the school precious dollars on IT support and demand.
Rick Angelone, a Board Member with Catholic Schools K12 Virtual addressed concerns that students would spend too much time off task, saying “ The novelty wears off and students move from using Facebook. Smart phones really are becoming the resource tool and the communication tool of the future.”
The U.S. Department of Education data from May 2010 indicates that about half of all public schools in the U.S. are giving handheld devices to administrators, teachers, or students. But, the trend of allowing students to bring in their own devices is catching on—and offers a more budget conscious solution for schools trying to keep up with the speed of transforming technology.
Forsyth County Georgia school district, for example, tested out BYOT last year. It included seven schools and 40 teachers. Teachers received face-to-face and Web-based professional development that included examples of what BYOT activities might look like in a classroom. The district’s IT boosted its wireless access points to support the pilot, and it maintains a separate wireless network for students to avoid any potential concerns of having students on the same network as administrators accessing sensitive student information.
Hoover High School in Canton North Carolina is also preparing to test the BYOT concept. It surveyed 1,000 students last March (about a third of the student population), asking them what type of technology they owned, and whether they would be willing to bring it to school with them. The survey estimated that, between the percentage of students owning technology and those willing to bring it with them, roughly 85% of students would have a piece of technology with them.
Additional articles of interest:
Student Devices Save Districts Money
BYOT: Bring Your Own Technology
Bring Your Own Technology (Students, that is)
