BYOD is cool in my books. The problem arises when we focus solely on the app or device. That is to say I used to live by the best app first, then the curriculum. I’ve grown over the years and realize the curriculum task determines the app – or apps to use – and not vice versa.
Why, as educators, do we keep buying bulk sets of the same tool? Sure our students will be Apple experts but let’s not forget the fair share Google has in the Android world.
We didn’t all learn to drive in the same car. Just like the piano isn’t the only tool for music.
Here is just another reason why I love twitter:
Like the piano isn't the only tool to learn music, technology shouldn't be about the device or app but embedded throughout. #onted
— Brian Aspinall (@mraspinall) November 11, 2014
@mraspinall and if you bang on the keys, it's a learning moment… The piano doesn't get removed from the house!
— Maggie Colquhoun (@Mag_Colquhoun) November 11, 2014
@mraspinall What a great way to look at technology!
— Ms. Alisha Sims (@AlishaTeaches) November 11, 2014
@mraspinall To take that even further, the type of car used is not more important than the act of learning *how* to drive.
— Ms. Alisha Sims (@AlishaTeaches) November 11, 2014
So, my question becomes “why do we purchase all of the same” ? I understand “bids” and “contracts” for corporate worlds, but we never used to tell our students which pens or pencils they had to use.
We seem to be about inquiry these days. Do you let students inquire about tools and apps? Do you tell them what app to use? Don’t get me wrong, I love Apple. But I also love Android.
And what about those students less fortunate? BYOD in many schools leads to students receiving affordable devices – which are never Apple. Does their device become an internet machine?
I have no answers to these questions. My twitter conversation has me thinking about them. Any insight from others is appreciated.
Piano image courtesy of: https://westallhead.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/back-of-the-queue-piano/
Mr. Aspinall, if you are able to find ways to promote and encourage unity among peers and classes (financial) you’ve got the starting of peace in this world. I am a huge advocate for those who already have the world against them because of barriers due to finances or behavioural challenges. They are each one beautiful life that needs someone to believe in them or advocate for them. Even in the smallest of ways. Keep the conversation going..maybe even your students have an answer.
Thanks for the comment, Nicole. All we can do is keep asking questions and making “noise”.
My hat is off to you for being such a progressive school There is never enough tech for everyone so BYOD is a great way to augment any shortfalls in a school’s inventory. BYOD does present challenges as tech admins end up supporting everyone, and every platform.
I equate BYOD to Driver’s Education. If I learn to drive, using your vehicle, I still need to get comfortable in my own. If I learn to drive, using my own vehicle, I am that much farther ahead, knowing how the vehicle brakes, corners, and accelerates. This, of course doesn’t address that BYOD is not a reality for everyone. (Perhaps for another blog posting?)
If I can access the lesson plan and complete the homework on my device, when I leave your class, I take that skill-set with me. Look at the loyalty people have to their mobile tech. Migrating an iPod user to and iPhone is effortless. I, if you haven’t guessed, use a BlackBerry Z30 as my primary device. It does everything I need, including running several Android apps I couldn’t find in my own app store, “Back in the day,” if you created a document on a Mac, good luck opening it up on a Window’s PC. Well, App ecosystems have come a long way, but unless you need certain Google services today, your hardware choices can be limiting.
I recall a statement from a TedX speaker, who said something like this…”The tech your child uses today will be the least sophisticated tech they will every use…” #TrueWords
I agree. I think people have a tendency to move toward what they are comfortable with. I will admit that i do that because it’s easier in my classroom for troubleshooting when everyone is on the same device. With that said, I will not back down to any challenge to problem solve or figure out another device, however it does require time. I Also find it a good opportunity to teach the problem solving skills and persistence (which is often required when troubleshooting tech). I think what we forget is that not all of these devices work the same way, nor can do the same things. The bigger lesson becomes how we can teach our students to independently find the way to answer the questions related to the tech. Can they see if some else in the room, can they Google it, can they play with it and learn from trial and error? Maybe we need a variety of tools available at school for the different tasks that we choose to undertake to help encourage this inquiry-based trouble-shooting in all students and to expose them to all types of devices.