Introducing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) into a school of 1700 students and 105 staff is not a small task. The number of hours which go into the planning and implementing of such a task! Well, our high school did it. At the beginning of 2018 we introduced the recommended option of bringing your own device. The students were sent purchase options, best fit type devices and all the requirements needed for their device to be compatible with our school system.
I think it was fully expected that around 80% of students would turn up on day one with their new device. Not quite so. There were not many students at all who came with a brand new device. The inequality gap was clearly apparent. The cost of outfitting your child with a new uniform as well as a device was just too much for many families, including my own. Those who had more than one child at the school were certainly not able to provide them all with a device.
Ehrich et al (2011) Model for Ethical decision making has been used to outline this issue of inequality as the critical incident.
The set of competing forces which makes this introduction on BYOD difficult is the firstly the cost of the devices. As mentioned before, many families have more than one child at the school. In Year 9 and 12 students are in a new uniform, which has a significant cost factor. The local intermediate school has been BYOD for a number of years, however, their devices were not compatible with the high school system, so the students couldn't use their previous devices. We sold our son's device to an incoming Year 7, but that was certainly not enough money to go and replace it with recommended devices for 2018.
The values, beliefs, and ethical orientations in relation to the dilemma are widespread. I believe that uniform in a school eliminates the socio-economic differences amongst the students, now with the BYOD introduction, the gap and differences became very clear, very quickly. I knew of parents going into debt to purchase a device because they were so worried about their child being hassled and teased because they didn't have a device. They were worried that their child would not have the same equal opportunities to access the curriculum as well as the others who have a device. How was this going to impact their day to day learning? Were we going to see a sector of the 'Haves'and the 'Have-nots'?
The choice of action is not an overnight solution. There are steps which the school did take to make sure that all students had access to a device. They purchased quite a number of laptops to be stored in COW's (Computer on Wheels) The teacher could book out a laptop that period for the students without a device.
I think that the school could have drip fed the introduction of devices by starting with the Year 9 students or with the senior students who are now moving into NCEA. Sponsorship from the Rotary or Lions could have been sort for students.
The implications which can arise from all these scenarios come with each of their own possible dilemmas. The upkeep and maintenance of many different devices can be quite an overwhelming task. Teachers need to be skilled in many types of devices in order to help students trouble shoot with the wifi, the settings and the updates.
The security of the devices when at subjects like Physical Education also needs to be addressed.
There will be no perfect model for the introduction of BYOD. Going to look at other schools who have already been down this road would be a sound recommendation. Look, read and ask before making the final decision.
Ehrich, L. C. , Kimber M., Millwater, J. & Cranston, N. (2011). Ethical dilemmas: a model to understand teacher practice, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 17:2, 173-185, DOI: 10.1080/13540602.2011.539794
Hello! Hope you are enjoying the holidays.
ReplyDeleteThis post brings up a discussion that we will be having for many years to come, as both parents and educators.
As the parent of a year 1 child, who will be getting a device in year 3, I can't help but think about the stress and fights that will ensue trying to get my darling to look after her device. She can have up to 4 pairs of shoes at school because she forgets to put them in her bag and let’s not get started on the polar fleece. I can only hope 2 years of training and maturity will help her to be ready to look after a device when she gets to year 3. I am excited that she will learn in (hopefully) a dynamic environment where the device opens up a world of possibilities and experiences. My husband and I will work and plan our butts off to make sure she (and my son) are clothed, fed and with the best devise. I know it won’t be easy, but it's part of modern parenting.
As a teacher I understand that it isn't that cut n’ dry (it’s your responsibility as a parent to kit out your child). I have only ever taught in low decile schools and it's always been part of my routine to hand out pens and pencils. We subsidies books (which are so cheap to buy!) and turn a blind eye on dodgy uniform when it gets cold. I get that many families are just trying to make ends meet, let alone all the rest. And it’s not because they are drunks or irresponsible, they just have a different situation to others who manage to get all the gear (and as you said, go into debt for the device). I do believe it’s so important for students to have access to devices, and we have a huge responsibility as educators to facilitate that. The issue of inequality does break my heart. Imagine not being able to do your work because your device is too slow or broken. It's another way students get turned off education, and the digital world has so much potential to turn them on to learning.
So my point is, I hear ya and I feel your pain! There is no simple fix. As a parent I will work with my husband to ensure we do what's best for our children (and finances) on a yearly basis. As an educator I will be flexible and understanding. If I ever raise through the ranks to making big decisions in my school, I would like to look at innovative solutions to the device debacle, because there has got to be a better way.