One of the biggest debates currently in education in New Zealand, is around the designing and implementation of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programmes.
In my role in Advisory, I’ve spoken with many schools about how best to implement a BYOD policy. The most humbling aspect of these conversations has been hearing about how schools are really critically and honestly wanting to make useful choices for their students.
In a very positive fashion, very few schools are “jumping on the bandwagon” of digital devices merely for the sake of it. The majority are thinking about what a device will mean for teaching and learning, and about how to ensure equity for all students. Equity of costings, as well as equity of opportunity for learning. They are also beginning to consider how to ensure staff are competent and comfortable with designing learning experiences that will fully utilise the advantages of a BYOD policy.
The Principal of a small school in the King Country, told me that they had “10-12 desktops in each classroom, and teachers were used to using digital methods, but now these donated machines were starting to breakdown”. Their reason for exploring a BYOD programme was because it was vital to ensuring the existing work around digital learning and staff development wasn’t lost. I was able to provide some clarity around options that they had in front of them and help them consider which device would be most useful to their situation.
I spoke with the teacher of a large college in Christchurch who was concerned about equity for students as the school, after a number of trials had decided to recommend high spec PC laptops for their BYOD rollout. This school had a range of students from across the socio-economic spectrum and the teacher was concerned some wouldn’t be able to afford their own laptops. I suggested the school provide a pool of these high spec laptops so that families could apply to lease them at a reduced rate.
These are just two examples of the real conversations that schools are wanting to have. It has been a privilege to speak with so many honest educators, who are looking to provision powerful learning experiences for their students. It’s been especially rewarding to find that they are also striving to critically evaluate the implications of how to best do so.