The Pros and Cons of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

 

By Julie Wilcox

As technology began to appear in schools and business, decisions needed to be made about who would be supplying the technology.  For schools many factors come into play keeping things equal and factoring in cost.  The 1:1 program is born.   This allows schools to provide tech for their students, and the rules vary from district to district.  But from outdated technology to the level of internet at home is wide as well, from nothing to top speed.  Schools can now control the content and security of the device, but students want to download their favorites and cannot.  Virus, malware,  and other intruding problems are going to be rampant without the proper controls. 

                Schools need to find a balance, keep all the students on a level playing field.  While examining all the pros and cons of which program works best for their students and school, I found the arguments interesting, but the information is outdated and many of the arguments are no longer part of the conversation.  But the gap between the haves and the have nots will always exist, the fears of cyberbullying and being photographed without permission, are relevant today and tomorrow.  Teachers now need to be an IT department in addition to their regular duties. We also need to take into account the comfort level and knowledge of technology of the instructors.  Yes, kids can be comfortable with their own device, but a uniform platform can easier to support. 

Digging deeper:

5 pros and cons of BYOD in schools

References:

Bruder, P. (2014). Gadgets Go To School: The Benefits and Risks of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Education Digest, 80(3), 15–18. https://login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?auth=shibboleth&url=
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=99173566&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Thompson, G. (2017). 3 Keys to a Successful 1-to-1 and BYOD Implementation. T H E Journal, 44(5), 14–18. https://login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?auth=shibboleth&url=
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=126029338&site=ehost-live&scope=site