• Bring Your Own Device - Why not?

     
    devices As part of the District Technology Committee's due diligence in researching the recommendation for the 1:1 Initiative, the question of the "Bring Your Own Device" option was considered.  BYOD can be problematic for many reasons, including but not limited to:

    • Students do not bring devices that they can easily work on in class.
    • Phones seem to be the only “go-to” device on a regular basis. This is NOT the proper device for taking tests or writing essays, etc.
    • If 50% of a class brought a laptop, then the school would need to supply a device to the other 50% who did not in order to keep all things equal.
    • Parents are hesitant to allow students to transport personal laptops to and from school (theft and damage).
    • The district would have very little control over devices.
    • Device inequity varying in capability and performance from student to student with different devices creates classroom management issues.
    • Tech Support: With varying types of equipment, dissimilar configurations and software levels, a wide variety of technological hurdles would have to addressed and resolved.
    • Internet content filtering: This is a necessary fact of technology life in most schools where internet content must be filtered - these are technological considerations that are put in place to protect both students of danger and the tech environment from destructive downloads, etc.
    • "Bring Your Own Distraction" - When the device belongs to the student, it can be loaded with games, social networking apps, inappropriate content, etc. that can be used during class.