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| Student uses tablet to study |
Staff Writer
In
first period AFM, I pulled up my Blackboard account on my iPhone and studied
the notes my teacher had posted before my test began.
In
second period Holocaust and Genocide, Mr. Moncelle paused his lecture, to have students
pull out their phones and google the definition of unrecognized words he had
used.
In
third period journalism, I scrolled through my Twitter timeline attempting to
find potential headlines and learning about what was going on in school.
So,
what’s the big deal with the “Bring Your Own Device” program? Why is the local
media talking about this and why are parents concerned?
The
“Bring Your Own Device,” or BYOD, program recently went into effect at 13 schools
within Wake County. Its goal is to turn devices such as smartphones, tablets,
and laptops into instructional tools that can be used for learning.
The
BYOD concept has become a trend among many American companies, and half the
school districts in the country have taken it into their education system. The
program is saving participating organizations big bucks on advanced technology.
A study conducted by Dell, Intel, Taylor Nelson Sofres, and Cascade Insights
found that more than half of employees globally are participating in BYOD,
either on their own or with company approval.
Three
of the schools piloting the program are Cary, Holly Springs, and Green Hope
High Schools, all of which are in a twenty minute radius of Apex High School, where
this program would be perceived as the ordinary. Students bring devices to
class daily with no questions asked to take notes, to finish essays, or to
perform any other instructional tasks.
The
use of social media and technology has sprouted naturally, just as it has in
the classroom. Taking a photo of the board or using one’s own laptop or tablet
in class is common practice to an Apex student.
Five
of the piloted schools are elementary level, where elementary aged students
have replaced Fisher Price toys with iPads and smartphones in the past few
years. From personal experience, whenever my phone is out in front of a kid
there’s a 75% chance they’ll ask me, “Do you have any games?” The eyes that
were once glued to action figures and dolls are now glued to 9-7 inch retina
displays. These participating schools are excited to teach kids the power of these
tools beyond entertainment.
The
BYOD has its place of value in an elementary classroom, or as a solution to
limited technology; but it’s not revolutionary, or cutting edge, or anything
new or exciting to these schools. It’s just another day at a Wake County
school.
