Bring Your Own Device - Research Paper Example

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Introduction One of the most remarkable definitive features of the modern world is the explosion of information, which is particularly attributable to the rapid increase and advancement of information communications technology. Indeed, rapid flow and exchange of information, ideas and data across far-off places has greatly been facilitated by the pervasive preponderance of information communication technologies and devices in the modern society (Patten & Harris 2013). While personal computers, and hand-held technological devices like iPads, iPhones, and smart phones, among others, were once a luxury, they have suddenly becoming the norm today, even in schools and at workplaces (Warren & Charlotte 2015; Cochrane et al., 2014). Evidently, the significance of technological advancements in the modern society can never be overemphasized (Patten & Harris 2013), particularly because it affects nearly all critical sectors of the society. The present analysis is particularly interested in the application of technology in educational thinking and practice respectively. Also referred to as “Bring Your Own Technology” (BYOT), the “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) trend is undoubtedly one of the most novel ideas in the technological circles today (Warren & Charlotte 2015; Centre for Digital Education, 2011). Without doubt, the BYOD trend is poised to revolutionize and transform both educational thought and practice all over the world (Hill, 2011). This synthesis paper will interrogate the BYOD/BYOT trend in relation to modern day educational thinking and practice. This paper is organized into three broad sections, which shall further be sub-divided appropriately, to focus attention on particular aspects of the topic as shall be deemed necessary. The first section of this paper briefly introduces the BYOD/BYOT trend and implications for all the stakeholders in the educational sector and highlights the public discourse surrounding the trend. The second section discusses the theory underlying the BYOD/BEYOT trend by synthesizing arguments of peer reviewed journal articles and creating connections with educational practice in an actual educational setting. This section also highlights specific gains of the BYOD trend in terms of positive changes in educational practice among other things. The third section of the paper provides my own stance on the manner in which the BYOD trend can be addressed in school, besides reviewing the overall findings of the discussion and reflecting on what it means for my own thinking of teaching and learning. Eventually, this section draws upon authoritative evidence in support of a claim that the BYOD trend has certain ramifications for teaching and learning in schools, which must be considered by decision makers. Conceptualizing the “BYOD/BYOT” trend In recognition of the rapidly changing times, the need to enable students to adjust effectively to the contemporary information society and to take advantage of the modern digital technology in education, schools have sought to provide computers and other digital technologies for use by learners (Hill, 2011). However, due to financial constraints and the high cost of digital technologies, not many schools have been able to provide sufficient computers and digital technologies for their students. The implication of this deficiency is that many learners are compelled to share a few available school computers and this congestion inevitably undermines meaningful gains from educational technologies. In recent times, it is nearly becoming conventional for schools to allow students to carry their own computers to school instead of simply relying on the school computers (Cochrane et al., 2014). This development is what has led to the so-called BYOD/BYOT trend, which entails allowing learners to carry their personal devices to school, to connect them to the school network and to use them in classes (Centre for Digital Education, 2011). There is a wide range of digital tools that learners can bring to school, including but not limited to smartphones, laptops, e-readers, netbooks, tablets, as well as PDAs and gaming gadgets. Issues in Public discourses concerning BYOD Indicatively, the BYOD trend is catching up so fast in many schools, particularly because it presents the most cost-effective strategy towards achieving one-one computing as well as reaping the gains of educational technologies or mobile learning. This trend appeals to many other schools (Kyoko, 2015), especially in the context of limited finances and thoroughly constrained educational budgets. For that matter, the BYOD option provides options for learners (Ray 2012), and saves on costs of providing educational technologies to students since it is cheaper and affordable. Besides the financial cost argument, plenty of other issues have been cited in the BYOD discourse, including the view that in today’s technologically advanced society, technological devices such as smartphones and laptops are inevitably at the core of the student’s life. The argument is that since all sorts of technological devices have been weaved into the fabric of society and are an integral part of the social and even professional life of individuals in society, their being banned in school does more harm than good. Consequently, the BYOD trend effectively aligns the school system to societal life thereby familiarizing learners with digital tools that are utilized in society (Kyoko, 2015). Apart from that, a recurrent theme in the discourse of the BYOD trend has been the view that schools must recognize the importance of, and strive to equip the learners with the so-called “21st century skills, which are needed in today’s information society. Thus, the BYOD trend provides opportunities for learners to acquire and develop critical skills that are crucial for negotiating key life issues in all the vital spheres of life in the 21st century. Furthermore, it has been argued time and again that the BYOD trend offers many opportunities for a more personalized, student-centred learning approach, which encourages learners to take control of their learning while transforming teachers into guides in the learning process. One reason that has been cited in support of this view is that the BYOD trend makes the leaners more motivated to learn and constantly engaged in the learning process (Kyoko, 2015; Ulman, 2013), both within and without classroom walls and the school environments. Nevertheless, as much as the BYOD trend has been taunted as a brilliant idea that could significantly transform educational thinking and practice, it has also been controversial at many levels, as the discourse surrounding it has also indicated. Top among the concerns about the BYOD trend are issues to do with equity, choice of the most appropriate device, as well as distraction and safety of the devices. While it has many promises for stakeholders, the BYOD trend could potentially result to inequalities in the classroom since not all families can afford to provide their children with superior technological tools (Stager, 2011). Consequently, this may easily result to imbalances in access to informational material as well as learning opportunities, thus, some students may inevitably be unfairly advantaged than others. Similarly, the question of the most appropriate tool for tasks has been a major cause of concern since not all the learners’ tools may have the same capabilities and therefore may not be capable of performing all tasks as expected. Stakeholders have also expressed concern that while the technological tools may be a potential distraction from learning, these devices may also be susceptible to theft in the school. Review of Relevant Literature Many articles, including but not limited to “One-to-One” (2012); Ulman (2013), and Bruce Stavert (2013), have explored the BYOD phenomenon to great lengths, highlighting some of its fundamental ideas and concepts. Some of the concerns and issues addressed by these articles include theoretical concepts underpinning the BYOD movement, the impact of the BYOD trend on curricular, instructional and assessment practices, among others, some of which are discussed shortly. Theoretical concepts While there are many theoretical concepts and/frameworks that directly apply to educational settings, there is not a single theory that best describes the BYOD trend. Nonetheless, a vast range of theoretical concepts have benefited the philosophical thinking behind some of the significant foundational ideas underpinning the BYOD movement, and these shall be the focus of the following discussion. “One-to-One” (2012) highlights that technological devices like mobile phones are an integral part of people’s lives, thus, they are ruling everything, from the way they live, socialize, work and even acquire information (Libkind, 2013). Ulman (2013) concurs that the BYOD approach enables students to use those particular devices that they are accustomed to in accomplishing their classroom tasks. In that respect, one of the most significant theoretical perspectives underlying the BYOD trend is the social learning theory (also known as Social Constructivism). According to this theory, learners bring their own unique worldviews and/or understandings into the learning environment and that new knowledge is acquired both through their classroom interactions and experiences. In concurrence with the theory, “One-to-One” (2012) argues that the BYOD learning environment exposes students to a wide range of tools that are applicable for solving specific tasks while enabling interpersonal exchanges, communication, and personalized learning. Consequently, this kind of knowledge integration requires learners to apply the tools of their respective cultures, and this is where the BYOD trend intervenes, to facilitate rational thinking, cooperation, exchange of information, as well as individualized learning. Stavert (2013) echoes a similar stance arguing that web-based tools and technologies occupy a very important position in a student’s life, since students use them to access information all the time. Eventually, the integration of technological tools in the classroom environment not only leads to meaningful interactions, but also makes learning interesting (Stephens & Fanning 2013), thereby making the students to be engaged in the learning process respectively. Moreover, the literature reviewed highlights that the connectivism theory, which holds that individuals learn when they establish meaningful connections, has also benefited the thinking behind the BYOD trend. This theory is also underpinned by certain principles, key among them being that learning is enshrined in a multitude of opinions, entails linking and updating information, as well as decision making, and can also be located in devices. “One-to-One” (2012) highlights that the BYOD trend enables both learners and teachers to connect and to work anytime and anywhere, in collaboration with one another, and encourages learners to be more proactive in class. Ulman (2013) recaps this view saying that the BYOD trend enables schools to meet the 1:1 student computer ratio, thereby increasing connections while facilitating knowledge sharing and other exchanges respectively. Another critical theoretical concept underpinning the BYOD trend, as highlighted by the literature reviewed is the “WE-ALL-LEARN” framework (Bonk 2009), which supports a paradigm shift to individualized and learner-centred learning. In line with the this framework, “One-to-One” (2012) states that digital tools facilitate web searching, e-learning, and open access to information resources while encouraging participation and cooperation of the learners, alternative learning experiences, as well as learner mobility and individualized learning. Stavert (2013) is convinced that educational tools support the more personalized learner-centred approach to learning. In agreement with this theory, Ulman (2013) argues that schools can promote the BYOD trend by enabling access to open network resources such as personal computer files. Specific BYOD-related transformations The BYOD trend can certainly result to certain fundamental changes in curricular, instructional, as well as assessment practices in learning units. With respect to curricular practices, “One-to-One” (2012) argues that BYOD helps students to nurture advanced computational thinking, besides acquiring the so-called 21st century skills that they require to function in the contemporary information and technology-driven society. Ulman (2013) contributes that the trend broadens the scope of activities and functions that are available for the learners at the school for they can engage in activities such as photography and video recording using their smartphones. Stavert (2013), also highlights that these devices equip students with 21st century skills including videography, photography, as well as communication, and calculation, among others. As far as instruction is concerned, “One-to-One” (2012) contends that the BYOD trend has revolutionized the manner in which learning is conducted since educational tools have significantly blurred the rigid line between in-school and out-school. Consequently, educational tools have transformed students into curious learners that are constantly eager to acquire new knowledge wherever they may be, whether it is during school hours or outside the school schedule. Ulman (2013) concurs that indeed students become more motivated and engaged learners when they are using the same devices they are accustomed to in handling school tasks. In concurrence with “One-to-One” (2012) and Stavert (2013) argues that the BYOD trend has transformed instruction from teacher-centred to more individualized learner-centred leaning approaches that empower students to take charge of the learning process. Assessment practices in schools have also been significantly transformed by the BYOD trend, as noted by “One-to-One” (2012), Ulman (2013) and Stavert (2013), particularly because it has enabled teachers to tap into the varied learning styles of the students. Evidently, tapping into the multiple learning styles of the learners is having a tremendous effect on their levels of creativity and engagement respectively, thus, assessment practices are no longer confined to the conventional tools (pen and paper), since learners can complete their homework in many other ways besides through writing. Highlights of the literature reviewed Therefore, the BYOD trend has affected not only curricular, but also instructional and assessment practices in the modern age of educational information technologies. In general, learners have a greater opportunity to be better equipped with 21st century skills including but not limited to advanced computational capabilities, videography, photography and calculation, which are critical for negotiating key life areas, at home, at school and even at the workplace (Stavert 2013). Moreover, the BYOD trend has significantly transformed instructional practices since learning takes place everywhere and anytime, and is also becoming more individualized and student-centered as well as collaborative, unlike before (“One-to-One” 2012). Most significantly, the BYOD trend has revolutionized assessment practices as learners now have a multitude of options to choose from when completing their homework. Linking literature to own educational thinking Significantly, the cogent points of the literature reviewed directly relate to my thinking about the curriculum, instruction as well as assessment of learners. I strongly believe that the BYOD trend has significant benefits that make it completely indispensable in the educational system, particularly concerning educational thinking and practice. It is imperative for schools to recognize the fact that the 21st century is a reality (“One-to-One” 2012), which inevitably brought about significant information and technological advancements that have been seamlessly infused in the manner in which individuals conduct their daily lives, from how they interact, communicate, work or even learn (Lagarde & Doug, 2014). Consequently, the curriculum must prepare students adequately, by equipping them with the relevant 21st century skills, which will enable them to fit into the contemporary society that is defined by rapid advancements in information and communication technologies (Nelson, 2012). I also believe that learning takes place everywhere and anytime, and the BYOD trend effectively facilitates this process of knowledge acquisition by demystifying the school system. Furthermore, I firmly support the vision of testing students based on their varied learning styles, particularly because it helps to unleash learners’ creativity and motivation, thereby enhancing educational outcomes respectively. The way forward Having examined the discourse surrounding the BYOD trend, it is time to take a stand concerning the question of how the movement can be addressed in schools, districts or educational forums. Generally, the preceding discussion clearly indicates that the BYOD wave is so powerful to resist and learning institutions have every incentive to establish and adopt the appropriate BYOD model. There is no doubt that the BYOD trend signifies a significant paradigm shift in educational thinking and practice, and educational institutions must position themselves to reap its maximum benefits (“One-to-One” 2012). Without doubt, the BYOD trend may be the long awaited break in educational forums, particularly because educational technologies present invaluable opportunities for revolutionizing curricular, instructional and assessment practices as discussed above. Currently, there is a vast range of models that can be used to address the trend in educational settings (“One-to-One” 2012), some of which have already been experimented on and most of which are very theoretical. Generally, the BYOD models oscillate between two extremes, from ones where schools determine the types of acceptable devices to ones where learners are free to bring any web-enabled device that can connect to the school network (“Bring Your Own Device” 2012). The wide range of BYOD models available inevitably presents a dilemma as to which model would be the most suitable to adopt within educational settings. While discussing all the proposed as well as the tried and tested BYOD models is certainly not within the purview of this paper, three broad classes of the adversely mentioned models are highlighted for the purpose of the present discussion. BYOD models can be classified into the tightly controlled model types where teachers prescribe standard devices for everyone, the partly limited model types that only specify minimum requirements to be met by every device, and the flexible model types, which allow students maximum flexibility in the choice of devices (Stavert 2013). Each of these model types has its own limitations and success levels, thus, the ultimate choice of the model to adopt must be determined by the pedagogy of the educational forum in question. In my typical educational forum, the educational pedagogy focuses on nurturing learners to adjust to the social and workforce environments, producing outcomes on standardized tests as well as ensuring equity and equal opportunities for all learners, irrespective of individual idiosyncrasies. Presently, my school allows students to use their devices but only with permission from the teacher, failure to which the devices are confiscated. Through a survey I conducted among 11th/12th graders in my Speech/Writing class in 2013, all the 14 students who responded thought BYOD is a positive change (Heavner, 2013). While a few students admitted to being distracted by non-educational use of the devices, they all agree it makes learning fun. I would endorse the partially flexible model type of BYOD, which specifies the minimum specifications of student devices. This model gives the learners a wide range of choice of devices while still enabling the teachers to plan effectively with knowledge of the capability of student devices (Stavert 2013). That way, the partly limited model enables the learners to use the devices they are familiar with, to acquire 21st century skills, and to be more motivated and engaged in learning at the same time. Defending the BYOD trend Educational technologies have significant benefits that could potentially revolutionize and completely transform educational thinking and practice (Lagarde & Doug, 2014), if and when they are carefully infused into the educational system. The world has changed, and so should educational practice, to remain abreast with the changing times, which call for the application of advanced technologies in solving issues (Marcoux, 2012). Nevertheless, this does not necessarily imply that educational stakeholders should blindly be swept by the BYOD wave, without caution. Undoubtedly, the discourse surrounding the BYOD trend highlights serious concerns that are worth of consideration when thinking about the appropriate BYOD model to adapt in learning settings. For instance, the questions of equality as well as safety of devices are particularly significant and cannot be ignored, and without teacher training, BYOD would never be effective (Chadband, 2012). Nevertheless, most of these concerns are mere conjectures and have not been ascertained in real classroom situations, and therefore remain contestable. Most significantly, most of these challenges can be adequately mitigated through policy (Nelson, 2012), and through more liberal BYOD model types, which allow students control of their devices (Stavert 2013). For instance, teachers do not have to worry technical challenges and safety concerns when the learners are responsible for their own devices. Undoubtedly, the BYOD trend is suitable for my educational unit, since it is perfectly aligned with the school’s pedagogical aims, and it would definitely result to significant curricular, instructional and assessment transformations (“Bring Your Own Device”2012). The most appropriate BYOD model can be developed through collaborative planning, professional consultation and communication (Stavert, 2013). BYOD policies must emphasize teaching and learning, professional training for teachers, as well as sound policies, and equity (Johnson, 2012). Summary The preceding discussion highlights that the BYOD trend is fast catching up in educational settings, particularly because it is the cost-effective strategy for meeting the one-to-one student-computer ratio. Nevertheless, the BYOD discourse highlights that the trend has the potential for totally revolutionizing and transforming curricular, instructional as well as assessment practices in the educational system. While there is no specific educational theory underpinning the BYOD trend, its foundational ideas have been inspired by a cluster of theoretical perspectives including the social constuctivist theory, the connectivism theory, as well as the “WE-ALL-LEARN” framework. The 21st century is driven by information communication technologies and these must also be allowed in schools to equip learners with advanced skills that allow them to fit in the contemporary society. Furthermore, allowing students to use the devices they are already familiar with increases their motivation and engagement, since it taps into their vast range of unique learning styles. Perhaps most importantly, the BYOD trend blurs the thick line between school and home, which implies that students become curious learners whether in or out of schools. The benefit of this is that learning can take place everywhere and anytime, and is also demystified, thereby leading to meaningful classroom experiences as learners collaborate on solving tasks using educational tools. The argument for the BYOD trend is consistent with my personal thinking about educational curriculum, instruction as well as assessment, since I am strongly convicted that it is the right way to go in contemporary educational thinking and practice. References Bonk, Curtis J. (2009). The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. “Bring Your Own Device”. (2012). RM Education. Retrieved from: www.rmeducation.com/byod Ulman, E. (2013). BYOD One Year Later. Technology & Learning, 33(7), 36-39. Chadband, E. (July 19, 2012). Should schools embrace "bring your own device"? neatoday. Retrieved from: http://neatoday.org/2012/07/19/should-schools-embrace-bring-your-own-device/ Cochrane, T., et al. (2014). Riding the wave of BYOD: Developing a framework for creative pedagogies. Research in Learning Technology 22: 24637. Heavner, K.R. (2013). [Student survey]. Unpublished raw data. Hill, R.A. (2011). Mobile Digital Devices: Dipping Your Toes in Technological Waters. Teacher Librarian, 39(1): 22-26. Johnson, D. (October 2012). On board with BYOD. Educational Leadership, 70(02), 23, 2013-84-85. Kyoko, J. (2015). Engaging and Assessing Students with Technology: A Review of Kahoot! Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 81(4): 89-91. Lagarde, J. & Doug, J. (2014). Why Do I Still Need a Library When I Have One in My Pocket? The Teacher Librarians Role in 1:1/BYOD Learning Environments. Teacher Librarian, 41(5): 40-44. Libkind, A. (2013). Game Changer. ISHN 47(10):78-79. Marcoux, E. (2012). Best of the Best Planning. Teacher Librarian, 39(4): 69-71. Centre for Digital Education. (2011). Mobile Learning: Preparing for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Nacr. Retrieved from: http://www.nacr.com/white-papers/mobile-learning-preparing-for-byod/ Nelson, D. (Nov/Dec 2012). Internet@schools, 19(5), 12-15. “One-to-One 2.0: Building on the ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) Revolution”. (2012). Convergemag. Retrieved from: www.convergemag.com/BYOD-handbook. Patten, Karren P. & Harris, Mark A. (2013). The Need to Address Mobile Device Security in the Higher Education IT Curriculum. Journal of Information Systems Education, 24(1): 41-52. Ray, Mark. (Jan/Feb 2012). Byo what? Library Media Connection, 31(4), 8-10. Stager, G. (2011, October 8). BYOD-- worst idea of the 21st century? Stager-to-go. Retrieved from: http://stager.tv/blog/?p=2397 Stavert, Bruce. (2013). Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in Schools: 2013 Literature Review. State of NSW, Department of Education and Communities, T4L Program - Information Technology Directorate. Retrieved from: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/technology/computers/mobile-device/BYOD_2013_Literature_Review.pdf. Stephens, W., & Fanning, S. (Jan/Feb 2013). Bring your own excitement. Library Media Connection, 31(4), March 25, 2013. Warren, Fisher & Charlotte, Allen. (2015). Road warriors and information systems security: risks and recommendations. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 18(1): 84-96. Read More