Jam Today – Embedding BYOD into Classroom Practice

Abstract

AbstractAn underlying assumption of the BYOD (bring your own device) approach to classroom learning is that technology is naturally embedded into the wider life of the learner. By not only allowing, but requiring, school students to bring their own devices into the classroom, teachers in BYOD schools are acknowledging that 21st century education must reflect 21st century society. However, bringing learners? devices over the threshold of the classroom is just the beginning of the story. The challenge for educators is to find ways to successfully embed personal technologies into the teaching and learning process. This is not simply a case of substituting one tool for another, or even enhancing current practice with digital tools. Rather, it requires a fundamental modification and redefinition of practice. Such radical changes to classroom practice cannot happen overnight. They require appropriate policies, preparation, infrastructure, motivation and reflective exploration. This paper reflects on the experience of a New Zealand school which is at the forefront of the BYOD movement. Based primarily on the public voices of the classroom teachers, this paper seeks to examine how BYOD has been tailored to suit disparate subjects, different teaching styles and the choices made by teachers in how they feel technology enhanced learning can work best for them and their students. This paper explores how the school has been moving through the pathway of substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition, and shares experiences that may be informative to others embarking on similar projects.