Workplaces around the world have adopted bring your own device (BYOD) policies, but the trend is moving beyond the world of the enterprise. A growing number of public schools are also embracing the BYOD trend as a means of providing digital education in an age of budget cutbacks and funding limitations.
While school-based BYOD policies do offer students enhanced educational opportunities, they also expose socioeconomic divides. What happens to the children whose parents can’t afford to buy the latest technologies? In some places, the problem is made worse by the fact that retailers seek to exploit the rush for devices by jacking up their prices when the calendar rolls around to the beginning of the school year.
BYOD in Schools: Issues Parents and Students Face
Beyond the costs involved, there are other issues that parents and students face when trying to navigate the BYOD world. They include:
- Device compatibility. Some parents and students aren’t sure which connected devices they need, leading to guesswork. If the purchased device isn’t compatible with the school’s hardware, the family may be stuck with a device that doesn’t serve its intended purpose.
- Compulsory participation. Schools with optional BYOD policies tend to have an easier time integrating the needs of less-advantaged students. However, some schools have mandatory BYOD requirements, which can significantly increase the financial strain of putting a child through school.
- Technology fees. To ensure students have access to the technologies in which they need to be literate, some school boards have started charging “technology fees.” These annual dues are yet another way that parents are taxed by the move towards digital education.
Towards Effective BYOD Solutions
Fortunately, most schools with optional or compulsory BYOD guidelines are aware of these problems. They’ve developed solutions that help bridge the gap, including:
- Giving students without their own devices prioritized access to in-classroom computer resources
- Loaning laptops to students in need
- Reduced-price agreements with some major computer manufacturers that give qualified parents special discounts on electronic devices
- The designation of school discretionary funds for the acquisition of more computer resources
Connected devices are an integral part of modern education, and making sure that all students have equal access is a challenge that all parties need to solve together.