By Jen LaMaster, CIO Advisor
Well, our Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) movement is certainly picking up pace! Our school was contacted by the second reporter in a month writing a white paper. The concept is on most Ed Tech Trends lists that have floated through my Twitter feed. I expect to see the idea in mainstream media by the end of the year.
In all the conversations we've had lately a few themes keep rising to the surface...
- BYOT is about student learning. Developing young people who ASSESS their learning need, EVALUATE tools to meet the need and successfully USE the tool is our learning objective.
- By comparison, BYOT is not about saving money. Initiatives may (and I do mean may—remains to be proven) create cost savings down the road but the first years out will see expenses based on equity of access/choice financial support and infrastructure improvements.
- Teachers do not resist change as much as educational reform pundits try to make us think they do. We expected push back and it didn't arrive. In fact, most teachers say BYOT is a relief... no longer are they responsible for push-button training on tools. (In the past, if you were going to grade PowerPoint presentations on form and function you needed to spend at least a class period teaching PowerPoint). Students are responsible for meeting the academic objective with appropriate tools.
- Students are capable of making intelligent, creative and appropriate choices. File under #iceiscold but many "innovations" in education continue to revolve around adults making choices in the name of students. The conversations this year held between students, faculty and IT about learning reflect a deeper reflection of self-awareness: weaknesses, strengths, successes and needs for improvement.
We're just sowing seeds at Brebeuf this year. I look forward to watching Bring Your Own Technology programs grow and develop over time.
Jen LaMaster is director of faculty development at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School.
See this and other blogs by Jen at Ed Tech Reflections.
