BYOD Model In Education: Advantages And Disadvantages
We can no longer argue about the importance of integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) into schools, classrooms and learning processes as an educational resource. Thus, the BYOD model in education reinforces this idea, even when resources are not available at the center and it is the students themselves who take them to school from their own mobile devices.
BYOD ( Bring Your Own Device ) or “Bring Your Own Device” model
This model is an already widespread trend in work environments that allows people to bring their own devices to work. A trend that is also spreading to the educational field, and that consists of students being able to improve their learning experiences by connecting to the network in class from their own portable devices ( smartphones , laptops or tablets ).
The BYOD model is based on saving resources. In other words, it means a more efficient management of resources when school budgets are more limited and schools do not have enough technological equipment, in quantity and quality, to offer their students.
It is necessary to add that the BYOD model in education is being implemented little by little in schools, and that it is indicated mainly for more advanced educational levels such as the last years of ESO, Baccalaureate or universities.
Advantages and disadvantages of the BYOD model
Obviously, the fact that students are in their classes with their own devices can generate a lot of discussion. There are positions that defend this trend as well as others that consider it negative. Here are some advantages and disadvantages that, we believe, the BYOD model in education presents.
Advantage
- It represents a significant economic saving for schools that do not have to invest in the purchase of a large number of portable devices for all their students.
- It can help in better maintenance and care of the devices. The fact that students bring their own devices will allow them to be more responsible and careful with their use. E l misuse of the devices and their arrangement or their replacement no longer rest with the school but the family itself.
- Each student knows very well and is used to the operation of their technological devices. With this, you better know your programs and applications, how to install new ones or where to store your information.
- Although each student will work alone from their device, being connected to the network will allow them to carry out cooperative work and be in immediate and constant interaction with their classmates and teachers.
- School assignments can have a continuity in the homes of the students. Although there are applications that allow them to access content from anywhere, if they do it from their own devices it is even better.
- The fact that students can work in class with their own devices could mean greater satisfaction and motivation in school work.
Disadvantages
- Not all families have the financial resources to provide their children with mobile devices. Or, in any case, at certain ages they do not consider it necessary or appropriate for their children to have one.
- The use of mobile devices in class could cause distractions and inappropriate use. With which, its use should be governed by certain rules and be very controlled by teachers. For example, limiting the use of portable devices only for school hours and not for recesses.
- Schools and classrooms must be prepared for the location of devices and have sufficient power and plugs for all devices brought from home by students.
- It requires that teachers have adequate didactic and technological pedagogical training. Training that allows them to design and develop classes in which many devices are integrated and various applications are controlled.
- The capacity and traffic of the network used in the school must be adequate for many devices and exhaustive controls must be established to prevent any device from being infected with viruses and from infecting others.
- Even when all the students are connected via the network, contact with the device increases and face-to-face and partner contact decreases.
By last…
We have described just a few advantages and disadvantages of the BYOD model in education. Its application in school classrooms is very novel and still requires much exploration and study. It requires the preparation of teachers and the acceptance of mobile devices in classrooms, currently prohibited in many educational centers.
With which, the BYOD model still implies many changes for its total integration in education, but it can mean great transformations in the teaching-learning processes.
