Technology is a driving force in the world today. It introduces remarkable opportunities for school's to expand what's possible for contemporary teaching and learning. Therefore, to meet the demands of 21st century education, Browns Plains State High School has transitioned to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD or BYOx) model.
Educational research has shown that schools that migrate to a BYOD model enjoy many benefits, including:
- improved student learning outcomes through the use of technology that facilitates learning in a contemporary educational setting
- the maturing of students as digital citizens who embrace digital opportunities and responsibilities
- the normalising of technology use between school, work and home
- greater autonomy in the classroom
- increased student motivation, confidence and engagement with learning because students are familiar with their devices
- greater opportunity for inter-school collaboration.
- development of technological skills for future living, studies and employability
(Alberta Government, 2012; Lee, Levins, Hubbard, & Freedman, 2013; Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008; Nielsen, 2013; Wainwright, 2013; Sweeney, & Intelligent Business Research Services Ltd., 2012).
Moving to a BYOD model will increase the learning capacity of students by:
- enabling personalised learning through access to rich learning resources
- continuous access to educational materials allowing learning to happen anywhere, anytime
- providing an engaging, interactive environment for learning
- strengthening links between home and school, allowing parents to see, every day, what their children are learning at school and have relevant, timely, accurate and quality conversations around student learning and progress
- allowing students the opportunity to display prior knowledge of topics and thus be co-constructive in their own learning journey
- aligning with the school's educational practices to improve long-term memory retention
- maximising independent and resilient learning.
The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model allows students and staff to be able to access the department's information and communication (ICT) network with their personally owned devices. Students and staff are responsible for the security, integrity, insurance and maintenance of their personal devices and their private network accounts. BYOD represents more than a privately owned device; it also includes software, applications, connectivity or carriage service.
ICT Acceptable Usage Agreement
The
ICT Acceptable Usage Agreement (PDF, 460 KB) contains all the information and agreement (contract) that was signed by all students and parents/carers at enrolment. Each family should thoroughly read and understand the content in relation to acceptable usage of ICT facilities and devices (including BYOD) at Browns Plains State High School.