BYOT Guiding Questions
Name: Brittany Adams
1. What is BYOT (aka BYOD)?
BYOT is an acronym for “Bring Your Own Technology”. BYOD is also an acronym for
“Bring Your Own Device”. These terms refer to students bringing their own
technology/devices into the classroom for educational use. Some examples may
include: iPad, Kindle, iPod etc.
2. Give an example (besides Forsyth County Schools) of a Georgia school or
district that has adopted a BYOT initiative and tell us briefly about it.
Fayette County Schools just started this program this year.”Students are directed to
engage their technology device and “plug in” to the lesson” This system is using
technology to have teachers connect with their students by “linking in” to their world and
delivering information to them in a way that may be more comfortable.
3. Why do proponents of BYOT advocate it? Provide at least 4 reasons given by
various people you read about in your exploration.
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Tim Clark, District Technology Specialist for Forsyth County Schools, said that
students are already bringing their own technology to school and are having o
hide it from teachers. Instead of it becoming a distraction, it should be used to
help enhance lessons and be used in instruction.
Tracey Abercrombie talks about she once thought it was her job to use her
knowledge about a subject along with the textbook and give it to students.
Instead, now, she is learning alongside her students. This to me relays a positive
message to students to always be open to learn new things.
With BYOT teachers are applying the 4 C’s of digital age learning
(communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking). I have read that these
are essential skills to have to be successful in today’s global community.
This is helpful for special education students as well. Some students may find it
difficult to communicate their ideas verbally, but by giving them the opportunity to
type things out and complete things more at their own pace they feel more a part
of the general education classroom .
4. To what extent has BYOT been shown to improve student learning?
With students being more comfortable with the tools they are using to research etc. they
are completing assignments more effectively, when the technology is being used
effectively.
5. What are some of the challenges and potential problems with implementing
BYOT, and which of these concerns you most? Why?
One of the main issues I encountered when reading was about keeping student’s safe
on the internet. This is an important issue because students who can connect to other
networks via 3G or 4G internet, on phone plans, may be able to avoid the school’s filter
and access sites that are not appropriate. I also think keeping student’s on task falls into
this category, too. From an educator’s stand point, I think this is the most important but
there were other issues I was concerned with as well.
Something else that stood out to me was the safety of the devices, and how they would
be stored and distributed to the class. If I were a parent I would want to make sure that
my child’s device(s), which I had spent a lot of money on, was safe at school and
wouldn’t get stolen.
6. What are some things schools (administrators, teachers, media specialists)
can/should do to improve the success of a BYOT implementation (“best
practices” types of things)? Provide at least 2 ideas.
 Make sure that all devices are only allowed to access certain sites (approved by
the school) and are being used for their intended educational purpose.
 Implement this type of thing at the beginning of the school year, so that all
students are comfortable with it and aren’t in a certain routine yet. I believe this
will make it much easier to integrate this into the classroom and be more
comfortable for both the teacher and the students.
7. How do you personally feel about this approach? Would you want to teach in a
BYOT classroom? Why or why not?
I think it would be an exciting experience to teach in a BYOT classroom. Of course, I
have some concerns as to how well I would be able to monitor students. As I became
more familiar with the programs they would be working with, I think I would really enjoy
it! I feel almost certain that many of the classrooms will be BYOT in the near future, so
like it or not, we need to embrace the change!