Avoiding Envy with BYOT

In March 2011 the iPad 2 was unveiled.  Up to 15 million people were immediately envious.  After all, approximately 15 million iPads were sold prior to the release of the iPad 2 in the United States in April 2010. 

This simple fact illustrates one key reason our school district is encouraging students to bring their own technology to school this September in order to access our public wireless network, rather than providing district-purchased technology to every student.  Think of the shift in popularity from PCs to notebooks and then netbooks.  Observe the transition in the cellular wireless world from 2G to 3G to 4G.

Watch this absolutely hilarious Best Buy commercial. 

This video humorously emphasizes the rapid changes in technology and how desirable the latest technology is.  Bring your own technology initiatives allow students to take advantage of the latest devices they own.

Last spring, we piloted a bring your own technology initiative in the classroom of one teacher in each of our five secondary schools.   During the 2011-2012 school year, all secondary students will have the option of bringing their laptops, netbooks, notebooks, iPods, iPads, and/or smart phones to school in order to connect to our wireless network for learning.  Students who do not bring in their own devices will have access to laptops, iPads, and other devices owned by the district.

Our school district cannot afford a 1:1 initiative.  Even if we could purchase laptops, iPads or other devices on a large scale, we would almost immediately have technology that was outdated in terms of what students are accustomed to using outside of school. 

We cannot cure the envy of the millions of owners of an original iPad who have not yet purchased an iPad 2.  However, at least many of our 6000 secondary students will be able to avoid the frustration of using district-owned technology that is older than what they use outside of school!