School Technology Policies

One of the largest trends in educational leadership right now is the “Bring your own technology / device” (BYOT / BYOD) trend fostered by students who are more comfortable using technology than many teachers. In a recent web collaboration session with our area’s Consortium of School Networking (CoSN), a group of us recommended a summit or event for districts looking to implement a BYOT summit.

Kennesaw State University is, as I type this, hosting this event. This is where some of the real work is getting done - planning for this radical shift is a major change in the control-based technology functions in schools.

Probably one of the scariest things about allowing people to bring their own technology into the classroom (both teachers and students alike) is the loss of control, even though this may create a significant shift in the number of students who are learning the way the work world is expecting them to contribute. However, can we move into the 21st Century Classroom if students don’t bring their own technology?

Another concept to consider is the need for strong instructional applications that are built for BYOT classrooms. If you are a developer, get working!