Using devices has multiple benefits to a student's learning, including:
- Communicating with teachers
- Collaborating online in groups
- Handing in homework
- Watching educational videos
- Researching for assignments
- Completing quizzes and exams
Research shows having a personal device provides better educational outcomes for the student. The benefits of our BYOD program include:
- increased student motivation, confidence and engagement with learning because students are familiar with their devices
- greater autonomy in the classroom
- the maturing of students as digital citizens who embrace digital opportunities and responsibilities
- the normalising of technology use between the school and home
- greater opportunity for inter-school collaboration.
(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).
BYOD does not replace traditional methods of learning, but complement and extend students skills and readiness for 21st century living and employability.
We believe we have a responsibility to our students to provide 21st century learning opportunities, teach digital literacy and model digital citizenship to meet the demands of the ever-growing digital workforce.
Mareeba State High School is proud of this educational step forward for our students.