BYOD isn’t the only way to embed technology in education, says Chris Gabriel.
The Real Time Generation survey, the results of which we released late last year, highlighted young people’s attitudes to technology in general, and technology in education in particular.
Once again, the results demonstrated the extend to which modern technology and smart devices are embedded in the daily lives of 13-17 year olds – the Real Time Generation – and they did not pull any punches when it came to their views on technology in education. They want more of it, and they want better IT education too.
Given those views and the rise of BYOD it seems only a matter of time, as we have discussed in our BYOD in Schools article, before smart, handheld technology is established as a key foundation of education – enabling teachers and pupils to interact in real time, during lessons.
Interestingly, however, BYOD is not the only way to achieve it and, as a school in Bolton, in the UK, is proving, it is not the only way to achieve it economically:
The Essa Academy may not be delivering a BYOD education, but it is proving the case for smart technology in the classroom – in terms of both the real time education experience and the economics.
As the video above demonstrates, it has found a way to use smart technology to really engage the Real Time Generation in education – and that must be the first priority of course.
But is also demonstrating the ‘business case. That is, the doubtless significant investment in technology is being clawed back, hand over fist, through savings in other areas – for instance, the school’s annual photocopying bill has been slashed, from £80,000 to less than £15,000.
Given those savings, and the fact that this approach overcomes a whole host of issues – from security to economic exclusion – it will be interesting to see if the scheme is replicated elsewhere.