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Thursday, July 10, 2014

Making BYOD More Effective

Educators are starting to accept the benefits of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies in the classroom. At the same time, teachers should keep in mind that mobile learning isn’t always the best way to go.

For instance, mobile devices are great for accessing a resource, but not really good for creating content. A report from Educause found that students think their laptops and printers are still the most important devices for their academic success.

At the same time, college students spend most of their device time staying connected with their friends and family through texting and social media, which means it’s a good idea for educators to incorporate elements of peer interaction into the lesson plan when possible. Teachers also need to choose wisely when using educational apps and understand students may not actually be as tech savvy as they seem.

“Don’t fall for the iPad or ‘app mania,’” Fran Simon, chief engagement officer for Engagement Strategies, told eCampus News. “Apps designed for [students] aren’t always better than what you may already have, and that goes for mobile devices, too. Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s better.”