BYOD for the classroom – it’s a budgeting lesson
Schools are increasingly using the words ‘require’ and ‘expect’ when it comes to digital technology for students. Rob Stock investigates.
For many parents, preparing their children for the school year means finding ways to cope with the costs of BYOD. BYOD stands for ‘‘bring your own device’’, and involves pupils owning the likes of laptops, iPads and Chromebooks for use in the classroom, and for homework.
Prices quoted by electronics retailer PB Tech, which has built a ‘‘shop by school’’ search tool, show the costs of devices expected at schools vary from Chromebooks starting at just over $300 up to laptops costing $2000 or more.
In both cases there can be extra costs for shock-proof, waterproof cases, and accidental damage insurance.
Schools have worked hard to negotiate deals, and affordable payment plans for families, knowing the extra pressure BYOD policies can put on hard-pressed families.
But parents without ready cash can find themselves being steered by schools towards finance companies, or even Work and Income.
It’s not clear exactly how many people do get government help to cope with BYOD costs, but the first three months of last year, covering the back-to-school period, saw 24,278 instances of ‘‘hardship assistance’’ made by Work and Income, adding up to just under $5.3 million in payments.
The debate over whether devices have a place in the classroom is largely settled at intermediate and high school level.
But some primary schools have introduced BYOD for their older pupils, and retailers such as PB Tech sometimes use pictures of primary-age children on their website.
The Ministry of Education says ultrafast broadband is transforming education, and it has invested heavily in helping schools and teachers to ‘‘equip students with the necessary digital skills to take part, create and thrive in a fastevolving world’’.
Schools cannot legally force families to buy their children devices, but it’s now common practice for them to use words such as ‘‘require’’ and ‘‘expect’’ in their BYOD policies and menus of devices.
Intermediate and high-school parents may feel they have no choice but to fund BYOD, and there are even signs of pressure on some parents of primary schoolchildren.
Primary schools often own a number of devices, but as Bucklands Beach Primary School tells parents: ‘‘Parents are now offered the chance to improve the access their child has to iPads. This is offered through BYOD where students bring an iPad from home.’’
Principals of schools serving low, or mixed socio-economic areas have come up with schemes, and trusts, to put affordable devices in the hands of their pupils.
The Manaiakalani Education Trust serves a cluster of 12 Auckland schools. Its families are all paying $3.50 a week over three years to own their children’s devices.
Tony Kane, principal of Ka¯ piti College, is one of the trustees of the Whakaaro Hou Education Trust, set up by the principals of all schools from Waikanae to Paeka¯ ka¯ riki.
Its two and three-year lease-to-buy plans for Acer C730 Dual Core 2Gb Chromebooks cost $5.60 and $4 a week respectively.
‘‘What we have tried to do is to come up with a system where it wasn’t going to cost families any more than the equivalent of a cup of coffee a week,’’ says Kane.
‘‘You still have to have cognisance that even with that it’s going to be a struggle for some families.’’
Schools may also offer parents help in seeking funding from Work and Income – South Auckland’s Aorere College will provide letters for parents to take when seeking assistance.
Ultimately, high schools are on a trend-line heading towards a ratio of one device for each pupil, but principals are realists, and make sure they have devices on hand for those whose families can’t provide one.
Ka¯ piti College runs a daily lending scheme for devices, and opens its library early, and closes it late, so children from families unable to afford BYOD have access to devices.
Hagley College in Christchurch tells parents: ‘‘For those students without a personally owned device, the college has available daily loan laptops so that no student is disadvantaged.’’
Kane says Ka¯ piti College tracks the number of students with their own devices. ‘‘Two years ago we hit 93 per cent. Last year it was 95 per cent.’’
Andy Kai Fong, principal of Haeata Community Campus in Aranui, Christchurch, is taking part in a pilot project that could lift access to digital learning to children from lower-income families.
‘‘I would say upwards of 75 per cent of our families are registered with Work and Income,’’ he says.
The school had worked with electronics retailer Cyclone on a lease-toown scheme for BYOD at the $3.50 a week over three years price point, to supplement the use of devices owned by the school.
But simply getting a device into a child’s hands did not deliver digital equity.
Access to school internet ends at the school gate, and the Ministry of Education estimates around 100,000 pupils from 40,000 households have no internet access at home.
Kai Fong estimates as many as half of his pupils live in internet-free homes.
Even with BYOD devices, they would not be able to do what children from richer families do, and use their devices to learn, practice and research at home, Kai Fong says.
But the school is taking part in a trial with Crown-owned Chorus and Network for Learning (N4L) to push access to the school’s internet beyond the school gates.
‘‘We know that learning for students and adults occurs at times not just restricted to school hours, so having that access is really important for everyone in our community, not just those who can afford it,’’ says Kai Fong.
Pushing towards a 1:1 device to pupil ratio, and home school internet access for all students, will not close the digital divide completely.
The new digital divide is between the haves and the have-mores.
At some schools, such as Aorere College, the affordable Chromebook is the device of choice.
But some of the simpler, cheaper devices are not on the menu at high schools in more prosperous areas.
‘‘A laptop, Netbook, or tablet PC (Smart PC) will provide students with a comprehensive learning tool and is ideal as an information and content creation device,’’ says Epsom Girls Grammar advice to parents.
But, it says: ‘‘(no ChromeBooks or iPads please)’’.
More expensive devices allow schools to offer better learning opportunities.
‘‘Device selection is extremely important for students at senior levels and especially for any student wishing to study Design and Visual Communication, Digital Art or Art Design,’’ says Takapuna Grammar’s BYOD policy.
There’s a double pressure on many parents, who end up buying two devices for their children: a phone and a device to use in schools.
The schools discourage mobile phones being used as a device for learning because the screens aren’t big enough, and they aren’t easy to write on.
Realistically, parents may find themselves buying several devices over the period of their child’s schooling.
As the EGGS website tells parents: ‘‘Due to factors such as battery life and warranty, it will probably be necessary to purchase two devices during the 5 years at EGGS.’’
The Ministry of Education estimates around 100,000 pupils from 40,000 households have no internet access at home.