Running head: BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 1

BYOD in the Humanities Classroom

Group 4: Timothy Au, Yik Wah Penner, Martina-Maria Seo,

Anne Winch, Laura Yankov.

ETEC 532: CIP Part One

University of British Columbia

BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 2

Annotated Bibliography

Boland, M., Jones, O., Chris, L., Shultz, S. A., & Taylor, C. B. (2013). BYOD: An Educational

Opportunity. Retrieved February 2016, from http://www.codytaylor.net/wp-

content/uploads/2013/08/EDUC639_LitReview_BYOD_Taylor_Cody.pdf

This paper focuses on the viability of BYOD in education. BYOD is the students

bringing their own technological devices to school to use as an instructional tool. With the

current economic climate, school budgets are declining and it is impossible for them to provide

the necessary technological devices for students to be successful. The paper outlines the

challenges and benefits of BYOD in schools concluding that the benefits outweigh the

challenges, especially as most challenges can be addressed in a variety of ways. It also notes that

a paradigm shift must take place in order for BYOD to be effective. This shift involves the move

to a student centred learning structure including opportunities for collaboration and self

motivated learning.

Cochrane, T., Antonczack, L., & Keegan, H. &. (2014). Riding the wave of BYOD: developing a

framework for creative pedagogies. Research in Learning Technology, 22, 1-14.

Retrieved from: dx.dol.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.24637

Riding the wave of BYOD takes the ubiquitous ownership of mobile devices by students,

coupled with the collaborative nature of social media to create a new, theoretical framework to

support creative pedagogies for the integration of mobile technology and devices into the

classroom. Similar issues are cited in the article such as teacher reluctance to use the technology

or embrace mobile devices, teacher resistance to change remaining in the predominantly teacher

focused content knowledge delivery mode, restrictions on institutional WiFi networks, and
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 3

teacher knowledge of available apps and programs for student learning and creativity as opposed

to knowledge attainment. The paper introduces a number of different examples of how apps and

programs can be used for student creativity using their own mobile devices, demonstrating how

to move from the teacher centered pedagogy to a creative, learner centred model

Debele, M., & Plevyak, L. (2012). Conditions for successful use of technology in social studies

classrooms. Computers in the Schools, 29(3), 285. doi:10.1080/07380569.2012.703602

These authors analyse how the three conditions for classroom technology innovation

identified by Zhao et al. (2002) interplay in successful cases of technology integration projects in

social studies classrooms: teacher (innovator), project (innovation), and context (institutional

support, technological infrastructure, and social support available to the innovator). Zhao et al.

found the innovator-related condition to be slightly more important than the project and context.

Their finding is considered in line with the central focus of TPCK. The main conditions for the

success of classroom technology integration had to do with strength of pedagogy-technology

alignment and the supportive purposes of researchers when developing the projects

Hilton, J. T. (2016). A case study of the application of SAMR and TPACK for reflection on

technology integration into two social studies classrooms. The Social Studies,107(2), 68.

doi:10.1080/00377996.2015.1124376

Two Social Studies teachers from a medium-sized urban school district in southwestern

PA participated in this study, reflecting on their use of the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation,

Modification, and Redefinition) and the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content

Knowledge) models. According to these teachers, SAMR reflects a more student-centered

design: each activity provides opportunities to embed technology that improves the independent
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 4

learning capacity of the students. Alternatively, TPACK appears to be more teacher-centered,

given that when operating in the central space of TPACK technology, pedagogy, and content are

filtered through the teacher into learning opportunities that capitalize on emerging technology. In

other words, SAMR places students as the primary subjects, whereas TPACK focuses on the

teacher.

Imazeki, J. (2014). Bring-your-own-device: Turning cell phones into forces for good. The

Journal of Economic Education, 45(3), 240-250. doi:10.1080/00220485.2014.917898

BYOD can be useful for engaging students and enhancing learning, but in order to

implement it, instructors must have patience and be very flexible. This article states that the

implementation of the BYOD system can be more beneficial than the use of regular clickers in

the classroom. She defends the use of the BYOD and opposes some of the arguments against it,

such as students devices producing distractions and/or facilitating opportunities to cheat. Her

main point is that in order to avoid distractions, students need to be fully engaged in the class.

BYOD can turn potential distractions into a pedagogical tool that can enhance learning instead of

hindering it.

Kennedy, C., (2013, October 23). BYOD - How to walk before you run. Retrieved from

http://cultureofyes.ca/2013/10/23/byod-how-to-walk-before-you-run/

Chris Kenney discusses purpose of BYOD and equity of the program in this article. In the

West Vancouver School District, they implemented a Digital Access Action Research project

based on grades 4 to 9 classes for a two-to-three week period. Research has shown if students do

not have a purpose for bringing devices to schools, they will eventually stop bringing them. To
 BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 5

start the program, they sent home a district letter to parents to provide devices during this time

period, teachers attended morning sessions on how to start the project, deciding when it was

appropriate during the school day to use it and completing a summary around the lessons and

challenges. Some of the issues they addressed were when students are allowed to use devices,

how to created the most beneficial lesson plans pertaining to devices, how to secure devices

when not being used and how to tackle technical problems. By implementing BYOD in small

increments instead of full force ahead provides time for reflection and understanding the

difficulties to correct them. When the district becomes fully BYOD, they will be more prepared

after doing small two-to-three week spans of BYOD in classroom due to experience and they will

not be as overwhelmed.

Panagos, T., (2012, March 21). The future of education: BYOD in the classroom. Retrieved from

http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/09/the-future-of-education-byod-in-the-classroom/

Tim Panagos writes in his article about the dilemma of BYOD in the classroom and how

the introduction of smartphones and latest technology has changed the culture in the

classroom. Schools and parents have a choice of participating or rejecting BYOD. They need to

weigh out the pros and cons of incorporating devices in the curriculum. He asks if it is

irresponsible for the education system not to use technology in the classroom as a tool and to

teach computer literacy as technology advances in society. When you view technology as a tool

instead of a distraction inside and outside the classroom, teachers and parents can utilize devices

for the students as a benefit and extension of their learning environment. And then, we can

finally embrace the 21st century with devices to explore what is out there for us to learn.
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 6

Parsons, D. (2012). Jam Today - Embedding BYOD into classroom practice. Massey University,

Albany, Aukland, New Zealand

This article follows a New Zealand school and their journey into using BYOD to

integrate technology into their classrooms. The impetus for this project came with the idea that

by not only allowing and encouraging, but requiring, students to bring their technology to school,

teachers were acknowledging that 21st century education must reflect our 21st century society.

Instituting a BYOD program is not simple, but requires a fundamental modification and

redefinition of pedagogy and practice. It requires the staff to have a common vision of the school

and how the teaching and learning will take place within it. This needs the staff to embrace the

culture of learning and a willingness to change. This project used the SAMR model to guide

them through the development process. This helped them move to a more student centred

approach to learning. The article gives various examples of finding the appropriate fit for BYOD

in different subject areas, and speaks to the fact that all areas may not lend themselves to the use

of devices as transformative learning. Collaboration between students, and teachers became

much easier, as did the presentation of activities and feedback. Variety is important, as is

changing preconceived ideas of both students and teachers.

Pierce, D. (2015, October 10 ). 6 IT Solutions to BYOD Challenges. The Journal: Transforming

Education Through Technology. Retrieved from

https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/10/22/6-it-solutions-to-byod-challenges.aspx

Implementing BYOD programs at schools invariably come with challenges both to the

existing infrastructure and to the security of school networks, and this article gives 6 key

suggestions as to how these issues can best be addressed. The first of the issues is that BYOD
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 7

programs hinge on internet access being available and stable. This requires sufficient bandwidth

to support all users, as well as potential to add more users, should the school grow. Regarding the

issue of security, this article states that it is of vital importance that any school thinking of

implementing a BYOD program also needs to consider adding controlling and monitoring

mechanisms that give appropriate access without compromising security. Pierce suggests

programs such as ZoneDirector from Ruckus Wireless, which sets up multiple networks, and

students are given access to the guest network which throttles their bandwidth, and also

monitors their activity. Following these suggestions, the article also states that communication

with parents regarding the policy is key, as it ensures that any students bringing in devices will

have the minimum requirements to use said devices, but also allows for legal protection, as

parents would sign off on usage policies. To conclude the article, a suggestion is made that any

school that wants to implement a BYOD program also needs to consider creating multiple

charging stations, which would insure that all student devices have sufficient battery power to

make it through the lessons of the day.

Schachter, R. (2012). Creating a robust and safe BYOD program: Plan to upgrade your district's

infrastructure for increased capacity and security Professional Media Group LLC.

Carrying on with the theme of network security; this article outlines some major

considerations organizations must take into account while creating a safe and secure BYOD

program. This article is written from a district administrators position, and this needs to be taken

into consideration, as its suggestions are influenced by this perspective. Some of the major

considerations highlighted in this article is that infrastructure and security are a top priority. The

danger with BYOD programs is that it opens school networks up to potential threats, and thus,
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 8

requires districts to make appropriate adjustments to security, paying close attention to protecting

a districts proprietary and secure data. Another issue that is raised through this article are the

costs associated with preparing a network for the bombardment of data requests that come as a

result of allowing students to access Wi-Fi networks on their own personal devices. This article

recommends that sufficient access points need to be allocated in each school to allow users to

have access to the internet, and that the internet connection speeds need to be adequate to support

the amount of requests that the network would experience.

Selwyn, N. (2003). Schooling the mobile generation: The future for schools in the mobile-

networked society. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 24(2), 131-144.

doi:10.1080/01425690301905

This article summarizes the benefits of mobile technology in education in three main areas:

intensification and expansion of interactions (it removes the barriers of distance, space, and time,

allowing synchronous and asynchronous communications, and ready access to the world-wide

web), blending of work and leisure (by accessing information anytime and from anywhere,

young people have the ability to combine different activities without wasting time), and

autonomous life management (individuals live in a phone space, as they can be interrupted or

interrupt other friends and colleagues at any time). These affordances are in conflict with the

fixed school model: its online space tends to be anti-hierarchical; students interactions are not

confined to the classrooms walls; and it allows for more efficient use of time.

Smith, M., Worrell-Burrus, D. P., Davis, K., Newman, J., & William, D. K. (2014). Are we

ready for BYOD? Journal for Effective Schools, 21, 16-21.

BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 9

Are we ready for BYOD talks about the shift from teaching technology to integrating

technology into teaching and learning environments. Although the amount of technology

available to students increases daily, the same level of growth and acceptance is not evident in

the classroom. Many teachers continue to be uncomfortable with the increased use of technology

in the classroom, and many question its usefulness as a learning tool. Financial constraints are

forcing schools to look at alternative ways to deliver technology applications to the classroom

with initiatives such as BYOD. Included in these initiatives should be time and opportunities for

teacher professional development that will enable them to utilize various technologies effectively

in the classroom.

Smith, R. (2014). Crossing the digital divide: A middle years teacher's reflective journey.

Literacy Learning : The Middle Years, 22(1), 41-47.

This article provides insights into one teachers journey as he seeks to integrate

technology in his classroom in Queensland, Australia. Through this article, the author shares his

perspectives on 1:1 computing, and how Bring Your Own Device policies can be transformative

for education, particularly for middle years teachers. Through this reflective article, the issue of

the changing nature of pedagogy in response to 21st century learning is raised, and Smith notes

that a paradigm shift is necessary to fully utilize the new capabilities that students poses with

these technologies. An example that Smith raises through this article is the gamification of

curriculum, in which students approach schooling with objectives, and goals in mind, all the

while receiving constant feedback on their performance. Furthermore, another topic that is raised

through this article is the emergence of new types of literacies, and how students are engaging

with curriculum in new and unexpected ways.

BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 10

Wainwright, A. (2016). 20 pros and cons of implementing BYOD in schools. Retrieved from

http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/20-Pros-and-Cons-of-implementing-BYOD-in-

schools

This article discusses the 20 pros and 15 cons about BYOD program in the school

classrooms. A few of the pros are students are already familiar with their own personal devices

and bringing them to school will equip them with technology they know how to use; secondly,

most likely because it is their own devices, they will take better care of them; thirdly, its more

cost-efficient for the school district; fourthly, when students bring their own device, they will

continue to learn outside of school; and fifthly, students will be more engaged because they love

technology. A few of the cons are the devices can overload the wireless network; next, there

could be academic integrity issues such as cheating; then, there can be status symbol and divide

among the students; moreover, students can be distracted with social media and video games;

concurrently, there can be an increase in theft; and finally, students can forget their devices at

home. Despite the cons, there are way more pros and it would be more beneficial to apply

BYOD program to further the engagement of learning in the classroom setting.

Williams, C. (2012). Managing BYOD effectively: Innovative tools provide low-cost internet

access and help district leaders keep students and infrastructure safe. Professional Media

Group LLC.

This article highlights the important precautions that schools need to take into account

while they are implementing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs. The article uses

several middle schools in Marion County, Florida as examples of how BYOD can be a cost
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 11

saving measure that not only supports schools budgets, but also creates environments by which

students are best supported in their learning. One of the arguments for BYOD is that it by

externalizing the cost of devices, schools are not no longer responsible for the purchasing and

upkeep of computing devices, but rather are utilizing the computing potential that students

already bring with them to class. Instead of investing resources into the devices themselves,

schools now find themselves needing to support BYOD programs through various other forms of

infrastructure, such as increasing Wi-Fi access points, and increasing internet bandwidth

capabilities. These investments would allow the best overall user experience, as students are

already accustomed to their own personal devices, and this article highlights that when a device

is personal, it also is a personal investment to maintain said device.

Literature Review

A review of the literature has shown that there are many benefits to the implementation of the

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach. Many educators are willing to incorporate

technology in their practices, but they find several limitations in their attempts, such as reduced

school budgets, poor wireless access, safety issues with Internet use, lack of devices available,

etc. During these budget-constrained times educators have started to encourage students to bring

their own devices into the classroom, while school districts are reconsidering their role as

providers of technology.
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 12

Benefits of BYOD

The primary reason behind the implementation of BYOD is cost. For many schools, supporting

one-to-one programs in which the school provides a stream of technology for each student is

very expensive and unsustainable. Financial constraints that schools face today forces

administrators to consider alternative initiatives, like BYOD (Smith, M, 2014). BYOD is a cost-

effective way to achieve their one-to-one goals by leveraging the notebooks, netbooks, tablets,

smartphones, and portable media players that students already own. The benefits are twofold: not

only do schools not have to equip every student with devices, but because they are student-

owned, schools also dont have to troubleshoot or maintain them, generating further savings. By

externalizing the cost of the devices, schools can support BYOD programs through various other

forms of infrastructure, such as increasing Wi-Fi access points, and increasing Internet

bandwidth capabilities (Williams, 2012).

An important aspect for students today is Internet connectivity, allowing learners access to an

unlimited amount of information. Mobile devices can be used for quick fact finding or to support

more advanced research. Selwyn (2003) expands on the benefits of mobile devices in the

classroom stating that they help to the intensification and expansion of interactions (removing

the barriers of distance, space, and time, allowing synchronous and asynchronous

communications, and ready access to the world-wide web), to the blending of work and leisure

(by accessing information anytime and from anywhere, young people have the ability to

combine different activities without wasting time), and to an autonomous life management

(individuals live in a phone space, as they can be interrupted or interrupt other friends and

colleagues at any time).

BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 13

Research shows that student engagement and interactivity increase using handheld devices, since

those mobile devices are linked to what they do in school. Also, the portable nature of these

devices means that students can extend their learning activities beyond the classroom using the

devices they are familiar with (Wainwright, 2016). BYOD allows students more interactivity in

classroom discussions, with an opportunity for teachers to provide instant feedback, and respond

to adjust lessons based on responses. It also offers anonymity for students who may not feel

comfortable speaking in class or raising their hand.

Challenges of BYOD

One of the main critiques to this approach is that it enshrines inequity, since it does not provide

students with an equitable educational experience and increases the digital divide. In an economy

with great disparities, students who can afford to bring personal devices to school would have

advantage over those who do not own a device and would feel rejected or simply disadvantaged.

Students getting distracted by social media sites and texting while studying is another critique to

the use of mobile technology in the classroom. While opponents argue that mobile devices

contribute to student distraction and even facilitate cheating, some authors state that distraction

occurs when students lack meaningful, and relevant interaction with content. According to

Imazeki (2014), cell phones distractions are the 21st century version of passing notes, doodling,

or daydreaming. This author also states that the BYOD approach has the potential of turning

distractions into a pedagogical tool that can enhance learning instead of hindering it (Imazeki,

2014, p. 249).

Another challenge is teacher readiness for technology integration, along with teacher resistance

to change the content knowledge delivery mode (Cochrane et al., 2014). Additional challenges
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 14

for teachers are fear, anxiety, lack of professional development, and technical knowledge.

Furthermore, the shift from teachers as the source of knowledge to students becoming

responsible for their own learning can be challenging for some educators.

The influx of new technologies into the classroom also raises another challenge: How will

teachers respond to shifts in pedagogy that are required to fully utilize the digital technologies?

As Smith (2014) notes, in an ideal situation, the ratio of device to student would be one to one,

whereby each student would have the ability to access resources and applications online. These

new platforms require students to develop new skills and understandings, and thus, a new type of

literacy emerges. As 21st century learning skills continue to be honed and developed in

classrooms, teachers invariably need to come to terms with guiding their students through the

acquisition of some of digital literacies, which also impact their own pedagogical practices on a

day to day basis.

Finally, some other challenges that the BYOD technologies present include: the compatibility

and integration of multiple devices with different operating systems, the issues of security that

arise when foreign devices are brought into a school network, and the lack of wireless or wired

infrastructure to support the influx of devices being used within the school building.

Mobile technology has changed the culture in the classroom by supporting creative pedagogies,

however, for learners to truly benefit from universal access to mobile technologies in the

classroom, it is necessary to make a shift from a direct instruction pedagogy to a more student

centred learning structure (Boland et al., 2013). The issue of the changing nature of pedagogy in

response to 21st century learning is also raised by R. Smith, who states that a paradigm shift is

necessary to fully utilize the new capabilities that students poses with these technologies (Smith,

2014).
BYOD IN THE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM 15

Research shows that in order to successfully integrate technology in the classroom, certain

conditions must be present. Zhao et al. identify three conditions that must interplay for a

successful implementation: the teacher (the innovator), the project (the innovation), and the

context (institutional support, technological infrastructure, and social support available to the

innovator). Zhao et al. found the innovator-related condition to be slightly more important than

project and context (as cited by Debele and Plevyak, 2012). In other words, the main conditions

for the success of classroom technology integration had to do with strength of pedagogy-

technology alignment and the supportive purposes of researchers when developing the projects

(Debele and Plevyak, 2012).