Hi all,
Thanks for all the comments. I agree with Tracey the digital divide in schools is very real and inter generational for many students. I am on the P&C of my local High School and am adamantly opposed to the compulsory introduction of digital devices into schools for many reasons. Our school crosses many socio economic groups and many people simply cannot afford it. Then there is the dilemma of device compatibility, if the school stipulates a particular one then many are priced out or inferior devices fail. Who pays for upgrades? When should they occur? While all our local private Schools and some state have BYOD it can actually decrease learning as management and compatibility massively impinge on teaching time it can also decrease the learning out comes for many students. In some cases they are further marginalised and their attendance is impacted after once more becoming the “have not’s”. In an ideal world the school would have enough devices networked to it own systems so that all students had equal access. Definitely a pipe dream for now.
Perhaps as BYOD becomes mandatory as I believe it will local libraries will be forced to fill the gaps with digital homework centers and perhaps loans of digital devices.
The realm of digital literacy is never ending.
Caitlin