Rethinking BYOD models and student’s control

Abstract

This chapter presents a conceptual model representing bring your own device (BYOD) modes and their relationship to students’ control of an instructional task and their orientation to learn. The model argues that student control is a function of the degree of prescription on the specifications of the device to be brought. Operating system (OS) and technical specifications (TF) represent the two main variables that influence decisions taken by educational institutions such as schools and universities. The combination of these two variables with degrees of freedom/restriction provided to the students results in four spaces with their own instructional, curricular and logistic challenges. It is argued that spaces closer to providing students total freedom in selecting their device will result in more student-centred environments as opposed to locked-down models, which seem to embed educator centredness. Student’s age, however, will catalyse the model because cognitive developmental reasons require structured tasks, making common software/hardware preferable for younger students and therefore less choice in selecting their own device. This pattern is extended to university students who need to be provided with more choice for both device selection and instructional strategies. The recommendation of either various or just one particular device also influences students’ learning behaviour, making instruction either more self- or more educator-directed. The chapter recommends that Asia-Pacific educators open their classroom to a more embracing and diverse range of devices.