District considers having students bring own tech devices

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District wants to have more students bring in their own personal technology, such as iPads and Chromebooks, to enhance their classroom experience.

The goal of Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, is to have classrooms “keep up with the demands of the 21st century” and “replicate a tech-rich environment that’s already in the world,” the district’s director of education technology, Jenith Mishne, told the school board at its meeting Tuesday.

Trustees discussed the feasibility of expanding the pilot program, which had been tested in classrooms at Eastbluff, Lincoln and Wilson elementary schools.

A report by Mishne and Asim Babovic, the district’s administrative director of information technology, said one of the challenges that the district might encounter is not

having a “parent-financed” device for each student in the classroom.

Mishne said that during the pilot period, Eastbluff and Lincoln were able to achieve that goal but Wilson could not. Half of the participating Wilson students did not have their own devices and were forced to share. She said the teacher adapted by creating group projects.

“We need to think about equity and ensuring that all children have to opportunity of using a device,” board President Martha Fluor said. “This is a chance to truly engage kids in active learning.”

The report also noted the need for participating schools to have the proper wireless connection in the classrooms. Mishne and Bobavic are in the process of discussing wireless options with Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications.

Moving forward, the educational technology department plans to assess which teachers are interested in participating in BYOD and survey parents to measure their interest as well.

They said they will also develop rules for the appropriate use of the devices in schools and discuss this policy with the board.

“It will be a slow-rolling process,” Fluor said. “It is exciting for us to see this professional development being offered to our schools. The opportunities for students will be limitless.”