BYOD in Education

#1 Biggest K-12 Technology Challenge: BYOD. Here’s Why.

Study the contents of elementary students’ book bags a decade ago and you’re likely to see binders, books, crayons, markers, and notebooks to jot down assignments — or to pass written notes to friends. Fast forward to today and most everything K-12 students used to do on paper can now be done with a tablet or other mobile device.

Students are going digital and there’s a reason for the shift: Technology-enhanced curriculums are helping students achieve more meaningful and successful outcomes through the use of immersive and multimedia curriculums. And educators who embrace technology are able to automate routine classroom tasks so they can spend more time teaching.

BYOD Cons to Consider

The process of outfitting students with the best technology for the job isn’t clear. BYOD initiatives are hit or miss with schools at best. Some students will rely on outdated technology that might not be compatible with software, while other students who can afford the state-of-the-art devices benefit from an unfair advantage.

Schools tempted to save money with BYOD programs might find the risk and expense of managing so many disparate devices are costly in the long run — and not in the school’s or student’s best interest. Devices configured for student learning (and everyone’s security) can ensure better IT and educational outcomes and help avoid common BYOD pitfalls that include:

•    Differences in students’ technical literacy that impede classroom learning.

•    Too many different device types to secure and manage.

•    Mix of student personal and school content causing privacy concerns.

•    Risk of malware-infected BYOD devices connecting to school networks.

•    Lack of cybersecurity to protect students from identity theft and malware.

Advantages of School-Issued Devices

One-to-one technology initiatives that provide students with school-issued devices configured for classroom learning are giving educators and students an advantage — providing robust technical features to enhance education while ensuring that students and faculty are safeguarded from identity theft and malware. Aside from the obvious security benefits, a consistent PC platform simplifies device management for IT and faculty, and results in a level playing field, ensuring that all students (and educators) have access to the same best-in-class technology.

This is especially important in K-12 classrooms, where students have varying degrees of technical competence and may require support to master their digital tools. It also ensures that every device is configured for and loaded with the right features — from connectivity to video support — to reach classroom goals. The effectiveness of one-to-one technology initiatives has been statistically shown to improve student achievement in subjects such as English, language arts, writing, math, and science.

HP Education Edition PCs: Ready for Learning

HP Education Edition PCs are designed to produce meaningful education outcomes and to simplify technology adoption in the classroom. Notebooks like the HP ProBook x360 Education Edition are configured for easy IT management and support digital — and adaptive — learning environments. They allow schools to:

•    Support highly mobile, blended learning environments.

•    Enable secure anytime, anywhere creativity with built-in cybersecurity controls.

•    Facilitate collaboration and critical thinking.

•    Ensure reliability with PCs build for rigorous school use.

•    Drive education with imbedded tools for teaching and learning.

From student adoption to IT management, HP Education Edition PCs are designed to deliver value out of the box, featuring HP Classroom Manager, which gives educators more classroom control and the ability to monitor students through a teacher-controlled, virtual environment. And HP Adaptive Learning lets educators tailor instruction based on student needs, a value-added feature that delivers student and educator ROI.

As an HP Platinum Partner, Sehi Computer Products can configure and deploy HP Education Edition PCs to support blended learning and IT management ease. We have 35 years of experience and hold contracts in a wide range of school districts. Contact us to learn more.

Midwest/Eastern Region 800.233.7344 salesmi@sehi.com | Western Region 800.346.6315 salesca@sehi.com

Sehi Computer Products, Inc. | 2930 Bond Street, Rochester Hills, MI 48309 | www.sehi.com

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

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