At Wairau we ask that students bring their own device to school. The concept of BYOD is not new to education and is used by numerous schools up and down the country to supplement the devices provided by the school. Our goal is to increase student access to a device and ideally enable all students to have a dedicated device to use for their learning.

Integrating BYOD in classroom teaching comes with several benefits. Starting with learner motivation and engagement, technology increases learner engagement and enhances students’ performance. This is especially so when students use their own devices and not those provided by the school. Interacting with their own devices, students are more likely to stay motivated and engaged.

Organisation and streamlined workflow are two other important benefits of using BYOD in education. When students are allowed to bring their own devices and use them in class they no longer need to switch between devices; they can organise and access all their coursework and homework from a single platform.

This ultimately enhances their productivity and enables them to study more efficiently. Access to technology when needed, also provide teachers with new ways to create engaging lessons that keep students interested and involved in learning. . Knowing that students have access to their devices, teachers can use educational software or apps that can help them better assess students’ work as well as provide specific feedback on a particular topic. This can help improve student performance, as it allows teachers to track student progress and make sure that students are on track to reach their academic goals.