Editorial

Introducing BYOD

Many have been the times my children have asked the question “why?” After providing some passable answer, their next logical move was again to question “but why?” This process would continue for some time until I would end the proceedings with “You are too young to understand.” This ritual question and response format was brought into stark reality for me recently when I was asked to be part of a panel to comment on the phenomena of social media. After an evening spent discussing Face book, Twitter, and the like, I felt a growing conviction that I was out of my depth, and simply too old to comprehend!

One thing I do know is that our students are embroiled in a world that is foreign to many, the world of digital technology. To paraphrase Marc Prensky’s work, our students today represent the first generation to grow up with this new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by, and using computers, cell phones, and all manner of other toys and tools of the digital age. Prensky describes these kids as Digital Natives, “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.

Those of us not born into this digital world, but have adopted aspects of its technology, are described as Digital Immigrants. This would describe many of the people involved in the evening I spent discussing social media. Many said they felt a certain disconnect between the digital world of their children, and the world they were familiar with. The world, which their children inhabited, seemed way beyond their expertise. I know what they are saying, because I feel the same way. My challenge is to learn as much as I can about this new technology, because this is the world young people inhabit, a world where there are few rules of engagement, and a world where tomorrow is today. Our goal at Ōtūmoetai College is to continue to modernise the school experience, to embrace integrated technologies, in order to support the learning for every student within a safe and respectful online environment.