With the rapid proliferation of mobile devices entering the workplace, many more organizations are permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace, and to use those devices to access privileged company information and applications. Beyond the corporate world, does the BYOD practice apply to educational settings?
Key Points
- The habits of learning consumers have changed. A growing trend with learning consumers is the demand for the ability to utilize their own devices during training.
- Today’s learners demand and expect that solutions be tailored to their unique needs.
- A company portrays the image of a flexible and attractive employer, and BYOD can be a means to attract new hires.
- Learning consumers are inclined to trade their desktops for a device to engage in remote learning.
- BYOD can enhance effective and efficient learning.
Takeaways
- BYOD is making significant inroads in the business world, and most businesses simply cannot block this trend.
- BYOD has been characterized as a feature of the “consumer enterprise” in which enterprises blend with consumers.
- BYOD offers a few “hashtag-trending” opportunities; iOS-agnostic apps can empower every participant with an active voice.
- Effective knowledge-based content can be delivered to learning consumers including millennials to baby boomers, at any location and to suit varying learning styles.
- Innovations in mobile device technologies have made it affordable for virtually all consumers to have an electronic device, whether it is a mobile phone, tablet or laptop.
- Instructional designers are focused on developing content that can be configured to any device the learner chooses to use.
- Companies partner with MOOC providers (eg, Coursera, edX, Udacity, Udemy, NovoEd, iversity, and others) who now have corporate development teams that will help to select and license access to university-level online programs.
- There is a growing trend for partnerships with community colleges, manufacturers to develop curricula, and to select and recruit candidates.
To quote Mike Elgan, “BYOD devices aren’t categorizable as tools, but instead are part of the employee. … It can’t be ignored or wished away.”
There’s no use debating, BYOD is here to stay!
