2 Cool 4 School: A BYOT Mobile Device Management Strategy
Sometimes a late night Twitter search can lead you to an unknown world. Mobile device management (MDM) strategies are not only analyzed by MDM vendors and managed services providers (MSPs), but among educators in classrooms across the globe — or, in this case, a Twitter chat. BYOTchat dedicates a Twitter hashtag every Thursday night for educators to discuss the bring your own tool (BYOT) approach — a strategy that places learning in the hands of the learners. BYOTchat co-founder Jeremy Angoff explains how MDM is a balance between security, productivity (or convenience), and cost.
For educators, BYOT strategy revolves around the needs of students. “Allowing a student to choose his own tool, increases engagement,” says Angoff. “It encourages students to choose the tools that they each need for any given task.” This method, says Angoff, allows students to build a repertoire of educational tools. “I am trying to facilitate learners by helping to develop new environments in which learning can flourish.”
To assist school districts with managing devices in the classroom, MSPs may want to focus their energy toward reorganizing their help desks to assist educators. According to Angoff, the value of these learning tools could be diminished by educators with little to experience with mobile devices. “The more time they spend fussing with the tools, the more their value is wasted.”
While security is the main topic of discussion for MSPs and MDM vendors, Angoff shines light on a different angle. Yes, security for his students is a top concern, but he adds something more than just security. “In my role as a teacher, my primary goal is that my students learn,” says Angoff. “I am focusing on productivity and convenience.”
Can MSPs and MDM vendors adapt to the needs of educators? Follow #BYOTchat on Twitter to join the BYOT discussion at 9 p.m. EST on Thursdays.
