Bring Your Own Device - BYOD - NEN Consultation

[IrritableTech]

NEN - The education network have asked for thoughts and opinions on BYOD in the classroom. Their consultation will include industry, and interested parties such as schools, colleges, RBCs etc. BYOD - What do you Think? - The National Education Network

 

I have created a blog post which I have also submitted to the consultation. It probably doesn't cover everything, and therefore I'd be grateful if you could read it, give feedback, but perhaps most importantly submit something to NEN yourself.

 

You can find my thoughts here... BYOD: NEN Consultation « Irritable Tech

 

As a systems manager who has been trying to implement a scheme, (and trying to get our LEA on board) I think it's really important to get some feedback from us non teachers. So please if you can spare five minutes, put something together.

 

@GrumbleDook rightly pointed out to me on twitter that the consultation should include feedback on 1:1 schemes, as many lessons could be learned from organisations who have looked to this approach. However that isn't the line my school has taken, and therefore I didn't really factor this in to my response.

 

If wireless isn't the correct place for this, sorry mods...

[danbuntu]

By 2p is that there are two key factors. The first is as you point out the use of transparent proxies. I should be able to connect any device to the network with no config be it windows, mac, linux, android, iOS etc etc. Completely transparent and device agnostic

 

Take the above point and combine it with Office 365 or Google Apps and then BYOD can just happen for 90% of students. They don't need a college PC to access any resource, just a modern web browser and the above internet access and bang job done, again completely device agnostic.

 

Those edge cases requiring fat client programs such as CAD, Adobe suite etc can be catered for in labs or on their own devices in different ways.

 

I think the biggest issues surrounding this is the seismic shift needed by admins in the way networks are managed. The public wifi becomes a wild west which you have very little control over, but so what, it's no different then hooking up the wifi in starbucks.

[IrritableTech]

Thanks danbuntu

 

I did touch on the requirement to open up, or rethink document storage to allow BYOD devices to connect. I happen to believe that the most powerful 'app' on any platform is the web browser.

 

I'd hope most schools understand that BYOD is not a replacement for traditional ICT suites, and the higher end software packages. Mobile devices compliment traditional computers rather than replace them in my opinion.

 

I think you make a very good point regarding admins. Network managers are often fairly protective of their systems. For some, it's a big step to allow untrusted devices onto the network. However this really shouldn't be an issue as long as security is regulary audited, and vulnerabilities actioned upon.

[danbuntu]

Thanks danbuntu

 

I'd hope most schools understand that BYOD is not a replacement for traditional ICT suites, and the higher end software packages. Mobile devices compliment traditional computers rather than replace them in my opinion.

 

 

I actually think in many cases they do replace ICT suites -or at least reduce numbers needed in those suites. Think of those high end packages and then think of the number of students that actually use them. Also bear in mind we're already seeing adobe and autocad start to move to broswer based offerings. Most students are data workers - numbers vary from college to college. But essentially they email and bang out essays and coursework in Word and surf the web.

[Dragon]

With transparent proxies, how are the users authenticating?

[lordasb]

we use the byod to connect devices to our citrix network. so they kids can have "school" look and feel.