This fall, more area schools than ever will allow BYOT (bring your own tech), including computer tablets, smart phones, laptops and other personal electronic devices to use in their class work. It’s recognition of how “screenagers” are already wired to learn on the devices and that schools are finally catching up, education experts say. And, they say, it’s a sea change reversal from years when schools banned such devices.

It’s recognition of how “screenagers” are already wired to learn on the devices and that schools are finally catching up, education experts say. And, they say, it’s a sea change reversal from years when schools banned such devices.

How will students use their computers?

Student feedback from the district’s netbook pilot has emphasized a number of ways that computers are used in class. The following are student comments that represent common themes:

• “I became more organized and had better notes”
• “It helps when you do papers so you can work on them all the time”
• “I could access my textbooks online so I didn’t have to carry as much”
• “It made learning easier and it made the classes more interesting”

• “You can find things right away instead of waiting to get home”
• “Getting better grades and my interest in school went way up”
• “If my teacher discussed something I didn’t understand or if I missed part of the lecture, I could look up the material”
• “So convenient having one consolidated place to keep all of my work that I can easily access at any time”
• “Being able to go on a computer without having to wait for a computer to be open at home”

• “It is a fun way of learning!”