For the better part of a decade, “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) has been the darling of international school finance departments. It promised a utopian vision: lower capital expenditure for schools, student familiarity with their own tech, and a bridge between home and school learning. Sounds great, doesn’t it?!
But as I recently read through a stark analysis of BYOD in the corporate sector, and this combined with another recent discussion I had with School leadership at a recent AI in Leadership summit on the explosion of unmanaged AI, I’ve come to a different conclusion.
BYOD isn’t just a flawed strategy; it is a ticking timebomb in our schools. And as educators, we are currently watching the countdown.
The Myth of the “Digital Native”
We often justify BYOD with the lazy assumption that our students are “digital natives” who innately understand technology. This is a very dangerous fallacy.
I often remind parents and colleagues of this simple truth: Just because a child is born in a hospital, it doesn’t make them a surgeon.
Our students are NOT digital natives, they are digitally comfortable, yes. They can swipe, tap, and consume content with ease. But familiarity does not equate to skill, and it certainly does not equate to security hygiene. Assuming a Year 7 student can manage the cybersecurity of their laptop because they can edit a TikTok video is like assuming someone can fly a plane because they’re good at packing a suitcase.
When we allow personal devices on our networks, we are effectively handing over the keys to our digital infrastructure to users who view these devices as entertainment portals, not professional tools. And trust me, no matter the prior teaching, pedagogy, or experience, our student see their device first and foremost as just that; and entertainment portal.
The SaaS Evolution: The Paradox of Choice
It is also true that the software landscape has evolved, some(myself included) would say positively. The shift towards Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud-based tools has ostensibly made the device operating system less relevant. In theory, if it has a browser, it works. Or at least most of the time. And no I’m not talking about applications such as heavy video editing, or coding in Unity.
However, this shift brings its own overheads that BYOD only exacerbates:
- Subscription Fatigue: While we move away from installing heavy software, we move towards a landscape of endless subscriptions. In a BYOD model, who pays? Does the parent buy the Pro license, or does the school? It becomes a logistical nightmare of account management and the costs quickly add up.
- The “Alternative” Trap: In a mixed-device class, a teacher often loses valuable time hunting for “software alternatives” that work for everyone. “Oh, you have an iPad? You can’t use this. You have a Chromebook? Try this web version.” Each with its own downfalls, or minimal differences. The platform may have a web version available, but it does not always have the same interface or full feature-set as their desktop alternative. (Recently I got to experience this firsthand when working with the Arduino IDE on both Windows And Chromebooks)
- Legacy Knowledge: Many of our most experienced teachers have deep pedagogical “know-how” tied to specific legacy software or workflows.(Not an excuse, but definitely a reality) Asking them to suddenly support thirty different variations of a tool dilutes their expertise.(ok, I may be exaggerating a bit here, but still!)
We shouldn’t be spending our planning hours looking for “workarounds” supported on a child’s specific device. We should be planning learning.
The Safety Vacuum
The source article I reviewed noted that “almost no consideration has been given to the fact that mobile began as a consumer technology.” In education, this oversight is critical.
On a school-managed device, I can push a specific app to every Year 2 student instantly. I can filter content, manage screen time, and ensure that the AI tools they are accessing are age-appropriate and GDPR compliant. I also get a more reliable and realistic overview of HOW that screen time is spent and where the attention drifts.
On a BYOD device, we are fighting a losing battle against “Shadow IT.” It is the digital equivalent of leaving the school gates wide open and hoping the bad guys just read the ‘Do Not Enter’ sign. We would never settle for this in our School Safeguarding practises, so why do we then when it comes to Digital Safeguarding?
- VPNs & Hotspots: Students easily bypass school filters using personal VPNs or mobile data, accessing unfiltered content right under our noses. Many recent updates to devices just keep making this easier as we speak. Remember, these are ‘consumer technologies’ created by profit-driven companies, so why wouldn’t they make the process as user-friendly as possible…
- Unmanaged AI: With the rise of Generative AI, students on personal devices have unrestricted access to tools that can do their work for them. We cannot gatekeep these tools if we don’t own the device. (Not debating if we should or want to, but with more and more exams moving online, we need a way to lock this down in case its a requirement)
The Financial Pivot: It’s Not as Expensive as You Think
The biggest barrier to returning to school-managed devices is always the cost. “We can’t afford 1:1 iPads or MacBooks,” is the common refrain. However, the “Tech Fee” model often and successfully offsets this.
We wouldn’t ask a student to bring their own desk or their own Bunsen burner to science class. Why do we treat the most powerful learning tool in the room like a packed lunch?
By leveraging VAT-free educational pricing and bulk purchasing power, schools can secure devices at rates parents simply cannot access. Here is a typical breakdown of how a Managed Device Programme compares to a BYOD Purchase:
| Feature | Parent-Purchased BYOD | School-Managed “Tech Fee” Model |
| Upfront Cost | High (£1,000+ lump sum) | Low (e.g., £350/year included in fees when considering a 3 year life cycle) |
| Insurance | Often excluded or expensive (£150+) | Included (Full accidental damage cover) |
| Repair Time | Weeks/Days if you are lucky (Student has no device) | Immediate (Hot-swap unit available instantly) |
| Software | Parents pay for Office/Creative Cloud | School bulk licences included often at discounted rates. |
| End of Life | Device is kept or discarded | Device is refreshed every 3 years(ideally) but we need to be realistic here. |
This structure turns a capital expenditure headache into an operational revenue stream. It ensures equity, every student has the same high-quality tool, and provides parents with peace of mind.
Centralising Excellence: The Impact on Teacher Training
Trying to teach a coding lesson, or any lesson for that matter, in a BYOD environment is like trying to conduct an orchestra where half the musicians brought violins, three brought kazoos, and one brought an electric guitar. It’s not a symphony; it’s a cacophony.
When we move to a standardised, school-managed device, we supercharge our teacher training:
- Reduced Cognitive Load: Teachers do not need to be experts in three different operating systems. They only need to master one.
- Focus on Pedagogy: Instead of generic “How to use a computer” sessions, we can run high-impact workshops on deep learning.
- The “It Just Works” Factor: We reclaim 10-15 minutes of instructional time per lesson previously lost to technical friction.
My personal conclusion after thinking about all this: Control the Environment, Unleash the Thinking
We need to stop confusing “access to devices” with “productive learning.” If we are serious about teaching the thinking and not just the tool, we need a standardised, secure, and managed environment.
We cannot build the future of education on a foundation of unmanaged consumer electronics. It is time for international schools to defuse the bomb. We must return to school-owned, school-managed 1:1 programmes where safety, equity, and learning, not convenience, come first.
Do share this out with someone who needs to, or should ready this.
For even more of my writings(ramblings): https://sethideclercq.com/blog/