After years of scolding kids because of the electronic devices they carry in their pockets or their bookbags, Miami Dade County School System has adopted a “BYOD” policy, which stands for Bring Your Own Device. In other words, MDCPS has finally come around to realizing that perhaps tools like tablets and laptops- in 21st century America- might be useful in the school environment.

Bring Your Own Device allows students to bring their personal electronic devices to school as a way to supplement classroom activities and to help stimulate learning. Probably one of the biggest issues with this whole ordeal is getting kids to not use electronic devices for recreational uses but to be perfectly honest, with or without BYOD, kids will use electronic devices in school. It happens; it’s a way of life. This should be the last thing, in fact, anyone should be worrying about. BYOD will likely not add to the problem.

What is likely to happen, however, is that kids more than ever will probably feel pressured to remain updated with the newest devices on the market or feel pressured to bring them to school. MDCPS is not held responsible for lost or stolen devices. No surprise there.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I personally find this change to be particularly likeable and maybe lost or stolen devices won’t be such a big problem. What I really do find funny is how they manage to make everything so “by-the-book” and complicated. Most kids don’t think twice about bringing their iPads or Nooks to school. Many students always have- they come in handy. Now with this new installment, however, there will simply be more forms to fill out. Guidelines and what not.

Allowing the use of outlets by students to charge devices will be a matter of administrative approval by each individual school.

The only thing still left to outline is if smartphones will be allowed. They have not specified anything about that but the site clearly shows a group of kids all using their phones. To be perfectly honest, many of our teachers already allow us to use our smartphones to research a question we don’t know or a word we need to define. Will we need a form to bring our phones to school too?

The changes they are implementing through this policy seem to finally address the needs of the students and the rapidly changing society. Though they didn’t implement it sooner, I’m glad they did so now.