I'll state right away that I think it is a good way to go if there is no one to one computer program. We do have a Chrome cart available to K-5 to sign out along with a class set of tablets. But in the older grades we did not want to be responsible for the devices and having to maintain them and keep them running. We promoted Chromecarts but left what parents provide their children up to them. We initially did not specify if we wanted laptops or tablets but have found the tablets more limiting and advise parents to purchase laptops to ease the aspect of producing and creating and even just in accessing Google Apps. We found tablets are great for consumption but not as good for producing. Laptops seem to be more versatile and easier to work with on a wider variety of tasks. We do try to provide a limited number of laptops for the students who break their device or parents cannot afford one at the time. Having a device is an enrollment requirement but we also have a program where we will help parents out in which they can make monthly payments towards a Chromebook.
I cannot imagine teaching without everyone having a device now. It is amazing how fast we become reliant on it. We had a power outage last week for an hour and it threw everyone off in trying to come up with alternative tasks. We use much less paper. We are on Google Apps for Schools so we share most things through Google at the teacher and student level.
The distraction is a huge problem in trying to manage and to me is the biggest disadvantage. Teachers must be moving around the room and constantly checking that students are on task and not on something else that is pulling them away from their work. This is something at our school we need to do a better job at and spend some more time coming up with possible solutions. Of course engaging activities is the biggest solution to this and we are getting better at taking advantage of BYOD.
We have provided some tech support to students, mostly cleaning up their computer and trying to get it going again. Anything bigger and they have to bring it in to get fixed somewhere else. I do spend some time showing students how to find things or how to use something new but I often refer them to another student who would be able to help them better than I can with the minor issues that might come up.
By the afternoon, many students have to plug in or they forgot their charging device so they cannot use their device anymore. With a few other computers in the class available to them they should be able to access their work because everything is suppose to be with Google and web accessible so it does not matter about what device they are on.
There are some minor problems with variety of devices with some families able to afford better 'stuff' than others. I have not seen that as a big problem so far but I can see it being a potential problem.
One thing we did not do well when we went with BYOD was provide enough bandwidth and access points to the WiFi. The initial start up was frustrating to both students and teachers alike. This was a lesson learned and I would not want others to repeat what we did.
I have mostly included my experience in addressing the advantages and disadvantages of BYOD. I would not want to go back to a lab base setting and cannot even imagine teaching my Social and Humanities classes without everyone having their own device. It allows me to differentiate and personalize much better and gives me more opportunities to give students choice.