As a parent of two technology savvy daughters (aged 12 and 10), I know that once the craziness of the festive season has calmed down, another extremely important yet equally busy spell commences: the time to start planning for yet another school year! Technology is now firmly integrated within Australian classrooms, and as we kick off 2015, it’s now more important than ever to ensure our children are equipped with the right devices to maximize their potential to learn.
It’s an exciting time for students and teachers alike with technology innovation becoming increasingly integrated within the Australian curriculum. But what about the parents? At a time when the purchase of new uniforms, school shoes, books and stationery is at its peak, with plenty of prescriptive guidance provided by schools, Microsoft Australia has today revealed new research which shows parents are feeling confused about the best technology to purchase for their school-aged children – with half of parents stating that schools provide very little information on what device to buy.
Microsoft Australia’s new “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) research, conducted by Student Edge surveyed 1,000 parents with school-aged children, along with 1000 school-aged students. The findings show that 70 per cent of parents want to relinquish their decision making power to the experts, with one in four admitting to buying the wrong technology device for their child at some point.
Whether it’s the sheer abundance of technology options available or the confusion as to the capability required of the device, parents are feeling overwhelmed about the decision at hand. An alarming number of parents are making the wrong choices due to varying and inconsistent levels of information about the right device for school.
The study also reveals that 75 per cent of parents are spending up to $1000 on devices, and more than half are willing to replace these devices every three years, which means that Aussie families are potentially pouring billions of dollars down the drain.
At Microsoft we believe that technology is purely a tool to help maximize the learning opportunities of every student regardless of their learning style; and choosing a device doesn’t need to be a stressful and costly affair. To make sure your children reach their learning potential, take a look at the Microsoft & Intel Parent Guide to Student Devices http://www.devicesforschool.com.au/ and make the best choice for your child.
Jane Mackerall, Windows Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft Australia
