Interpreter Education & Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) practices are particularly relevant to interpreter education because many of the digital resources students need are already available through devices they use every day. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops provide access to video recording, web-based course materials, learning management systems, and collaborative platforms. For students learning ASL and interpreting, the camera may be one of the most useful features of a personal device because it allows them to record, review, and share visual language production almost anywhere.

At the same time, having access to a device does not necessarily mean that every student has equal technological resources. Differences in internet connectivity, storage capacity, camera quality, available data, and access to a laptop or tablet can affect students’ ability to complete video-based assignments. Greater accessibility could be supported through campus computer resources, device-loan programs, reliable campus Wi-Fi, and flexible opportunities to complete or upload recordings on campus. Designing assignments that function across multiple types of devices can also prevent students from being required to purchase specialized technology for a single course activity.

Smartphones could play a particularly useful role in this digital storytelling assessment. Students can use a phone to record their ASL interpretation, review their performance, upload the recording to GoReact, and view the digital stories of classmates. The same device can also be used to access EdPuzzle and Padlet during earlier stages of the lesson. In this way, the smartphone becomes more than a device for consuming information. It becomes a tool students can use to observe language, create content, communicate with peers, and gather feedback about their own performance.

Digital storytelling can be useful as an assessment strategy when the format supports what students are expected to demonstrate. It is particularly appropriate for interpreter education because ASL is visual and interpreting competence cannot be adequately demonstrated through written responses alone. However, the strategy also has applications beyond language learning. Students in other disciplines could use digital stories to explain processes, document experiences, demonstrate skills, or communicate their understanding to an audience. The value of digital storytelling is therefore not simply that it incorporates technology. Its value comes from giving learners another way to apply, communicate, and reflect upon what they have learned.