Two years ago, we wrote about how bring your own device (BYOD) and bring your own technology (BYOT) policies were growing in education and the workplace. Teachers are still taking advantage of student owned devices for digital learning – anytime, anywhere.

We noticed the original post was still one that is read on Getting Smart quite frequently, but some of the tools and descriptions are out of date. For this post, we kept the categories the same, but updated the tools and the capabilities.

Here are 10 current strategies for the BYOD classroom as the solution still continues to grow because more and more teachers can attest to it being a way to open up access and improve learning for more students.

Answer Poll Questions. Just as it was 2 years ago, Poll Everywhere is a great texting tool, allows teachers that to get rid of clickers, a single function device, and allow students to use their own mobile devices to answer all types of content questions. Don’t stop with polls! The Answer Pad gives teachers the power to use any student device interactively in the classroom. Called a student dialogue system, The Answer Pad lets teachers instruct, gauge understanding and provide feedback to anyone at anytime.

Remember Google SMS? It allowed students to ask Google questions by simply texting a question to GOOGLE or 466453? Wow. That seems ancient. Now, of course, every device has the search app built in and with the most recent update students can use Google Voice search, students can tap the microphone and ask questions and have their answers spoken back. Here’s an infographic outlining the most used voice commands.

Provide Classroom Instruction Using QR-Codes. With generators like Kaywa QR-Code, you can provide links to educational content that students can access on their smart phone or tablet. But NOW with augmented reality apps like Aurasma or ColAR students don’t need to just link to content, they can bring it to life and interact with it.

Study With Apps. With apps like Flashcard Deluxe or pick sign up with Quizlet a free tool for students where they can create custom sets or pick from just about any subject known to man or choose from the sets made to study for the SAT, ACT, any AP and more.

Share Ideas Through Backchannels (a word we hadn’t even really started using two years ago). Twitter is a great way to have students contribute to class conversations or use apps more specific tools such as Today’s Meet or Backchannel Chat.

Connect With Parents and Students By Texting– in a safe and secure way. Great apps like Remind101 or Celly make it so easy to create groups and share information to any device the student or parent would like to use..

Listen to Educational Podcasts. iTunes is not the only place that provides high quality educational podcasts for educators or students. Check out Edreach.us, BamRadio, Podomatic, Stitcher radio or AudioBoo. Podcasts are a very effective, easy, and fun way to share and consumer information. What’s more, listeners can move at their own pace through the podcast, replaying anything that may have been missed.

Explore Outside of the Classroom with Google Earth, museum apps and more allow students to travel the globe from the comfort of their classroom desk. Today, you can zoom into any masterpiece housed in a museum with Google Art Project. Students not only can explore using Google Earth, but they can create their own experiences with Google Tour Builder, where they can add their own photos, texts and videos right over locations they find on the map. The can play the addictive Google Earth game, GeoGuessr to explore and use context clues to guess different places around the world.

Capture Lessons With Digital Cameras. Allowing for BYOD typically means students have access to their own cameras- which has always been a fantastic way to capture lessons and learning. That hasn’t changed in the past two years. It’s only gotten better. In fact, our awesome teacher blogger, Susan Oxnevad just wrote a brand new post this past week, 8 iPad Camera Integration Ideas for 1:1 Classrooms.

Video Conference to Connect. 2 years ago we would have to talk about about video conferencing with Guest Speakers or Pen Pals Students using a laptop, today we say Google Hangout, using any device. They are a powerful tool that allows students to connect and collaborate. Google just announced Virtual Fieldtrips where full classrooms can connect with experts and see places that would not be thinkable on a typical school budget.

Best practices and available tools are changing a rate so fast it’s sometimes hard to keep up. How are you teaching with students’ personal mobile devices, smartphones, laptops and tablets?