The role of digital technology devices within education remains an area of intense debate. Particularly in the context of secondary or high school education, there is disagreement among researchers as to whether the use of digital technology in the classroom appropriately reflects the use of computers outside of school and there have been arguments for schools to better reflect the lived reality of their students. On one hand, some describe the situation as a form of disconnect and dissonance between the classroom and home caused by the improper use of computers leading to student alienation. On the other hand, others argue that students regularly blur the boundaries between home and school or maintain a clear demarcation between locations in terms of use and expectations.

This project focused on the use of digital technology by teenagers both inside and outside of school in a rural Australian setting. Specifically, it examined the ways in which Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), home computer and mobile phone use was connected between school locations and out-of-school locations. To investigate this, a qualitative case study methodology was employed with 10 case study participants. A mixture of interviews, time use diaries and artefact collection was carried out and the data analysed using Engeström’s Activity Theory notions of activity systems and contradictions.

Interestingly, a cross-case analysis of the participants revealed a number of important similarities regarding the choice of BYOD and use of BYODs for learning. Firstly, the participants revealed the importance of the school’s formal BYOD program in encouraging the purchase of digital technology devices as well as a range of characteristics considered essential for the long term use of the devices. Secondly, the participants identified ways in which the use of BYODs in the classroom were restricted and technical issues that prevented effective use of BYODs for learning. Significantly, many did not use their BYODs at school or did not bring their BYODs to school.

These findings can be interpreted as contradictions within the school based and out-of-school activity systems and demonstrate the usefulness of Activity Theory in capturing the important contextual factors to understand technology use. More significantly, they reveal the continuing problems in implementing digital technology in secondary education settings particularly in terms of planning and effective use within the classroom. It also provides further evidence to those that argue for disconnect and dissonance in the home-school digital technology debate.