Computers (ICT) & BYOD

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program

What is BYOD?

Namadgi School is committed to providing a technology rich environment for our students as our community believes the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is fundamental in assisting teaching and learning in all areas of the school curriculum.

As education systems evolve to better prepare tomorrow's workforce with 21st century skills, the shift towards eLearning becomes increasingly significant. Namadgi School has the infrastructure to support wireless devices, allowing students to bring their own devices gives teachers access to immediate technology integration in the classroom. The advantage of anytime, anywhere learning gives BYOD a significant benefit over more traditional technology integration models.

It's important to note that it's not compulsory for students to participate in this BYOD program and non-participation will not be detrimental to the student’s educational experiences, including assessments.

Why implement a BYOD program?

BYOD augments other resources to provide students with enhanced access to information anywhere, anytime. The BYOD program is designed to replace the Digital Education Revolution (DER) program which ended in 2013.

This allows each subject to move from physical to electronic texts over time, to deliver lessons with a unified teaching methodology across all year groups and to bring the rich learning experiences to all schools. All teachers are committed to developing increased integration with the BYOD program over the coming years.

How does it work?

From 2016 all students in years 6 to 10 are recommended to bring their own Personal Electronic Device (PED) to school every day.

This will allow students to access the internet at any time to enrich their learning, and also to utilise online learning resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum to support and engage students in their learning.

What type of device can we bring?

Chromebooks are the recommended device however a range of devices meet the Minimum Device Specifications.

Some of the device specification requirements are quite particular. If you choose a Chromebook device, you can be sure that it meets the requirements. It is also possible to bring a device which meets the Minimum Device Specifications.

Students can use other devices, provided that the device meets minimum hardware specifications including screen size, battery life and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Please note: students can download Microsoft Office 365 for free through the Digital Backpack (https://backpack.ed.act.edu.au), parents/guardians will need to sign the parental privacy consent form for this option to be available.

Namadgi School BYOD Models - Specified Model and Minimum Standard Model:

Specified Model Option

The recommended device is Chromebooks. They offer device affordability, ease of connectivity to Namadgi School's network and include a range of web based apps that can be preloaded for offline use. Benefits are:

Price
Quick
Long battery life
Ease of use

Minimum Standard Model Option

The minimum standard model has been adopted to cater for those families who may have already purchased a Personal Electronic Device (PED). The Minimum Device Specifications are:

10 to 13 inch screen recommended
Around 60 seconds boot time
Battery life 6 or more hours
Wi-Fi 802.11 n/ac (2.4/5GHz band)
Lightweight (recommended no more than 2kg)

iPad / Tablet Option

iPads and tablets must include a separate keyboard. Please note that smartphones or devices with a screen of less than 10" are not considered appropriate as they may cause eye strain over prolonged use e.g. iPad Minis.

We also recommend a hard cover to protect the device.

What about security, theft and damage to the physical device?

Namadgi School has security lockers for year 6 to 10 villas, these lockers are hired out to all students for a nominal fee.

Students will be responsible for the security and safety of their own devices.

We recommend parents review their insurance policies to ensure that BYOD devices are covered (for accidental damage and/or theft) outside the home, and to provide a suitable cover and protective bag for the device.

Namadgi School, the ACT Education Directorate and the ACT Government accepts no responsibility for;

Any loss or damage to information (data) on any PEDs
Any physical damage, loss or theft to any PEDs

School Support

The school will support in connecting your device to Wi-Fi with fact sheets and through support from the Information Technology Officer (ITO).

Parents and students are solely responsible for repair and maintenance of their own device.

Parental Privacy Consent Form

The volume and quality of web based learning resources and cloud based storage has risen steadily over the last decade and these are increasingly being used by teachers across the Territory to improve student learning outcomes.

Sometimes it is beneficial for students to access services by third party web based providers. Types of services include online content creation, collaborative tools, online educational software and various administrative programs to track student assessment.

These platforms can constitute a major part of the teaching and learning programs including assessment. Below is our Parental Privacy Consent Forms so students can access these online resources: