Page | 1BYOD PROGRAM

TOOLOOA SHS

Bring YourOwn DeviceCharter

Information for Parents and Carers for 2018

Foreword

This document has been prepared to offer guidance for those school community members wishingto know more about the implementation of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program at ToolooaState High School. Each section should be thoroughly read and understood before following theguidelines and procedures. The content of this handbook is subject to change and notifications willbe communicated via the school’s website.

Questions related to material contained within can be directed to relevant personnel at the school,by contacting the school directly.

Our Journey So Far

In 2011, with the aid of the Australian Government’s National Secondary Schools Computer Fund, Toolooa State High School introduced a 1:1 laptop program for years 9-12. To support this program, the school also invested in:

  • Additional wireless zones around the school so students in Years 7-12 had access in every classroom.
  • Some additional technical support hours to support the students with any technical issues as they arise.
  • Investment in staff professional development.

Through this program we saw 200-300 students, in years 7-12, receive laptops and use them successfully both at home and in the classroom. With the laptops coming to the end of their usable life, and the Australian Government ceasing their funding of the program, Toolooa SHS Laptop program finished at the end of the 2015 school year.

In 2016, Toolooa SHS introduced a Bring your own Device (BYOD) program. While the school will continue to embed ICTs in classroom learning and provide access to computer labs for specialised classes, for students who believe they learn best with the use of a personal ICT device, we encourage them to do so. To support this program the school has invested in:

  • A bandwidth upgrade, which will enable more devices to operate on our school network, at a faster pace.
  • An increased investment in Staff professional development.
  • A range of online resources and technologies to allow students in senior years to submit assignments and access classroom resources online.
  • Negotiations with suppliers to provide parents with a list of devices suitable for use within the school at a reasonable price.
  • A connection solution, which will allow non-Education Queensland devices, access to our network safely and ensure that students have filtered internet usage.
  • An equity pool of devices that teachers can borrow for their classes on a lesson by lesson basis.

Allowing Students to purchase and bring their own devices is a big change to our educational environment and the success of this program will rely on the co-operation and partnership with parents/carers.

Overview

Students attending Toolooa SHS, in 2018, will have the option of bringing their own portable computing device to school. The device will be used to enhance curriculum delivery, to enable online research and for work production, creation and submission. Connection to the internet will be provided via the school network.

eLearning Vision

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are used at Toolooa State High School toenhance the teaching and learning within the classroom. Teachers design learning experienceswhich facilitate the creation and sharing of knowledge. Students use ICTs responsibly.

Minimum Device Specifications

Windows Devices

Specifications / Minimum Requirements / Recommended Requirements
Operating System / Windows 7 (32 bit)
Windows 8 (32 bit)
Windows 10 (32 bit) / Windows 7 (64 bit)
Windows 8 (64 bit)
Windows 10 (64 bit)
Processor Type / Dual Core Processor or higher / Intel Core i3
AMD A6 or higher
CPU Speed / 1.6Ghz / 2.4 Ghz or higher
Memory / 2GB / 4GB or more
Storage Capacity / 500GB / 500GB or SSD
Graphics / Integrated GPU / Integrated GPU with at least 256MB
Dedicated GPU with at least 1GB
Antivirus / All students MUST have appropriate Antivirus software installed ontotheir device and are required to keep it regularly updated.
Note: There are many Antivirus software products available online, which are free for personal use.
Wireless Connectivity / 802.11 N is recommended
Battery Life / 6 Hours +

Mac Devices

Specifications / Minimum Requirements / Recommended Requirements
Operating System / MacBook Air 11.6” / MacBook Pro 13.3”

Tablet Devices

Specifications / Minimum Requirements / Recommended Requirements
Platform / Ipad Air 2 16GB / Ipad Air 2 64GB
Microsoft Surface 3 / Microsoft Surface Pro 3 64GB

Devices that will not be supported

Android Devices, Chromebook, iPad Mini, any Windows or Mac device that do not meet the minimum requirements.

Other Accessories (Optional)

  • Protective case / cover
  • Headphones
  • External Bluetooth keyboard (in the case of tablet devices)

Information related to the specifications

1. Tablets (iPads, for example) might be suitable but consideration needs to be given to theiruse for extended periods of typing and research. They might be well-suited as secondarydevices.

2. Screen sizes are suggested. Smaller sizes might be difficult for students to work with, whilelarger than 15” screens will make devices unnecessarily bulky.

Choosing a device

Making device selections is the responsibility of the parents and caregivers. Taking a copy of theminimum specifications to retail outlets would be an appropriate way to begin the process.

Can we provide advice?

The school cannot provide suggestions to parents and caregivers regarding various makes or models;nor will the school suggest one retail outlet is preferred over another. However, if required, theschool can advise that a particular device will be suitable. Discussions about curriculum suitabilitycan be held with appropriate staff at school.

Special Note

For any student needing to run graphics programs or multimedia programs, the “Recommended” specifications above become the minimum specifications in order to run some of the software required for these courses.

FAQ

Device Use

In general these devices will be used to enhance student learning in the classroom. This might include: research; accessing online resources (including e-books); and completing and submitting assessment tasks.

Smart Phone and Small Tablets

While a smart phone or small tablet device might be able to access the school system, it is not appropriate for continuous use when writing an essay or information report. Furthermore, Work Place Health and Safety requirements insist that a screen smaller than 10 inches, may cause eye strain.

Minimum Specification

Students mature and develop their study habits. They might also develop a preference for work with one device over another (or indeed, with multiple devices). For this reason, we have developed a set of specifications that broadly cover the needs of student in year 7-12. This therefore allows students to choose a device that works for them.

Accessing the Toolooa SHS Network

The school has purchased a connection solution that will safely allow non- Education Queensland devices onto our network.

Internet Security Management

Any students connecting to the school’s network will enjoy a secure and filtered access to the internet. Students will still be required to adhere to the Acceptable Use Agreement when using ICT devices at Toolooa SHS.

Device Help!!!

Any questions or concerns about the information presented in this document, should be directed to our Toolooa SHS BYOx team at

Broken or Damaged Device

While Toolooa SHS will continue to deal with inappropriate behaviour in line with existingpolicies, Toolooa SHS is not liable for any damage or replacement costs incurred while the device is atschool.

We would advise parents to consider purchasing Accidental Damage Protection for the BYOD device. Some House Insurance Policies may cover devices when they are at alternate sites, such as the student’s school. There may be a requirement to individually list this device. Close examination of these damage protection and insurance documents and consultation with your insurance representatives, is highly recommended.

Toolooa State High School does not accept responsibility for damage, loss or theft of BYOD devices.

Device Security

Protective equipment such as bags or cases need to be considered by the student, to keep these devices safe while at school. It is the responsibility of the student to look after their devices at school and keep securely in bags when not in use. Where classrooms, like the Resource Centre (Library), have port racks outside, students should bring valuable devices inside with them, during class time and lunch time.

Backing up

Technology failure is a fact of life and it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that theirmaterial is back up regularly. The school will not be held responsible for loss of material or assessment on BYOD devices.

Local backup

Backups of student documents should be made at least each week, and even more regularly during peak periods of assessment, i.e. when a lot of assessment is due or being worked on. Procedures forthis will vary from device to device but there should be the provision to copy files to an SD card,external hard drive or USB disk. There are a number of applications which make this easy and advicerelated to these can be obtained from the school’s IT Support Desk.Periodically, a separate backup should be made and stored off-site, e.g. at a friend’s house.

Cloud backup

There are a number of online services which allow users to backup their files to “the cloud”. These usually require the end-user to register with the site, providing a username and password, and sometimes installing an application to copy the files from the device to the service. Some providers include Dropbox, Evernote, Google and Microsoft. Some of these services may not be accessible from within the school intranet.

Device Repairs

The device will need to be returned to the supplier and the necessary repairs made. You will need to make sure you are clear on the relevant arrangements with the supplier at the time of purchase. The school will have an equity pool of devices which can be utilised by students who do not have a device. These devices will be available to students who are having their devices repaired by their supplier. Alternatively, if you have another suitable device at home, the student may use this during the repair period; so long as this device meets all the relevant specifications set out in this document.

Charging devices

There will not be any charging facilities at school to charge devices. All charging should be done at home. It is advisable to check the battery life of the device, to ensure it would last the whole day at school.

Device Selection

The school has worked with some vendors to provide families with a small list of preconfigured options to purchase from within a portal type interface directly on the vendors website. More information about this can be found on the Toolooa SHS website. If you would like more control over the exact specifications of the device you purchase or find a better deal from a local retailer.Please read through the relevant specifications in this document before purchasing or bring this document with you to the retailer to save time.

Warranty Selection

When purchasing a device, it is important to check the warranty details as some companies are offering three year onsite warranties. This means that if something goes wrong with the device, the problem can be logged and a technician will come to the school and fix the device within 24-48 hours. Some companies even offer a replacement device while the device is being fixed. Other companies may offer a warranty but it may mean that you have to send the device away and this would mean long periods without the device. Please note that the school will not be involved in any way with warranty and insurance claims. This will be between the purchaser and the retailer.

Equity Pool

As it currently stands, Toolooa SHS has an equity pool of devices which are utilised by teachers during class time and assessment time. This pool of devices, along with our computer labs, will still exist and your student will have access to them; when they are required. Teachers can book out the devices on a lesson by lesson basis, when the devices are required.

Use of 3G / 4G

Toolooa SHS provides a filtered internet connection that students can use while on school grounds. No home 3G or 4G service will be allowed to be used while at school.

Participation Cost

A fee of $50 per year will be charged to all students bringing a device which will have access to the school’s Wi-Fi and network. This cost will support the infrastructure required to support a BYOD program, increased internet access provided to students and the security software required to allow students access to the network.

Joining the BYOD Program

In 2017, to bring your own device, a student would have completed a Student Participation Agreement, have paid the $50 fee and will have had their device checked by the Technical Officer or Whole School IT Coordinator. Once this has happened your child will receive the log in details to get them access to wifi and the school’s network.

ICT Responsible Use Policy

This document defines the Responsible Use Policy for student use of the Toolooa SHS computer systems. Its main purpose is to encourage the mature and responsible use of the facilities available to the students through the provision of clear usage guidelines. Students authorised to use the school’s computer system also have internet and e-mail access.

The use of ICT devices and systems has been designed to help students keep up with the demands of the 21st century. Helping students become responsible digital citizens will enhance not only what we do in the classroom, but also give students skills and experiences that will prepare them for their future studies and career.

The Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment deems the following to be responsible use and behaviour by a student:

  • Developing appropriate literacy, communication and information skills;
  • Authoring text, artwork, audio and visual material for publication on the Intranet or Internet for educational purposes as supervised and approved by the school;
  • Conducting general research for school activities and projects;
  • Communicating or collaborating with other students, teachers, parents or experts in relation to school work;
  • Accessing online references such as dictionaries, encyclopaedias, etc.
  • Researching and learning through the Department’s e-learning environment.

The Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment deems the following to be irresponsible use and behaviour by a student:

  • Use the IT resources in an unlawful manner
  • Download, distribute or publish offensive messages or pictures;
  • Insult, harass or attack others or use obscene or abusive language;
  • Deliberately waste printing and Internet resources;
  • Damage any electronic devices, printers or the network equipment;
  • Commit plagiarism or violate copyright laws;
  • Use unsupervised internet chat;
  • Send chain letters or Spam e-mail (junk mail)
  • Access 3G/4G networks during lesson time
  • Knowingly download viruses or any other programs capable of breaching the Department’s network security.

In addition to this Toolooa SHS states that:

  • Users are responsible for the security, maintenance and integrity of their individually owned devices and their network accounts.
  • Users are required to register their personally owned device/s with the school, prior to connecting to the school network and to create a password to protect their account. This password should be difficult enough so as not to be guessed by other users and under no circumstances are passwords to be divulged to any other user on the system. If users have any reason to suspect that their account security may have been compromised or tampered with, it should be reported immediately to the school’s Technical Support.
  • Students will provide their device and/or USB for inspection for compliance with school and legal requirements when requested. It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that their device complies with the school’s ICT Responsible Use Policy and BYOD Guidelines.
  • Information dispatched from the school network is a reflection on how the global community perceives the school. All students using the systems are encouraged to show that they are positive ambassadors for Toolooa SHS. No obscene, inflammatory, racist, discriminatory or derogatory language should be used in electronic mail or any other form of network communication.
  • Students using the system must not at any time attempt to access other computer systems, accounts or unauthorised network drives or files or to access other people’s devices without their permission and without them present.
  • Students must not record, photograph or film any students or school personnel without the express permission of the individual/s concerned and the supervising teacher.
  • Students must get permission before copying files from another user. Copying files or passwords belonging to another user without their express permission may constitute plagiarism and/or theft.
  • Students need to understand copying of software, information, graphics, or other data files may violate copyright laws without warning and be subject to prosecution from agencies to enforce such copyrights.
  • The school will educate students regarding cyber bullying, safe internet and email practices and health and safety regarding the physical use of electronic devices. Students have a responsibility to behave in line with these safe practices.
  • Any inappropriate material must be removed from personally owned devices before bringing the devices to school and such material will not be shared with other students.
  • Other consequences may be deemed necessary as determined by the school’s Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students.

Families are responsible for providing their own individual insurance on privately owned electronic devices brought to school.