Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Information Booklet 2015

Wyong Christian Community School - 100 Alison Road, Wyong NSW

P) 4351 2020 E) office@wyongccs.nsw.edu.au

The journey so far...

There are many blessings in working in Christian Education. Having the opportunity to impact students’

lives with issues of eternal significance is the greatest. Helping them navigate through the ever changing

world in which we live is another. Probably one of the greatest examples of how our world is constantly

changing is the area of technology. The world in which our children are growing up in is vastly different to

what we had to deal with as students. Technology has brought with it incredible opportunities and

benefits. It has also created challenges and temptations. At Wyong Christian Community School, we are

committed to partnering with you to raise you children to be responsive and responsible disciples of

Christ. In the area of technology, this means that we want your children to be effective users of

technology with a high capacity to achieve, but also to be discerning users with self-discipline to use the

technology appropriately.

Over the past three years, WCCS has been investigating how best to gain the educational benefits of

incorporating more technology into our pedagogical practices. It has been an exciting journey that has

seen us realise that there is no perfect solution, with many different models in effect within schools. Each

model has its strengths and weaknesses, with no school capable of being all things to all men. At WCCS,

we have intentionally decided not to be early adopters of technological practice. We have watched with

interest some of the ways technology has been embedded into learning, and some of the mistakes and

achievements that have been made. We feel that the decision to embark on a BYOD program last year

remains the correct way to move forward to ensure that your children are given the best possible

opportunity to succeed.

BYOD is an acronym that stands for Bring Your Own Device. It effectively means that students are able to

bring to school technology that they are familiar with, and competent at using, to assist in their learning.

At WCCS we decided to implement a BYOD program for students in Years 7 and 10 over three years, to

result in all Middle and Senior students bringing their own device to school by 2017. There were a range

of reasons that influenced our thinking in this regard:

A) If we commenced a BYOD program with only one year group, it would effectively take six years before

it was universal across all of Middle and Senior School. We felt waiting until 2020 was too long for this

program to be fully enacted.

B) Historically, technology machines have a functional life of about

3 – 4 years. In this sense, we felt we could support families by only

requiring them to purchase one machine (if their child is in Year 10)

or potentially two (if their child was in Year 7).

C) By allowing families to choose the type of device students bring

to school, it facilitates a range of benefits:

i) Students can choose the type of device they feel most

comfortable with and not have a machine dictated to them.

Evidence suggests that this promotes a far more effective use of the

machine by the student.

continued on next page...

What is BYOD?

What is BYOD? ...continued

II) When students have their own machine, they are far more likely to respect it well and look after

it, as they feel a sense of ownership towards it.

III) It allows a far more seamless transition between school and home if students are completing

their work in different environments on the same device.

IV) It supports families by allowing them to choose what is an appropriate price range for the

technology they would like to purchase.

In 2016, all students in Years 7, 8, 10 and 11 will bring devices to school. Students in Years 9 and 12 are

also welcome to bring their own device to school; however, this will be optional rather than required.

The primary motive behind why we are going down this path is because we feel the learning outcomes of

students will be enhanced through the use of technology. ‘How do we teach better?’ has been the driving

mandate behind all decisions made with reference to a BYOD program. We genuinely feel that, used in

the correct way, technology can enhance how the students learn, what they are learning and what they

are capable of learning. Preparing them for life beyond school and the likelihood of utilising technology in

their future career fields has also influenced our thinking.

In preparing WCCS for an effective implementation of a BYOD program, a number of initiatives have been

put in place. We have invested considerably in technological infrastructure, so that we can be confident it

will handle the increased demands of more devices. Our internet speed and bandwidth has been

considerably increased. Our wireless network has been expanded to cover the entire school, with an

increased level of bandwidth. Our security and monitoring of student behaviour on the network has been

increased. At the end of 2014, we also changed our Learning Management System (LMS) across from

Moodle to CANVAS because we felt it would better support what we are trying to achieve across the

school.

We continue to think through ways to better support staff to understand how to use online learning

platforms. We also rewrote our school ICT policy to more effectively address the challenges we face

moving forward. We are also working through plans to educate and support students to make positive

choices with regard to technology.

Why is WCCS implementing a BYOD program?

Making a decision about the most appropriate device to provide for your child can be difficult. This is

especially the case where technology is changing at such a rapid pace. As was mentioned previously, our

deliberate policy has been to avoid mandating any one device or platform. We feel that a ‘one size fits all’

approach is not the most helpful way forward. This sort of approach can limit the engagement of

students, and result in them being narrowly trained in how to use a particular device or platform. As

technology evolves and the connected digital age expands, we believe our students will need to develop

flexibility and adaptability. We feel that opening this program to a range of devices is more likely to

develop the kinds of resourceful thinking and creativity that will enable our students to make use of the

continually evolving and changing digital capabilities.

Whilst we have decided not to mandate a specific machine, this booklet does contain information and

recommendations that may be of assistance to families in choosing digital technology for their child to

bring to WCCS. Whilst we have made some suggestions of devices within this booklet, given the incredible

pace of change that the world is experiencing with digital and mobile technology, it is highly likely that

different products will come onto the market that may ultimately be more suitable. What we have

endeavoured to do is provide you with the best information we have at this point in time.

It may be helpful to assure you that embarking on a BYOD program does not mean that students will

spend their entire day in front of a digital screen. We would argue that technology is a tool in the learning

process. Like all learning tools, it would be poor teaching practice if it was used exclusively at the expense

of all other legitimate learning strategies. Some lessons and subjects will no doubt lend themselves more

to technology than others, but in all instances WCCS takes the view that learning should drive technology,

not the other way round. In other words, teachers will be asking how best students can learn required

content. If technology supports the learning in a particular area, and often it does, then it will used; if not,

then other strategies will be utilised. Technology itself is not the answer to better learning outcomes, but

it is an important tool in the process.

As with any change, we recognise that there will be apprehension. We have intentionally run this

information session in the first half of this year to provide plenty of notice to families regarding the

changes for next year. We also want to provide families with extended time to work through some of the

financial implications of this decision. We are certainly not claiming to have all the answers on this issue

and, despite our best efforts, there will no doubt be teething problems and challenges that will need to

be overcome. Despite this, we are genuinely excited about what this will mean for student outcomes

across our school and look forward to partnering with you further as we journey through this adventure

together. Below are some staff to reference should you feel that you would like to ask more questions on

anything related to BYOD.

Technological / Device questions: Implementation process / Pedagogical implications:

Robert Matthews & Peter Rennie Darren Milligan & Aaron Batterham

What type of device should my child bring?

Possible Devices

We believe that students should use the device with which they are most comfortable and with which

learning will be most effective. Recognising the importance of choices, we are not recommending specific

brands and models of ICT devices. This section outlines the strengths and weaknesses of various devices

for the learning activities in which the students will be engaged.

WINDOWS CONVERTIBLE TABLET (from $500) In a lot of ways, a convertible tablet is a great compromise between a laptop and a tablet. Most run Windows 8.1 and have many of the functions of a Windows laptop. It is a light device that can run a full version of MS Office, so this really suits students who are familiar with a traditional PC. Some manufactures include keyboards, while it is an extra purchase with other models.

Strengths

- Many of the features of a laptop built into a tablet styled computer.

- Does have a USB port.

- Runs full version of MS Office.

Weaknesses

- May not have as powerful a processor as a bigger laptop.

- Typically less storage space than a regular laptop.

- In some models, the keyboards are an additional purchase.

Example Devices

- Asus Transformer T100

- Microsoft Surface 3

- Surface Pro 3

- Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 10

WINDOWS LAPTOP (from $300) Windows has the largest range of devices available. Many manufactures produce windows laptops and their size, weight and performance can vary widely. Try to avoid buying very cheap machines, as generally they are heavier and have poorer battery life. N ew devices run Windows 8.1, and will be available for the free upgrade to Windows 10 when it launches at the end of July.

Strengths

- Great compatibility. Will run more software compared to other operating systems.

- Lots of options such as ports, screen size, RAM and CPU speed.

Weaknesses

- Can be heavy.

- Can have poor battery life.

Example Devices

- HP Stream

- Asus ZenBook UX305

- Dell Inspiron

- Acer Travelmate

ANDROID TABLET (from $200)

Andriod tablets can be an excellent alternative to the iPad. They generally have more flexibility and can access some sites more successfully. Microsoft Office is now available from the Google Play store. They still don’t have the power of a full laptop, but are a reasonable alternative.

Strengths

- Vast array of apps available through the Google Play store.

- Flash can be installed on an Andriod device using additional software.

Weaknesses

- Quality varies depending on vendor

- Some devices have SD card slots to increase hard disk space.

- Not as much software compared to iOS.

Example Devices

- Samsung Galaxy Note

- Google Nexus

Possible Devices ...continued

APPLE LAPTOP (from $1,099)

Apple Laptops are a versatile machine. They have complete compatibility with MS Office and all websites will work on Mac if the correct software is installed. Apple laptops come in three varieties; The Macbook, the Macbook Pro and the Macbook Air. The Pro is generally more powerful with larger screens available. The Air is lighter and has better battery life.

Strengths

- Powerful computer that now has compatibility with most software.

- Great for creative pursuits such as video editing and music composition.

Weaknesses

- The Macbook Pro with larger screens can be heavy.

- The Macbook Air can have smaller hard drives than other laptops.

- Most models don’t have DVD drives.

Example Devices

- Macbook Pro with Retina display 13.3”

- Macbook Air 11”

iPad (from $450)

The iPad is an easy-to-use device that gives the students access to a large selection of software at a cheaper price. They are light and are great for browsing the Internet. It can be a challenge creating documents on this device. There is currently no good solution for accessing sites that require Flash.

Strengths

- Many students are familiar with iOS.

- Large number of Apps available at low prices.

Weaknesses

- It is not compatible with Flash websites such as mathsworkout.co.uk

- Can be difficult to copy work off.

- No USB support.

- A separate keyboard is recommended, especially for students in the Senior School.

Example Devices

- Apple iPad

- Apple iPad Air 2

Chromebook (from $350)

These light laptops are the ultimate in portability with a full size keyboard. It runs on the Chrome OS, and has access to a large number of Apps through the Chrome store. It gives students the efficiency of working in the cloud using Google apps for Education. In a lot of ways, this device has the advantages of a laptop at the price of a tablet.

Strengths

- Very cheap.

- Can do most of the key tasks that students need.

- Lightweight with full keyboard.

Weaknesses

- Limited on the more creative tasks, such as video editing.

- Works best when connected to the Internet.

- Requires a Google account.

Example Devices

- Samsung Chromebook

- Acer Chromebook C910

In recent years, retailers have started to cater to parents looking to purchase a BYOD device. Sites such as http://school.orderportal.com.au have a number of devices available to order. You can search based on things like screen size or operating system type (e.g. Windows, iOS). They clearly state the specifications of each device and allow you to add extras like insurance and bags. Orderportal.com.au does not include Apple devices. RECOMMENDED HARDWARE

The device you choose to bring to school must meet these minimum hardware requirements: 10 inch screen. Wireless N or AC with 5GHz or dual band capability. Tablets need a 1GB Ram and Laptops 4GB Ram. Battery life minimum of 5 hours. THINGS TO CONSIDER Physical keyboard—Physical keyboards are much easier to use than on screen keyboards. When

typing long assignments, a physical keyboard is highly recommended. Types of ports—USB ports are valuable to attach removable storage and devices such as wireless

mice and keyboards. Display ports are useful to attach a larger monitor when working at home. SD card slots are an easy way to add more storage.

Hard disk size—Activities such as video creation will take up more disk space. Will the device only be used for school work or will it perform other tasks? Consider how easy it is to upgrade the hard drive if space runs out.

Will Flash websites load on the device? Battery life—Students won’t be using their devices in every lesson, but the device should last at

least 5 hours. You may wish to purchase a second battery. Don’t forget to charge batteries at night.

Included warranty—Devices that come to school every day are more likely to suffer damage than those that sit on a desk all day. Try to get the longest warranty available and include accidental damage.

Protective case—A good case might be expensive to purchase, but could save you money on damage in the long run.

REQUIRED SOFTWARE Needs to have an up-to-date web browser, e.g. Internet Explorer

10+, Chrome, Firefox or Safari. These are free. Some form of office suite, e.g. Open Office, Microsoft Office, iWork,

Google Docs, Office 365. There are free options available. A PDF reader. This is free. Up-to-date virus software. There are free options.

Possible Devices ...continued

Students and Teachers can now get Microsoft Office for FREE!

Microsoft recently announced that they were making their Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) available for free, to the students and staff of all education institutions that have licensing agreements with them. This offer was previously only available to schools in the USA. This automatically updatable, subscription-based software ensures your child will always have the latest version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and more. This will enable students to:

• Install on up to 5 compatible PCs and Macs, plus 5 tablets

• Use with OneDrive for automatic device syncing

• Gain valuable skills on the world’s most popular document software

This offer is available to all students currently enrolled at Wyong Christian Community School. Students can get their complimentary Office by visiting https://login.microsoftonline.com and entering their school email address (username@students.wyongccs.nsw.edu.au). Click Sign In before entering a password, and you will be redirected to the school’s Office 365 login. Enter wyongccs\username and your school password to gain access to Office 365. You can then follow the onscreen instructions to install Office.

If you are installing Office on a Mac, once Office has loaded you will be asked to activate the software. Select ‘activate with a current subscription’ and you will be asked for an email address. Enter username@wyongccs.nsw.edu.au and your school password to activate. This step is not required if you are installing on a PC.

A student’s username is usually their surname and the first letter of their first name, except in cases where more than one student has the same surname and first initial. All students, except Kindergarten, should know their username.

Contact the school IT Office in C1 or visit install Office on your PC or Mac with Office 365 (http://aka.ms/Y0o21h) for installation assistance. Office is a large download and may take some time, depending on your internet connection.

Robert Matthews

IT Manager

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What about the physical safety of my child’s device? How will it be protected?

Lockers will be available for all students who are required to bring a device to school. This has worked

quite well in 2015. These lockers will be primarily for the storage of electronic devices. In that sense,

students can be responsible for their machines at all times at school. Their machines will either be used

by them within a lesson context or stored in their own personal locker.

2. Who is responsible for the maintenance and repair of my student’s device?

Because the device remains the property of the student, they will ultimately be responsible for the

maintenance and follow up of any issues with their device. In this context, it would be important to

consider the warranty on any device purchased. The school IT staff will offer minor assistance, e.g.

connectivity to the school’s network; however, the ultimate responsibility will rest with the owner.

3. Won’t this make my child’s school bag heavier?

We are conscious of the issue of bag weight, particularly for students in Year 7. We are reviewing some

different approaches that may help us to keep the weight down, including moving to electronic

textbooks, negating the need for students to carry any heavy textbooks to school, only their device. It

would be wise to consider weight and size when choosing a device for your child; tablets, netbooks and

ultra-books are significantly lighter than full size laptops.

4. Will the student’s use of the internet be monitored at school?

All student usage of the school’s network and internet connection is filtered. Their complete web history

is also logged and able to be tracked. Parents need to be aware that if they provide their child with a

device with direct 3G/4G access, the school is unable to filter, log and monitor student’s usage.

5. Will the students be able to recharge their device during the day?

It will be best for students to work on the understanding that they will not be able to charge their

machines at school during the day. There may be the rare exception to this rule but, generally speaking,

power chords / chargers can be a WHS hazard and they add extra weight to school bags. For this reason,

battery life is also important in choosing technology. Students will need to cultivate the habit of charging

their device overnight.

6. What policies and structures will guide the student’s use of ICT?

As was mentioned previously, WCCS updated our ICT usage policy to better reflect the technology

climate. In broad terms, the students’ use of ICT will only take place with a teacher’s authorisation. In

addition to this, you will see contained within this booklet the agreed protocols that students will need to

sign off on to enable them to use technology within WCCS. Our desire is that these six principles will

ultimately underpin your children’s use of technology in all contexts, not just at school.

7. Won’t this lead to an increase in cyber-bullying and inappropriate behaviour?

We certainly hope not! We want to walk alongside our students to help them learn how to behave in a

Godly manner in all their relationships. This is equally important in the online realm as well as the real

world. It is possible that the increased use of technology will provide more teachable moments of how to

be loving towards others. Our desire is for us to be intentional about our response and help the students.

We feel that quarantining the use of technology at school potentially ignores the issue and results in the

students having to work it out for themselves outside the school grounds.

8. What if my child doesn’t bring their own technology? Will they be disadvantaged?

We want all students to fulfil their potential at WCCS and will be actively working to ensure this happens.

If we do believe that incorporating further technology should be done to enhance learning outcomes,

then it would be counter intuitive to say that children without it will not have additional challenges. That

is not to say they still won’t be able to achieve; however, it may mean that their learning takes on a

different flavour in the short term. Partner work, group activities and school machines may all be utilised

in different capacities to help alleviate some of these concerns.

9. Won’t technology become a status symbol amongst students?

This is certainly possible. We live in a culture that constantly makes status symbols out of possessions, so

it is unlikely that our technology will be exempt from the same fate. Hopefully, as we continue to model

and commend values that place Godly character over possessions, we can help young people to be aware

of the shallow and fleeting nature of status symbols. This issue is current in all areas of their life, clothes,

mobile phones, sporting goods, not just technology. We want them to have a Godly attitude in all areas.

10. Won’t students just be staring at screens all day?

No. As was mentioned in the introductory information, technology is just a tool to assist in learning. It will

be used when its presence enhances the learning, not just for technology sake. It is not suitable for every

aspect of learning. Students’ learning will drive the use of technology, not the reverse.

11. How will we know students will be on task and not just playing games or using social media on their

devices?

The honest reality is that technology does provide the potential for multiple distractions. All of us face the

challenge of developing self-control in avoiding these distractions; in fact, you could make a case that this

is a vital skill for the 21st Century workplace. School and home both have a role to play in helping young

people to self-regulate in these areas.

Frequently Asked Questions ...continued

12. Why doesn’t the school provide computers for the students?

The Federally-funded DER program came to an end a few years ago. If the school was to implement a

program to provide computers for students then capital funds for this would need to be generated. In

that sense, the cost of this would be passed on to parents through school fees. We feel it makes more

sense and better supports families by allowing them to choose the device for their students. This enables

you to consider your personal circumstances, budget and needs and acquire the device that is most

appropriate. Experience has also taught us that students will exercise more care and responsibility in

looking after their own property.

13. What about students in the Junior School?

The school is continually growing its technology resources in the Junior School. For example, the six new

classrooms finished this year have been set up with LCD touch screen technology and considerably more

iPads have been purchased. This will allow students in the Junior School to be exposed to iPads, desktops,

and tablets and help them make some informed choices regarding what best suits their needs when they

move into Middle School. A number of students, in Year 6 particularly, are already taking up the optional

BYOD opportunities. We are anticipating this will expand in years to come.

14. Are we getting rid of pen and paper?

No. Apart from anything else, the HSC credential still requires students to handwrite and the students will

need to maintain and develop this skill with their final examinations in mind. In addition, there are some

forms of learning and recording information that are better suited to pen and paper. We anticipate that

there will be a place for writing and ICT in schools for the foreseeable future.

15. What about storing work and backing it up?

There will need to be a growth in the students’ understanding of the importance of backing up their

stored work. The range of options available is wide. Backing up to the school network, USB keys, utilising

cloud storage or external hard drives are some examples. The issue we will work to address is not so

much how they back up their work, but ensuring that students understand that they need to make this a

priority.

16. Is there particular software that my child will need to have on their device?

They will only require widely used, readily available software. It is true to say that some subjects taught at

WCCS do require speciality software which can be quite expensive, e.g. Adobe Photoshop. The school will

still maintain a number of computer labs where such subject specific software will be provided at no

additional cost to parents.

17. Do you have all the answers to the issues that will arise?

No! It would be both arrogant and naïve to claim that we have all the answers to the potential problems

that a BYOD program will create. What we will claim is that we are consulting widely, researching critically

and thinking carefully about how best we can utilise the benefits of BYOD in the context of WCCS. We

anticipate needing to refine, review, and reformulate many of our practices and policies as we move with

this next chapter of learning at WCCS. We appreciate your understanding, support, prayers and patience

as we do so.

Frequently Asked Questions ...continued