Challenge the Unknown

BRAY PARKSTATE HIGH SCHOOL

BYOD Information Pack

BRAY PARKSTATE HIGH SCHOOL

Why BYOD?The purpose of schools has always been to prepare students for life in a rapidly evolving world. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a powerful initiative being utilised in industries around the world. It has been found that a successful BYOD program instils a technological self-sufficiency in individuals that utilise their personal devices to increase efficiency and boost morale. We endeavour for our school program to empower students to make positive decisions around self-discipline, work ethic and productivity by taking ownership of their tools, tasks and behaviour.

Allowing students to bring their own personal mobile computing devices will contribute to increased education outcomes in many ways:

Our ProgramStudents must bring a Windows or Macintosh laptop computer which has a 11.6” screen or larger to use at school as their personal computing device. There are some restrictions and limitations however these are outlined in more detail on the next page.

DifferentiationWe understand that all students have unique learning styles. Allowing students to utilise devices they are comfortable and proficient with will reduce stress and anxiety and develop time management skills. Personal device also allow for greater customisation to suit specific needs.

Personal ResourcesHaving access to a personal resource such as an internet connection or unique hardware or software will enable access to a wider range of resources and learning opportunities.

Device ProficiencyStudents are capable of amazing things when using their own personal device. Allowing them to bring a device they are proficient and experienced at using will lead to amazing outcomes in the classroom.

BYOD RolloutEvery student at Bray Park State High School must have a personal laptop with charger that is brought to school every day, fully charged ready for learning.

As Bray Park State High School is a completely BYOD school, there are no school-owned laptops available for students to use if they do not bring their personal laptop to school.

Device SpecificationThe table below contains detailed information on hardware and software specifications to assist in selecting a suitable device for your student to bring to school or if you are going to purchase a new device. We recommend purchasing a laptop that fits the below specifications.

Minimum Device SpecificationDevice Type Laptop Computer - No ChromeBooks, Tablets or iPads

Screen Size 11.6” or largerRAM 4GBStorage 120 GB Hard Drive (SSD Recommended)Network 802.11n (5Ghz) Not Supported - 2.4Ghz

Operating System Windows 10Mac OSX 10.8 or laterNot Supported – Linux, iOS, Android, Windows 7, 8, 8.1, RT, 10S, Chrome OS

Features Keyboard, USB Ports, headphone port, in built microphone, webcamBattery life 6+ hoursAccessories Case/Carry Bag, Headphones, 8GB USB Flash Drive, Charger

Required SoftwareInternet BrowsersGoogle Chrome - http://www.google.com.au/chrome/ Firefox - http://www.mozilla.org

Microsoft OfficeFree for all Education QLD students.http://portal.office.com/ols/mysoftware.aspx

PluginsAdobe Flash - http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Java - https://java.com/download

Video PlayersVLC - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.html

Audio RecordingAudacity - http://www.audacityteam.org/

Virus ProtectionMicrosoft Windows Defender (included with Win-dows 8 and Windows 10)

Back Up TipsTechnology is not infallible and for this reason it is critical to keep a backup of all important files. Outlined below are brief descriptions of the three main backup types:

Local: A local backup involves saving a copy of your files onto an external hard drive or USB. Both Windows and Mac have inbuilt tools that can simplify this process.

Offsite: An offsite backup involves storing important data away from the primary source i.e. burning files to a disk and storing it at a friend or family member’s house.

Cloud: All students have access to 5TB of cloud storage on the QLD Education Department's Microsoft OneDrive to store files. Students will need to log into this service with their school email address and password. All other cloud hosting services do not work on the school network.

All of these methods by themselves greatly increase your chances of retaining important files after a catastrophe. To maximise your chances of a successful recovery we would recommend at least using two of the three methods listed above.

Care of the DeviceOutlined below are the expectations regarding student responsibility for caring for their devices and ensuring they are ready for school:

• It is the responsibility of the student to keep their chosen devices for school in working order to minimise the disruption to learning.

• It is expected that students bring their devices to school each day fully charged. Limited charging facilities will be available for student to charge their devices whilst at school.

• Students should take care when moving around school, as failure to do so can damage the Hard Drive potentially losing data. Choosing a device with a Solid State Drive (SSD) can relieve some of these issues.

Virus ScanningTo ensure the integrity of our network and the safety of student devices it is imperative to establish a regular “Full Virus Scan” schedule on your personal device. Suspicious links or email attachments should not be clicked. Operating system updates should be regularly applied to keep the operating system patched from latest security vulnerabilities.