St Patrick’s Marist College runs a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program.
Students in Grades 7 to 12, are required to bring an Apple or Windows laptop (not iPad) to use for educational purposes. Having consistent access to learning technology will enable your child to build the necessary digital literacy skills required in our ever-changing landscape.
A wealth of studies identify the positive benefits of infusing technology into the classroom.
The BYOD program at the College is a deep commitment to building digital capacity and responsible digital citizenship as an integral part of learning. Digital skills unpin and support the development of entrepreneurial skills, specifically:
- critical thinking
- student-centred learning practice
- working collaboratively
- learning to share in ethical ways
- shared knowledge construction
- problem-solving.
Student devices will be used to access our Google suite including Google Classroom.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is a powerful tool for learning and at St Patrick’s Marist College we focus on using ICT tools embedded in the best practice of teaching and learning to meet present and future learning needs for all students.
We utilise technology in an innovative and creative manner so that the learning outcomes for students are presented with depth and quality.
We use a combination of digital and traditional mediums of communication balancing both typing and handwriting activities, and integrating many internet services into the daily student experience.
A focus of this initiative is digital citizenship, which is the responsible use of technology. Your child will learn digital skills, ethics, etiquette, and online safety.
PARTICIPATION IN THIS INITIATIVE IS COMPULSORY
Your child will not be left out if they do not have a device. St Patrick’s Marist College will continue to provide support to families who are unable to access a personal device for their child due to financial reasons.
Please contact the College to discuss this matter further.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
- Device Requirements
- Purchasing
- Support
- FAQs
Should I buy a Windows or Apple device?
Your child will require a laptop to use at school. While there are other device options, in order to get a 3-5 year lifespan from your device, we recommend the following:
MacBook Air (from $1349 in the Apple Education store)
With a battery life of 9+ hours, this powerful laptop can easily handle any school work. You also have the option of purchasing Apple Care which provides expert technical support and additional hardware coverage from Apple, including unlimited incidents of accidental damage protection. This is highly recommended.
The recommended device is a MacBook Air, as this usually lasts the entirety of high school. Second-hand Apple laptops are not recommended and Apple laptops purchased prior to 2020 are also not recommended. Windows devices are accepted, as long as they meet the hardware specifications below.
Devices that are NOT accepted include iPads, Chromebooks and other Android devices. These are not suitable for school purposes.
What are the hardware specifications for student devices?
To meet the needs of a student at our College all devices should have:
- A minimum 10 inch screen (please note that any screen size larger than 13.3 inches is too large for use at school)
- A minimum 6 hour battery life (devices need to last the school day without charging)
- Wireless capability to connect to the School Wi-Fi network (Device must have 5GHz 802.11n support. This may be advertised as “Dual Band Wireless”, “802.11abgn”, “802.11agn”, “802.11ac” or “Gigabit Wireless”. Devices marketed as “802.11bgn” probably do not support the required standard.)
- An internet browser (Google Chrome is the school's preferred and recommended browser, however Google Apps also support Safari on Apple and Edge on Windows)
- Apple MacOS 11.0 or higher
- Windows 10 (build 1709) or higher - Windows S mode is not recommended
- An in-built camera and microphone
Do I need to purchase software for my child's device?
Parents do not need to purchase any additional software for students to use at school. Most often, students will use Google Suites for their daily tasks. The College will also provide a Microsoft Office license and Adobe Creative Cloud license for all enrolled students to use at school and home.
Where should I purchase my student device?
Student devices can be purchased at any retail store of your choice. There is no restriction placed on the purchase location.
If you are purchasing an Apple laptop, it is worth checking out the Apple Education Store to receive the education discount.
Families also can purchase student devices from Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) BYOD Portal, which will provide access to the following additional options:
- Access to a 'one stop online shop' with access to items from recommended devices to peripherals including adaptors, external hard drives and protective cases
- Access to a subsided educational price list for all Apple devices
- Optional extension to Apple Care warranty inclusive in purchase price
- Access to a large range of 1:1 and/or group Genius Bar courses in store 0% interest on purchase plans.
Should I purchase an additional warranty or insurance for a student device?
Warranty and insurance can add to the cost of a device, but they provide you with peace of mind. Accidental Damage Protection can be purchased to cover situations where the laptop is dropped or knocked over (or stood on, or crushed). Students at St Patrick’s Marist often travel distances in peak hour. Students also have sport and PDHPE class multiple times per week. All increase the risk of damage.
All students are provided with a locker and required to supply a lock so that the device can be secured during break times when students do not have the device with them. It is strongly encouraged that parents buy protective covers for their child’s device to guard against damage from every day wear and tear.
For insurance against loss or theft, your best course of action is to specifically list the device as a valuable on the home contents insurance. Whether this is needed depends on your personal situation and is your decision to make. Please keep in mind it is exceedingly rare that a laptop is lost or misplaced while at school and cannot be found again.
What if my child's laptop is not working in class?
The BYOD devices specified within this guide will be supported by the College ICT Team throughout the school day to provide assistance to students. The ICT support team are located in the College Library. The ICT Support team can provide students with assistance in a multitude of areas, including:
- Getting a device connected to the school Wi-Fi network
- Program administration
- Being a first point of call for students and parents with questions about the administration of the program
- Installing software, E-books available to students
- Diagnosing hardware faults with the device and advising students and families of an appropriate course of action for repairs.
- Using a device to interact with school - providing services such as internet access, printing, file access and online learning tools.
The ICT Team, however, cannot mediate disputes, fix devices with non-warranty issues or facilitate repairs for devices.
It should be noted that ICT support will be at specific times (lunch and recess), not during class. The device should be viewed as another tool for students to use, if it is not working in a particular class they will need to seek assistance from the School ICT Service Desk at lunch or recess.
Will students be able to print from their device?
Students can print their work in the school library at cost. However, the necessity to print should be minimal as work can be transferred between students and teachers via Google Classroom.
Who can I seek help from about student devices?
If you need further advice around student devices, please contact the College and we will direct your enquiry to the most appropriate staff member to help you.
When can students use their devices?
During the school day devices may only be used in class and at the discretion of the teacher. The devices are viewed as a learning tool and as such, when students are at recess or lunch devices should be securely stored in their lockers.
Does subject choice impact on the suitability of a student's device?
Once students move into Year 9, they start to have some input into their choice of subject. If a student selects, or is interested in selecting, a subject such as Film-Making or Information and Software Technology, for example, you may see the need for a more powerful Mac device. Families should be aware that choice of devices is personal and should be used to further your child's learning. If you require further advice on student devices, please contact the College.
How is student use of devices and the Internet monitored?
Students will only be using devices in class under teacher direction and instruction. Students will use their devices in a manner that allows teachers to view their screens as the teacher moves around the classroom. Students who make a choice to use their devices inappropriately will be dealt with as a behaviour issue.
All student use of the school’s network and internet is filtered and monitored. Their web history is able to be tracked. Parents should be aware that if they provide their child with a 3G/4G connected device the College is unable to filter internet use through these devices.
The use of VPNs at the school is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, Google Chrome plugins and extensions should only be used if they have an educational benefit, i.e. Grammarly etc. No game extensions should be installed on student Google Chrome school profiles.
The College has a policy providing guidelines that support safe and responsible use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and social media. They are intended to be used as a teaching tool about safe and mature digital citizenship. You can access this information from the 'Policies' page of our website.
MORE ABOUT LEARNING AT ST PATRICK'S MARIST COLLEGE