BYOD

BYOD at St Kevin’s College (Bring Your Own Device)

Introduction

Why Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to St Kevin’s College ?

St Kevin’s College believes that 21st Century instruction is necessary for 21st Century learning. Providing students with an environment that fosters and encourages this belief is one of our strategic priorities towards implementing the NZ Curriculum. All members of the learning community hold the responsibility to value technology and achieve technological proficiency to prepare our students for future jobs, which currently may not exist.

Schools must challenge students with rigorous, personalised academic experiences, foster innovation and creativity, and embrace emerging technologies. In a 21st Century learning environment, students actively engage in a cohesively integrated curriculum, access information and apply it solving authentic problems.

Our students are living in a world where they have immediate access to information anytime and anywhere. Many students have personally owned devices in their pockets that can be used to allow them to learn in their own style and at their own pace. With digital learning, every student can access high quality and rigorous instruction in every subject, thereby maximising their opportunity for success in school and beyond. 

What is the “D” in BYOD?

For the purposes of BYOD, “Device” means a privately owned wireless and/or portable electronic piece of equipment that includes laptops, notebook, netbooks, tablets/slates, ipod Touches, e-Readers, cell and smartphones.

Personal Device User Policy

St Kevin’s College has a right to protect its network and technical resources. Thus, any network user who brings their own personal device into the school building is required to adhere to the Technology, BYOD and Cyber Safety Procedures and sign a copy of St Kevin’s College Student User Agreement. The Student User Agreement will be reviewed and adopted annually. The Cybersafety Agreement is signed along with the entry to school documentation.

BYOD Acceptable Use 

Security and Damages: Responsibility to keep the device secure rests with the individual owner. 

The St Kevin's College System, nor its staff or employees, is not liable for any device stolen or damaged on campus. If a device is stolen or damaged, it will be handled through the administrative office similar to other personal artifacts that are impacted in similar situations. It is recommended that skins (decals) and other custom touches are used to physically identify your device from others. Additionally, protective cases for technology are encouraged. 

BYOD St Kevin's College Student Agreement 

The use of personal technology to provide educational material is a privilege. A student does not have the right to use his or her laptop, cell phone or other electronic device while at school. When abused, privileges will be taken away. When respected, this will benefit the learning environment as a whole. Students and parents/guardians participating in BYOD must adhere to the Student Code of Conduct, as well as all Board policies, particularly Internet Acceptable Use and Internet Safety. Additionally, technology: 

● May not be used to cheat on assignments or tests. 

● May only be used to access files on computer or internet sites which are relevant to the classroom curriculum. Games are not permitted except where gamification is an accepted pedagogical approach used by classroom teachers.

Students acknowledge that: 

● The school's network filters will be applied to one's connection to the internet and attempts will not be made to bypass them. 

● Bringing on premises or infecting the network with a Virus, Trojan, or program designed to damage, alter, destroy, or provide access to unauthorized data or information is in violation of Student Acceptable Use Policy.  

● Processing or accessing information on school property related to “hacking”, altering, or bypassing network security policies is in violation of Student Acceptable Use Policy. 

● St Kevin's College will deny service to any device that is suspected of causing problems or was the source of an attack or virus infection.  

● It is the owner’s responsibility for the repair of any malfunctioning / damaged devices. St Kevin's College does not supply technical services for student owned devices. 

● Personal technology is charged prior to bringing it to school and runs off its own battery while at school. Charging your device will be available on a limited basis and is at the discretion of the classroom teacher. 

● Teachers will encourage the use of personal digital devices whenever possible and students will be able to use them for homework activities. 

● Students will use cloud based applications such as Google Drive and Google Classroom for file management. 

● Rules, including the cyber-safety policies, governing the use of any school-owned digital device will apply to student-owned devices, while they are at school, including adherence to the Copyright act. 

As new technologies continue to change the world in which we live, they also provide many new and positive educational benefits for classroom instruction.