BYODD
What is BYOD?
Bring your own Device, or BYOD, is a technical trend in education that allows users to bring their own personal technology devices into the classroom. CCCHS believes that allowing families to choose their own devices fosters a greater sense of ownership and connection between the student and their device. Bringing an approved device to school every day is a mandatory condition of enrolment at Corpus Christi Catholic High School.
What’s the extra “D”?
The extra “D” in BYODD stands for ‘Designated’. This means that the device you choose must meet certain specifications. We need to ensure that the device is capable of doing what our Learning Advisors need it to. This will prevent disruptions to learning resulting from failures or incompatibilities due to equipment that is too old, slow or lacks the necessary components.
There’s a myriad of technology out there, so we like to keep our requirements simple:
It must be an Apple Mac laptop, any of the current MacBook Air or MacBook Pro models.
It must have a battery that lasts for 8 hours or more.
CCCHS does not permit using laptop chargers at school (students using chargers in class can be a trip hazard). You must not rely on the ability to recharge the laptop during the day. There is a charging station in the LRC Foyer, which is available from the start of Recess, but students can not rely on a spot in it being available as it may be fully utilised. All batteries degenerate over time, if it lasts for 8 hours now, it won’t in 12 months time, so choose the longest-lasting battery that fits your budget. Choosing something with a battery that last 9+ hours is a safer bet.
It must have 5GHz wireless capability, at minimum N or AC speeds.
This refers to the wireless card or chip inside the device. CCCHS runs a high-density wireless network that makes use of the 5GHz spectrum to optimally deliver high-speed wireless access to our students and staff. Wireless is typically delivered over 2 spectrums, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 2.4Ghz is commonly used in home and office routers and can suffer from performance degradation in highly dense environments such as apartment blocks, or anywhere where there is lots of wireless activity. All new Apple Devices support 5GHz. (6GHz is not currently widely used however the school is ready for it)
Which year groups are included in the BYODD Program?
All Year groups are included in the BYODD program and are required to bring a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro that meets the requirements.
Who is paying for the devices?
The devices will be purchased and owned by families. Many resellers offer payment plans please consult them for details.
Can we use a laptop we already own?
The aim of the program is to ensure ALL students are equipped with reliable, high-performing devices that allow for the development of an equitable learning environment for students to learn in. Therefore it is imperative that no student is disadvantaged by having a device that lacks the reliability or the performance to meet the demands of daily use. CCCHS is discouraging the use of older, less reliable devices. Pre-owned devices can be used if, and only if:
The device is deemed to meet the minimum requirements of battery life and wireless connectivity as outlined above.
The device is an Apple MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. We do not support any other device including iPads. Chromebooks are used as loan devices however this provides a minimum for students to be able to access email, websites and Google Suite software. Other software that the school uses can not be used on a Chromebook. Our Loan devices are managed and can access the school WIFI and ZScaler (internet protection).
What do I need to set up on the laptop?
Students will need to have an account (user) setup on the laptop with "Allow user to administer this computer" ticked. They need this to install the Managed Software Center (MSC). We also recommend that you have another account set up with the same permissions just in case the student forgets the password.
Do I need to purchase software?
The School provides software via the Managed Software Center and students are no longer limited to this as they can install software themselves.
Do I need Anti-Virus?
If you want to install Anti-Virus software you can. We recommend you choose something with Malware protection as Malware is more common than Viruses on Mac's. Some Anti-virus programs interfere with the school's web filtering and students may encounter problems accessing the internet at school, this is generally 'web protection' through Anti-virus software that causes this.
Apple have Platform Security does have malware protection built in.
**Norton Anti-Virus does cause issues so we don't recommend using this product.
What happens when I leave school?
Because we no longer image the laptops you don't need to do anything special apart from removing the Managed Software Centre, and signing out of your student account in Google Chrome. I program is run on the laptop to remove ZScaler and Managed Software Centre.
Should I purchase the optional insurance?
We highly recommend you purchase insurance that covers accidental damage and theft protection. Insurance is available as an optional extra through the online portal at the time of laptop purchase. The security of the device rests with the individual owner and, as such, CCCHS takes no responsibility for stolen, lost, or damaged devices. While CCCHS will help students to identify how to keep personal devices secure, students will have the final responsibility for securing their personal devices. Please check with your homeowner’s policy regarding coverage of personal electronic devices, as many insurance policies can cover loss or theft.
How will the devices be supported?
One of the aims of this program is for students to take responsibility for the care of the device. CCCHS IT department will be available to assist students with various issues like connecting to wireless and troubleshooting basic issues related to software. As the CCCHS IT department is not an authorised Apple repairer, with no access to Apple parts; the IT Department cannot repair or replace hardware from student's laptops.
Do I need to perform backups?
Yes, we recommend that you backup or at least store your work in more than one device/location. Working from Google Drive is a good solution however it is only one location so we recommend you have a copy somewhere else as well. Portable USB drives can be configured to use TimeMachine (software on the laptop) which is backup software designed to automatically backup whenever a backup location is detected. That could be a USB drive, network drive, or other solutions such as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) which is a storage device accessible to anyone on the same network at home. If your laptop needs to be re-imaged, everything on that laptop is deleted so backing up or having data on a different device is important if you want to retain the data.
Remember hardware can fail at any time without warning.
HSC assessments work - advice to parents
Frequently save and back up all computer work. Technology failure is generally not an acceptable excuse for submitting work late.
What are the warranty arrangements?
The devices available through the online portal come with 1-year warranty with optional Apple care that takes the total cover to 3-year warranty. Should a warranty claim arise, the CCCHS IT team can facilitate warranty repairs on behalf of families if requested. This means IT staff will arrange for the laptop to be sent away for repair on behalf of the owner.
Will loan devices be available?
A pool of CCCHS-designated devices will be made available for students should their device be unavailable due to repairs. These devices are clearly labelled as CCCHS property and the loan time will be restricted to a maximum of two weeks. There will be no charge for this loan. With that said, loan laptops will NOT be issued to students who have forgotten to bring their laptop to school, only students with laptops away for repair are eligible for loan laptops.
Will the school provide WIFI?
Yes. Whilst the school is open, students will be able to connect to the internet through the school WIFI service when they are on CCCHS premises. Students choosing to stay at school after normal hours for study or homework help will be able to remain online. Access outside of school hours can be obtained via the WIFI coverage in the Bus bay.
Will there be web filtering at CCCHS?
When students are on school premises and connected to the internet through the school’s WIFI network, sites and content will be filtered according to school policy. Inappropriate websites detected to contain age-restricted material, potentially harmful material or illegal content will not be accessible. In addition, any site that the school deemed not appropriate will be blocked whilst on site.
Will there be web filtering at home?
CCCHS is only able to guarantee web filtering while students use the CCCHS wireless network at School.
Will my son or daughter be able to use 3G/4G connections instead of the school WIFI network?
No, students must use the school’s WIFI service to connect to the internet whilst on school premises. 3G/4G connections can become very costly and are not subject to web filtering.
Will my son/daughter be able to recharge the device at school?
There is a charging station in the LRC foyer which is available for use from the start of Recess. Students are still required to bring their devices to school fully charged at the start of each day.
Charging devices will not be loaned to students.
What if my son/daughter forgets to bring their device to school?
Loan devices will NOT be issued to students who forget to bring their devices. Students will need to use pen and paper for the day.
What about printing?
Limited printing will be offered to the students at a cost. This is in line with the school's aim of minimising unnecessary printing. Students will be encouraged to submit work electronically to teachers. Where printing is absolutely necessary, students may print to the LRC printer at a cost.
See Printing for more information including installing home printers.
Will my son or daughter be able to download songs, movies and other media on their device?
Yes, as long as it is legal and follows the school policy. All-access to Internet resources, email, copyright material, etc on BYODD devices is governed by the Corpus Christi Catholic High School Learning Technologies Policy.
How will the devices be used in class?
The over-arching objective of the program is to transfer the ownership of learning to students by providing them with the opportunity to collaborate, communicate and research on a global level in real-time. Currently, our teachers deliver various teaching styles which range from setting specific online tasks to giving open-ended tasks where students are expected to find the solution however they can. With the introduction of our BYODD program, this will become more fluid and prevalent.
Will students use a computer in every lesson?
No, technology will only be used when appropriate and enhances the curriculum. Technology is only one of many tools used in modern pedagogy.
How will it be used in the classroom?
In a modern classroom, as the pedagogical focus moves from remembering content to creating content, technology can be used to allow students to creatively apply knowledge in the production of multimodal content, without the need to book a lab. Resource availability is no longer a limiting factor or impediment to pedagogical processes and ensures digital learning styles are no longer situational. Remembering, while still important, can be done at home and at the student's own speed, this potential will increase over time through increased digitisation of resources, and teachers exploring new delivery methods like flipped classrooms.
How can 1:1 access improve learning?
Technology can be used in the classroom to change the focus to the higher order activities like creating, evaluation and analysing. Modern productivity tools allow the student to create content much more readily, and the easy collaboration offered in online tools such as Google Apps can enable students to get peers analysing their content. By peer evaluating each other’s content can gain a deeper understanding of what they need to do when creating their own content.
Will students become too dependent on computers? Will students never use a book?
No, technology will not supplant a well-rounded education. Importantly the humble pencil is still part of the modern academic entry processes, and CCCHS will ensure that students are well prepared for externally run exams like the HSC. Electronic devices are just another tool in the wide spectrum of tools used in classrooms.
What about handwriting?
Handwriting will have a place in the classroom and remain important in the curriculum. However, it will not be the sole way students can create content in a standard classroom.
What's Next?
Laptop Boot Camp...