Laptops and Technology
Yes. We have been considering the BYOD path for Year 7-9 students for a while. PLC is moving towards this for a future year, giving our teaching staff sufficient time to adjust syllabus material, student experiences, and produce online support content.
We are a Google Apps for Education school, however, Microsoft Office will be made available as a backup.
Connection to the Internet is usually sufficient. Storage is now cloud based with limitless capacity provided. We still provide printer stations around the school where the girls can print anything they need to.
Just about all the software we use at PLC is permitted on BYO laptops while being used for school. Upon leaving PLC, the software needs to be uninstalled. Our licensing is BYOD aware so the software required for Music and Art subjects is covered (Adobe Suite and Sibelius). You have no need to purchase additional licences.
Textbooks are under more stringent licences than computer software.
The book list and publishers are still being chosen by classroom teachers.
Once books are purchased, if the publisher provides a soft copy, there is no reason not to install them onto a tablet, iPad or laptop. Technical Services can assist with that process if required.
The online cost includes only 1 year back to base warranty. Our negotiated deal is 3 years on site repair with swap out machine, plus 3 years accidental damage insurance. We have a dedicated laptop support person who manages all repairs.
The whole intent of the BYOD program is to develop ownership skills for a digital world. To foster independence and a proper understanding of how technology requires more than just a purchase.
With support from Technical Services, we will always help with general advice, but have no capacity to organise repairs, warranty calls and so on. The warranty and insurance is part of the purchase of the machine. If we are not organising the purchase, then we cannot help with taking machines back to the place of purchase or chasing up warranty claims.
We don't provide MS Office for the BYOD machines so you would need to purchase this licence.
As we are a Google Apps for Education school we encourage the girls to use this. The advantages are that their files are backed up instantly and if there is a problem with their laptop they can access their files from any other machine.