No. We will never require students to know the iTunes password. Students DO NOT NEED TO KNOW THE PASSWORD.

NO. We strongly recommend that parents are the device administrators and that you are the only ones that have the passwords required to download applications and software.

No, the BYOD program is not compulsory. However, we certainly hope parents follow our professional recommendations and participate. We have done our research and the decisions we make are deeply engrained in proven educational research. But ultimately each family will make a decision based on their individual circumstances.

Your child will have access to the schools current shared technology resources.

The 1-to-1 device will complement the existing school curriculum by providing appropriate digital learning tools in balance with more traditional learning tools. The goals of the curriculum are supported, not changed by the use of 1-to-1 devices. Students will use 1-to-1 devices where they serve a purpose, for instance, in research, data analysis and generating presentations. Wireless access will allow for ‘just-in-time’ learning where students can search for information or collaborate with others in real-time. Students will be able to use their school files at home and be able to collaborate with their peers.

The iPad becomes a tool amongst many at the disposal of the teacher and students throughout the day. With any learning experience, the teacher is best placed to decide which tool will be most effective in meeting the intended learning outcome. iPads are not intended to be a replacement or a substitute for any of the more conventional tools teachers have at their disposal. It is the school’s belief that any well rounded approach to education involves balanced access to a variety of tools. iPads simply increase the number of tools at the teacher’s disposal and are only used when they are the best tool for the job.

With greater access to real-time information, digital learning resources, educational software and collaborative work spaces, students experience higher levels of motivation and engagement in their learning. Typically students experience initial improvement in areas such as organisational and technological skills, revision, writing and editing work. With the development of presentations and other multimedia projects, students experience subsequent improvement in analytical, presentation and speaking skills. Involvement in ‘virtual work spaces’ creates opportunities for collaboration and communication, improving relationships in the classroom through a greater level of interaction between students, their peers and their teachers. A networked environment, where it is easy to share developing work and research with peers and teachers, is the environment students will live and work in during secondary school and the future. Students working together and providing solutions to real-world problems will create links beyond the classroom and move levels of thinking beyond a simple knowledge framework to complex analysis and evaluation. Increased levels of learning both in and out of school with an emphasis on higher order thinking, creative thinking and expression will be promoted.

• Researching topics and concepts being covered in class. Reflecting on their learning in a safe online environment that will be provided by the school. (More information about this to follow shortly).
• Developing strong critical thinking skills through using multiple sources of information. Learning about cyber safety and being a good digital citizen.
• Accessing, exploring and sharing learning using a range of media and skills including: animation, concept and mind mapping, digital video and image creation, drawing and painting, interactive curricular resources, logic and problem-solving, 3D modelling and game-making, presentation and multimedia tools, sound and music making and typing tutors.
• Accessing the school online learning portal.
• Reflecting on learning, goal setting, providing evidence of learning and much, much more.

Students will continue to be evaluated against the Victorian Curriclum. The devices complement the existing school curriculum by providing digital learning tools that link in with planned classroom activities. Wireless access points at schools will foster collaboration and teamwork, allowing students to search for information together and share the learning experience.

Yes, they will be doing word processing on them and this can be done by either using the touch screen or using a key board insert.

All the apps needed for school will be downloaded at school. All you need to do is sign the agreement and we do the rest. Once we have installed our management system you will still be able to download your own application.

The device will be able to access both the intranet and internet, so it needs to be WiFi. The school’s server has a “net nanny” that filters certain sites. Parents will need to set up internet connections at home if you want your child to access the internet at home.

No. The devices you purchase in grade 3 should last your child until the end of grade 6. However, some families may want to upgrade their devices and this is fine.

Yes, we have organised a way to print from all the selected devices. However, we will be encouraging students to 'think before you print'.

Yes, Mathletics is now an app on the iPad.

They sure will! The students will still be writing. However, we as teachers and parents must also recognise that typing is also a valid way of writing and one that most of us use far more frequently than handwriting. As our students move through their education and into employment, the need for them to be competent typists is only going to increase.

The spell checker is a tool to allow students immediate feedback on the correct spelling of words they use. It supplements our existing school spelling program, but does not replace it. We will still be explicitly teaching spelling from Foundation to Grade 6.

The devices will provide additional support for student learning, and therefore students will be supervised as they would be for any learning activity. Students WILL NOT be permitted to take their devices outside at recess or lunch times. All devices will stay inside the classrooms where they are secure.

Students will not be able to download apps without the password for either the iTunes App Store. It is a family decision as to if students know these passwords or not. It is the responsibility of families to monitor the apps / content on student devices.

The school has an internet filtering system that aims to stop inappropriate material reaching the students. Teacher supervision is also important in monitoring student usage and behaviour online. As always MDRPS is committed to online cyber safety education for all students. This will be an ongoing focus across the curriculum as we continue to reinforce strategies for appropriate and safe behaviour online. Students can and do occasionally come across inappropriate content. We believe that providing them with strategies to deal with such occasions in a safe and supportive environment is preferable to them dealing with the issue in unsupported circumstances.

No. Students will only use their own personal device. Students may work in pairs or small groups, but they will only ever use their personal device.

All devices will be made available to teachers, the school Principal or school technician on request. If any member of staff believe that a student may have inappropriate content on their device (eg: photos) they will inform the student that they are going to conduct a 'Device Check'.

The school will take every possible measure to protect equipment; however, students will ultimately be responsible for their device. Devices will not be covered by school or DET insurance. If your child damages their device, you will be liable for the cost of repairs.

The school will take every possible measure to protect equipment; however, accidents do happen. Ultimately, the person responsible for the damage will also be responsible for the cost of repairs. If a teacher damages a device, the school will cover the cost or repairs. If another child damages a device, their family will be responsible for the cost of repairs.

In the case where a teacher did not witness a device being damaged and students cannot agree on who is responsible for said damage, both students will be asked to write down their account of events and the school Principal will determine who is liable for the repair costs. If any party is not satisfied with the outcome of this decision, then all parties will be asked to complete a Statutory Declaration and the school Principal will advise families on how to proceed with the matter. ***We will do all we can to avoid any damage to student devices and will work with families to resolve any issues.

Parents/carers and students are required to sign the Agreement regarding the acceptable use of internet and equipment. If this Agreement is not signed and returned the student will be excluded from the BYOD program. They will have access to a school owned and managed device that will remain at school.

If this is the case your child will have access to the school’s existing technology to support their learning.

Apps can be loaded onto any other device that uses the same Apple ID. Please be aware that all devices that use the same Apple ID have the capability to share content. For example, a photo taken on an iPhone that shares an Apple ID could sync over to the iPad automatically.

Yes, however the purchase of all apps, games, music etc must be made with an Apple ID which requires a password. The owner of the Apple ID must be at least 13 years of age and it is strongly recommended that this is a parent. Hence parents have control over the Apple ID password and what is installed on the iPad.

Yes, students can store their music on the devices. Again this requires the use of the Apple ID / Windows ID which the parent should have control over. It is the responsibility of the account owner to ensure that music is appropriate for school.

If school staff notice that inappropriate apps or music are on the device, the parent will be contacted and asked to remove the inappropriate material. Educational applications will be considered the priority on the devices and the school reserves the right to request information which does not support educational outcomes be removed if it impedes the tool’s intended purpose or is taking up too much space on the device.

Users of Facebook MUST be 13 years of age or older, hence Facebook should not be used on the device. Access to Facebook is blocked at school.

The school is unable to regulate student internet usage at home. We encourage parents to be aware of what their child is doing on any Internet enabled device (computer, iPad, iPhone, iPod) and strongly encourage the use of these devices in family areas only (not in private areas such as bedrooms). Alternatively we stongly recommend using the APPLE family Screen guide feature or download the 'screen guide' by Mosyle manager application to set restrictions and manage usage.

Yes, all devices must have a protective case and screen protection.

Families are responsible for ensuring data is backed up at home. We will not be backing up student devices at school. We will be showing students how to save individual files and work samples to our school server / online platform.

All the selected devices will last all day with no problems at all. The iPad has an up to 10 hour battery life and that is more than adequate for a day’s use in the classroom. There is an expectation that devices will be bought to school fully charged each day. There will NOT be charging facilities at school for your child’s devices. This reinforces to the students the importance of being responsible for your device and ensuring you are prepared for each day of learning.

In the situation where a student breaks the Agreement for safe and appropriate use of their device, their will be consequences as set out in the Agreement. Please note that consequences will not involve the removal of the students device as we see this as the equivalent as taking away a student's pens and pencils if they write something inappropriate. The BYOD devices are another learning tool and as such will not play a role in our disciplinary processes.

This depends on what work we are talking about. Students will be able to keep their work on their devices as they are a personal (not shared) device. Students will be able to share / save some tasks and work on out school portal also. If work is required to be printed, this is possible via our school servers.

The device is yours. You decide how it is used, however, it is essential that you understand that we have selected 'personal' devices. They are intended to be an individual device not a shared device.

Do not share your passwords with anyone. Find a safe place to store your device at home so that it is inaccessible by small children and difficult to locate in the event of a burglary. Ensure basic household security measures are followed at all times, such as locking doors and windows. When travelling in the car or on public transport ensure the device is placed inside its protective case. Do not throw your school bag as this could damage your device.