Digital Guidelines

Background:
These guidelines are to provide staff, students and students' caregivers with guidelines around how to manage students’ use of digital devices (computers, smartphones, iPods, etc) at school.  They are to support the college’s elearning goal of allowing “students to choose how they access their learning - digitally or non-digitally”.


Student Devices:
These guidelines cover all student-owned digital devices including:

  • computers (laptops, netbooks)
  • tablets  (e.g. iPad’s)
  • mobile phones  - especially smartphones
  • iPods and other playing devices

NOTE:
These guidelines do not cover digital devices that are exclusively for playing games.  Unless a teacher has arranged specifically for students to bring these to school for a specific learning task, gaming devices should not be brought to school.

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Student Guidelines:

  • Students may not charge digital devices at school.
  • Digital devices must be used for learning purposes.
  • All use of digital devices is covered by the ‘Acceptable Use Form’, which all students agree to when they enrol at Pakuranga College.
  • Students may not use digital devices at interval, lunchtime or between classes ... unless they are using them for school work in the library or other areas supervised by staff.
  • Students are fully responsible for the operation and safe-keeping of their devices, and for the back-up of their work.


School Guidelines:

  • The school will allow students to use their digital devices as part of their learning where reasonable and appropriate
  • The college will not provide storage or charging facilities for students
  • The college takes no responsibility for the operation or safe-keeping of students’ devices
  • The college will provide students who have a digital device with wireless access to the internet (including Moodle), printing and a Gmail account.  They will not have storage on the network.
  • The college may accept student work submitted as a PDF for internal assessments; or in other digital formats.  Students should check with their teacher first before submitting work digitally.

 

Student FAQ’s:

 When Can I Use My Device?

  • You may use your device in class for learning as long as it is appropriate, or has not been specifically banned during a period by the teacher (e.g. during a test or science experiment).
  • You may not use your device during interval, lunchtime or between classes, unless you are in the library (or other supervised areas) doing school work.
  • You may not use your device during class for non-learning activities such as playing games, checking your email, surfing the web on unrelated matters.

 

What Happens if I Misuse my Device?

  • The teacher will give you a warning.  If you continue to misuse your device the teacher may insist that you turn the machine off for the rest of the period, or for a longer period if necessary.  
  • Continued or significant misuse may result in you being banned from bringing your device to school, or more serious consequences as part of the general school rules.

 

When Am I Responsible For?

  • You are responsible for ensuring that your device ...
          ... is fully charged before you bring it to school
          ... has software that works properly
          ... is regularly backed up
          ... does not have inappropriate stickers or desktops on it
  • When using your device, you must ensure that ...
          ... you do not break copyright  laws
          ... do not access or store inappropriate files on your device

Can I submit my assessment digitally?

  • Where reasonable and appropriate, you may submit their work digitally.  Work submitted digitally must be done as a PDF, unless the teacher specifically states otherwise (e.g. video, power point, image, etc).  You should always check with your teacher that you may submit your work digitally.
  • You must ensure that your file can be opened by staff, and that the formatting will not change when the teacher opens it.  Any problems resulting from teachers being unable to open files or changes to formatting are your responsibility.
  • You must also ensure that any files you submit are virus-free.