About BYOD
What is BYOD?
Bring your own device (BYOD) is the terminology being used in education that encourages students to bring their own portable computers to school and into the classroom to assist and enhance their learning.
Why has Mount Hutt College introduced BYOD?
Our experience with our current BYOD programmes this year and extensive research show:
· That we need to prepare our students for future tertiary study and the work environment.
· There are increased opportunities for collaborative learning.
· It increases access to a huge range of electronic resources, which help enhance learning.
· Engagement and motivation of students is increased.
· There are a number of pedagogical benefits: (a) the NZ Curriculum specifically references the value of eLearning and (b) international research shows the benefits of eLearning for students.
· To continue to improve teaching and learning at MHC.
· Students exist in a largely ‘digital world’ outside of school, but school is often a non-digital world. This programme has potential to increase engagement in learning as they use the tools they are most familiar with to facilitate learning.
If you have a portable computer device at home (other than a smartphone) then that will be perfectly fine for use in the classroom. We will be able to work with any device that can access the internet. If you do not have a device at home, then please see the following recommendations.
What types of computers/devices will be suitable?
The choice of the device will largely be up to families although there are minimum specifications that all devices must have:
· Screen size – recommended larger than an IPad mini
· Wireless capable
· Battery that can last at least 6 hours
· Headphone jack
· Microsoft Office package is an advantage and necessary for senior students
· A keyboard, or the ability to attach one
Ability to run Flash player is an advantage
The Windows based devices have been easier to use in the classroom
Our partnership with Cyclone Computers
We have established a partnership between Cyclone Computers and Mount Hutt College. This will enable assistance with purchasing of devices, insurance, maintenance, trouble shooting, financing options and professional development for staff.
www.cyclone.co.nz
Find Mount Hutt College in the list of schools on the right of the page.
Password: mhcbyod
As well as this our school is looking into an Office 365 licence which will enable all of our students to access Student Advantage which is a free Microsoft Office package for students.
eLearning in the classroom
The amount that students will use their devices will differ from class to class and teacher to teacher. Some subjects lend themselves to using a computer more naturally than others. All teachers will have been provided considerable professional development and implementation time to allow them to feel confident in teaching a class where students have a computer each. Our expectation is that the students will use their computers more often than not.
Points to note
Insurance and warranties for the computers will be the responsibility of families. We will provide access to lockable lockers so that computers will be safe onsite. Locks can be rented through the office at minimal charge.
Students will be responsible for bringing their computers to school every day, fully charged. They will also need to be committed to learning how to use their computer in their own time, so that they are ready to use it as a tool for learning when in lessons.
Internet filtering will be provided through the Ministry of Education’s N4L (Network for Learning) platform.
Planning is underway for an online orientation programme that all BYOD students will be required to complete at the start of 2015. The goal of this is to help students to manage their computers responsibly, learn how to store files in a logical way so that they can locate and retrieve them when required.
IT help will be provided both at school and through Cyclone if required.
Our school infrastructure has been improved which includes a specialist, reliable BYOD wireless network that is accessible through-out the school.
Bring your own device (BYOD) is the terminology being used in education that encourages students to bring their own portable computers to school and into the classroom to assist and enhance their learning.
Why has Mount Hutt College introduced BYOD?
Our experience with our current BYOD programmes this year and extensive research show:
· That we need to prepare our students for future tertiary study and the work environment.
· There are increased opportunities for collaborative learning.
· It increases access to a huge range of electronic resources, which help enhance learning.
· Engagement and motivation of students is increased.
· There are a number of pedagogical benefits: (a) the NZ Curriculum specifically references the value of eLearning and (b) international research shows the benefits of eLearning for students.
· To continue to improve teaching and learning at MHC.
· Students exist in a largely ‘digital world’ outside of school, but school is often a non-digital world. This programme has potential to increase engagement in learning as they use the tools they are most familiar with to facilitate learning.
If you have a portable computer device at home (other than a smartphone) then that will be perfectly fine for use in the classroom. We will be able to work with any device that can access the internet. If you do not have a device at home, then please see the following recommendations.
What types of computers/devices will be suitable?
The choice of the device will largely be up to families although there are minimum specifications that all devices must have:
· Screen size – recommended larger than an IPad mini
· Wireless capable
· Battery that can last at least 6 hours
· Headphone jack
· Microsoft Office package is an advantage and necessary for senior students
· A keyboard, or the ability to attach one
Ability to run Flash player is an advantage
The Windows based devices have been easier to use in the classroom
Our partnership with Cyclone Computers
We have established a partnership between Cyclone Computers and Mount Hutt College. This will enable assistance with purchasing of devices, insurance, maintenance, trouble shooting, financing options and professional development for staff.
www.cyclone.co.nz
Find Mount Hutt College in the list of schools on the right of the page.
Password: mhcbyod
As well as this our school is looking into an Office 365 licence which will enable all of our students to access Student Advantage which is a free Microsoft Office package for students.
eLearning in the classroom
The amount that students will use their devices will differ from class to class and teacher to teacher. Some subjects lend themselves to using a computer more naturally than others. All teachers will have been provided considerable professional development and implementation time to allow them to feel confident in teaching a class where students have a computer each. Our expectation is that the students will use their computers more often than not.
Points to note
Insurance and warranties for the computers will be the responsibility of families. We will provide access to lockable lockers so that computers will be safe onsite. Locks can be rented through the office at minimal charge.
Students will be responsible for bringing their computers to school every day, fully charged. They will also need to be committed to learning how to use their computer in their own time, so that they are ready to use it as a tool for learning when in lessons.
Internet filtering will be provided through the Ministry of Education’s N4L (Network for Learning) platform.
Planning is underway for an online orientation programme that all BYOD students will be required to complete at the start of 2015. The goal of this is to help students to manage their computers responsibly, learn how to store files in a logical way so that they can locate and retrieve them when required.
IT help will be provided both at school and through Cyclone if required.
Our school infrastructure has been improved which includes a specialist, reliable BYOD wireless network that is accessible through-out the school.