Digital Learning and BYOD
At Rosehill College, we are committed to leveraging digital technologies to enhance our students' learning experiences. As part of this commitment, all students are recommended to have a personal digital device, which they will use to access educational resources, collaborate with peers, and engage in interactive learning activities.
To ensure a safe and effective digital learning environment, we require all parents and caregivers to review and agree to our Cybersecurity and BYOD Agreement before their child is enrolled at Rosehill College. This agreement outlines the responsibilities and expectations for both students and parents regarding the use of digital devices and online behaviour.
By adhering to these guidelines, we aim to provide a secure and productive digital learning environment that supports our students' educational growth and prepares them for the future. Please take the time to read through the Cybersecurity and BYOD Agreement to understand the policies and procedures in place to protect and enhance your child's digital learning experience at Rosehill College.
Rosehill College Cybersecurity and BYOD Agreement
E Learning
At Rosehill College, all students benefit from the additional learning opportunities that a digital device provides, making it a necessary learning tool. Each student's device will need to connect to the Rosehill College wireless network, and some devices will be better suited to this task than others. Rosehill College recommends a Chromebook as a functional and affordable tool that gives students access to Google applications, which teachers use to manage resources, lessons, and assessments. Other devices, such as laptops and tablets, will also work within our IT infrastructure.
The following minimum specifications for a Chromebook are recommended:
- Memory Size: 2GB
- Screen Size: 11.6 inches
- Screen Resolution: 1366×768
- SSD or HDD Capacity: 16GB
- Operating System: Chrome OS
Chromebooks are browser-based devices that provide users with access to the web through the Google Chrome browser. This allows all teachers and students to access the suite of Google tools, including:
- Gmail: Email service
- Classroom: Software for receiving and submitting classwork
- Drive: Cloud-based office productivity software (documents, spreadsheets, calendar, forms)
- Meet: Online video conferences
- Sites: Website creation software
- YouTube: Video service
eLearning at Rosehill College
Rosehill College is enthusiastic about the opportunities that eLearning offers our students. We acknowledge that the world is changing and that opportunities for different learning and teaching approaches have been created through the rapid development of technologies worldwide.
The New Zealand Curriculum explicitly states that our vision is to foster young people who will be "confident, connected, actively involved and lifelong learners" (NZC, 2007). The Technology learning area within the New Zealand Curriculum strengthens the positioning of digital technologies to ensure that all learners have the opportunity to become digitally capable individuals. This provides a greater focus on students building their skills so they can be innovative creators of digital solutions, moving beyond solely being users and consumers of digital technologies.
"The digital curriculum is about teaching children how to design their own digital solutions and become creators of, not just users of, digital technologies, to prepare them for the modern workforce."
Chris Hipkins,2018
The Benefits of BYOD
There are many advantages to students bringing their own devices to support their educational needs. A student-owned internet-capable device can be an important part of a student’s educational toolkit, providing instant access to unlimited resources and enabling them to support, extend, communicate, and share their learning in ways that are constantly evolving and improving.
Some of the benefits of BYOD include:
- Students learn to manage files and resources for their classes through cloud computing.
- Students engage in online communication with teachers, parents, and peers to support their learning.
- Anywhere-anytime access to targeted and broad resources and information.
- Active learning partnerships and collaborations in synchronous and asynchronous environments.
Cyber Security
At Rosehill College, we understand the importance of providing a safe and secure digital environment for our students while also harnessing the vast educational resources available online. To facilitate this, each student is equipped with a school Google Apps for Education (GAFE) account, allowing seamless access to curriculum-aligned content and services. Rest assured, all user accounts are rigorously filtered, and email content can be scrutinised if necessary.
To ensure the responsible use of digital resources, we require all students and families to read and sign the Rosehill College Cyber Safety Agreement upon enrollment. Here’s a summary of its key provisions:
- Teacher-Guided Learning: Students use digital devices under the guidance of teachers during learning activities.
- School-Related Use: The school’s network and internet services are designated for educational purposes only.
- Network Permissions: Teaching staff are authorized to access student accounts for teaching and learning purposes.
- Responsible Usage: Students must refrain from accessing, emailing, or storing offensive or illegal material.
- Consequences for Misuse: Any violation of these guidelines may result in account disablement and loss of network access, with families being promptly informed.
As parents, we encourage you to actively engage in promoting cyber safety awareness. To assist you in this endeavour, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of tools and tips to protect your children online. Here’s the link.
Furthermore, we strongly recommend familiarising yourselves with cyber safety issues through resources such as Netsafe, a New Zealand organization dedicated to educating and safeguarding against online threats. Visiting their website is highly recommended.
Your partnership in promoting cyber safety is invaluable. Together, we can ensure a secure and enriching digital learning environment for all our students.
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