Year 9 BYOD in 2023
In 2021, Reservoir High introduced a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program to all students in Years 10, 11 and 12.
As a school, and as a system, we have learned a great deal about how technology can be used to support effective teaching and learning. We know that technology can both engage students, and also support students in their learning in many different ways. Feedback from the students is that the use of personal devices has allowed for greater collaboration, increased personalisation of learning tasks and multiple ways to present their learning.
In 2022, we extended our BYOD program to students in Year 9. This communication is to give you advanced notice that in 2023, your child will be required to use a device to support their learning while at school.
The school has partnered with Edunet to provide a parent portal with a range of devices available for purchase. All purchases through the portal can also include extended warranties, insurance and accessories. While we support families using the portal to purchase devices, as a family, you can choose to source the device from any provider you wish. You may also use a current device. If you are purchasing a device from another provider, or bringing a current device, our minimum specifications are-
- Windows 10 or Mac OS 10.4 minimum
- It must hold charge for 8 hours
- 10 inch screen (this does include 9.7 inch iPads. IPads must have an attached keyboard)
- 8 Gb Ram
- 128Gb SSD (We recommend 256 Gb SSD)
We strongly recommend the use of a touch screen device for all students. Devices that operate with a touch screen, stylus and can be folded into tablet mode allow for greater flexibility in learning. The school recommends the use of the Lenovo ThinkPad 500w Gen 3 as it is both a touch screen and has the specifications that will support longevity of use. The Lenovo ThinkPad 500w Gen 3 is available on both our school portal and all stores that sell computers. Please note, a touch screen device is not required, only recommended.
The portal can be accessed from-
https://reservoirhs.technologyportal.com.au/
The password to access the portal is-
RHSBYOD
Please note that the Department of Education is unable to offer insurance or cover the cost of damage to personal devices. Please consider insurance when you purchase your device.
In 2023, Reservoir High School will continue to utilise Microsoft Teams and Office365 as the basis for all classroom digital environments in conjunction with Compass. Office 365 is provided free for all students at Reservoir High. There is no need to purchase or activate copies of Office 365 if you buy a new device. The use of a personal device to support the learning of students is fundamental in a 21st century classroom. For families experiencing financial hardship, please contact Amy Angelovski at the school with supports.
We understand the addition cost that the provision of a BYOD is for a family. As a school, we have worked hard to off-set this cost by reducing the number of textbooks required for purchase in Year 9. This includes increasing the number of text books to be retained from Year 8 and providing options around the use of Digital editions of the textbook for installing on a student’s device.