AISM Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program Guide Information for Parents and Students
Introduction Learning and Technology
As the world becomes more interconnected, many schools are likewise increasingly exploring the strategic role of technology in their learning communities. Digital technologies continually engage learners to discover potential ways to enhance, augment and even redefine the learning process. Innovative learning technologies have become instrumental in preparing students to become future-ready global citizens as they become equipped with the essential 21st century skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. At AISM, technology initiatives aim to constantly challenge students and teachers to pursue relevant and purposeful ways to integrate technology into meaningful learning experiences. Beginning SY 2018-2019, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program has been amended to become compulsory for Grades 7 to 12 students. In this initiative, students are required to responsibly bring, use and manage their own laptops as their primary device for learning activities in campus and at home. Students need to comply with the technical specifications determined by the I.T. Department, including the rules and regulations governing ethical usage and accessibility.
Rationale Why do we need a BYOD program?
A recent school survey shows that a sweeping majority of AISM students in grades 9 to 12 were already utilizing their own laptops in school even with the non-compulsory BYOD program. A few students in Grades 6 to 8, even with the middle school 1:1 iPad program in place, also sometimes bring their own laptops. We can glean from the survey that students essentially embrace a school environment that enables them to utilize their learning tools of choice for both independent and collaborative activities. With this positive reception from students, the compulsory BYOD program will be implemented in view of the following learning benefits: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
fosters personalization/customization of student-centered learning promotes greater student agency in the choice and technical familiarity of learning tools provides more opportunities for diverse/multiple modalities and representations of student learning facilitates more efficient student collaboration helps teachers to differentiate instruction more easily enhances work productivity teaches student accountability on responsible and ethical use of technology
Coverage Who are required to do the BYOD?
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All students in Grades 7 to 12 in the secondary school are required to purchase/acquire a laptop to be used as their primary device for school work.
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The 1:1 iPad program in the middle school (Grades 6 to 8) will no longer be implemented starting SY 2018-2019. Grade 6 students will be utilizing school-issued Chromebooks in campus, whereas Grades 7 to 12 students will be have the compulsory BYOD program.
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The BYOD program is multi-platform. This means that students can choose their own laptop brand/type (Windows or Mac), following the technical requirements set by the I.T. Department.
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Students are required to bring and use their laptops each school day.
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In addition to laptops, students also have the option to bring other devices (e.g. smartphones and tablets) subject to approval from the I.T. Department.
Laptop Specification What are the technical requirements for the devices? Minimum Specification
Recommended or Higher
Educational Use/Notes
Operating System
Windows 10, Mac OS Sierra
Operating system updated within the last 12 months
Must support English
Processor (CPU)
Intel Core i5
Current generation i7 processor
Enough processing power for multimedia viewing and creation.
RAM
8GB
16GB
Enough RAM for multimedia viewing and creation, simulations, and simultaneous use of multiple windows.
Hard Drive
256GB SSD
256GB SSD or higher
Enough memory for system resources and large files (e.g. videos).
Screen Size and Resolution
11� 1280:800 16:9 Aspect Full HD
13 inch, Full HD
Necessary for simulations, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.
Battery life
4.5 hours
8 hours
Should be able to last the entire school day without being charged.
Reasonable speed needed to access the school wireless access points.
Wifi
802.11 N, 5Ghz band support
Ports
USB ports (at least 2), audio in/out, built-in microphone, HDMI and VGA
Needed for peripheral devices: headphones, microphone, projector.
Keyboard
Full sized keyboard
Must support English
Malware / Antivirus Protection
To be determined by the I.T. Department
An updated, fully functional antivirus program
Warranty
2-year worldwide onsite warranty
With damage protection
802.11ac Wi-Fi
Tablets In addition to the required laptops, students also have the option to use other devices such as tablets (iPad, Windows or Android tablet). The minimum specifications for tablets are: ● 802.11g/n/ac ● WPA2-PSK/WPA2-Enterprise/802.1x ● dual band 2.4GHz + 5GHz compatible wireless adapter
Required Software and Applications: ❏ Internet Browsers: (Minimum of 2 different browsers) ● Google Chrome (For Windows and Mac) ● Firefox 23 or higher (For Windows and Mac) ● Safari 5 (For Mac) ❏ Microsoft Office Suite ❏ G Suite for Education Apps ❏ Video Player ● VLC Player ● iTunes ● Quicktime Player ❏ Video editing tool ● iMovie or similar program ❏ Audio recorder ● Audacity for (Windows/Mac) ● Lame (MP3 converter for Audacity) ❏ Adobe Creative Cloud ● Specific apps to be installed by the I.T. Dept. on selected student devices as per requirement by teachers ❏ Laptop/Mobile location tracking ● Prey Project (PC/Mac) ● Find My Mac (Mac) (sign up for an apple account and enable Find My Mac) ❏ Additional Software ● Java ● Google Earth ● Other subject-specific apps when necessary (generally free, with installation assistance from the I.T. Department): Geogebra, Vernier, variety of Design apps) ❏ Antivirus ● Sophos Antivirus (available free on Mac only) ● AVG Antivirus Free ● Avira Free Antivirus
Device Registration How will the devices be screened and registered?
At the start of each school year, the I.T. Department requires all student devices to go through a registration procedure for security purposes. This will enable students to connect to the school WiFi network and set up the necessary school-issued software and applications. This step is also necessary to screen student laptops to ensure that the required device specifications and other software installations are met. Expectations What are the responsibilities of students and their parents?
As the BYOD program strongly promotes digital citizenship, students and parents are expected to abide by the following guidelines for responsible technology use. ●
Students and their parents must understand and sign the AISM Student Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) at the start of each school year.
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Students must bring their devices fully charged each school day. They also need to bring the necessary cords, connectors and earphones/headsets. All student devices must be clearly labeled with the student’s name and grade.
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While on campus, and moving to and from school, students need to ensure that their devices are safely secured and not left unattended.
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Students are advised to use a protective carrying case, sleeve or bag to protect their devices.
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Students are encouraged to efficiently and creatively use their devices for specific learning pursuits that are relevant to the curriculum.
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Students are advised to efficiently organize and manage their school and personal files in their devices.
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Student devices are not to be used for non-educational purposes that disrupt the class or other people, or invade the rights and privacy of others at school.
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Students must not access or use inappropriate website, media, software, apps, data and other content. Only legally licensed software, apps, media, or other data approved by the school are permitted. Violation will result in disciplinary action.
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The school reserves the right to inspect any student device that is suspected of virus infection, hacking activity, altering of bypassing network security policies. Violation will result in disciplinary action.
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Parents or guardians are responsible for monitoring their child’s use of devices at home to ensure that only appropriate websites are accessed and only appropriate software/apps are installed.
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Students and parents are responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of their devices or any accessories in case of loss, theft, damage or negligence, whether deliberate, accidental or reckless. The school is not responsible for the security of studentowned devices.
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Students must immediately report any device damage, loss or theft which happens in school to the I.T. Department who will advise them on specific procedures to follow.
Frequently Asked Questions Other Questions
Who is responsible for the maintenance and updates of student devices? Families are entirely responsible for all maintenance and repair of hardware device, operating system, software and/or apps that they purchased or acquired. In case of emergency situations when students cannot use their devices, loaner devices can be arranged with the I.T. Department.
How is “cyber safety” ensured in the BYOD program? Digital citizenship is an essential component of BYOD initiatives. Responsible use of technology is integrated with classroom learning in all subject areas. Students must also acknowledge that the school network applies security filters to the internet connection to ensure safety. How do students store and share their digital work? AISM students use their school-administered Google accounts to create and share documents using various apps in the G Suite for Education. In addition, AISM also uses a curriculum management system called ManageBac which students use for IB-specific course requirements.
Are the student laptops monitored? The I.T. Department does maintain a log of internet traffic and activity. Access levels to web contents and browsing habits are governed by the school’s security policies.
Resources for Parents Where can you find more information?
The following links provide more information about BYOD initiatives and parental guidance on student technology use. Google Safe Search Parent’s Ultimate Guide to Youtube How to set safety mode in Youtube BYOD: A Global Perspective Why BYOD Makes Sense Common Sense Media