Various technologies

Learning with technology

The world will change enormously over your lifetime. It is difficult to predict what these changes will be, but they are sure to involve new technologies. Strong digital skills will play a key role in allowing you to embrace new ways of working, learning, being creative and connecting with other people.

Digital tools are widely used at SSV, to enhance learning of subject content and to help you develop your own digital skills. To enable you to make full use of these opportunities, you will be provided with a Microsoft Surface Pro device for your own use. This device functions as a two-inone tablet and laptop, thanks to a touchscreen, stylus and detachable keyboard with trackpad. Your Surface Pro must be brought to school, fully charged, every day. Personal digital devices may not be used during the school day.

The Surface Pro is provided on a loan basis and must be returned in good condition when you leave the BSN. You are responsible for taking care of it. You must keep the protective case on at all times, be careful not to drop the device and be mindful of it inside your bag. To keep the device running smoothly you need to restart it every day, install regular updates when notified and seek support from IT Services promptly if any problems arise.

Responsible use

You need to think carefully about how you use your Surface Pro. It is provided for educational purposes, so must not be used for games. Even more importantly, it must be used safely and responsibly. You must follow the BSN’s Responsible Use Agreement and e-Safety Policy whenever you are at school, representing the school or using the school’s technology infrastructure. This is to protect you and to safeguard all other users.

You should also think about your online reputation or ‘digital brand’ – how you use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, iMessage, Snapchat, Instagram…. and whatever new social media emerge in the coming years. Remember, what you post online may be able to be accessed by others, including future employers or universities, and could cause distress or offence.

Before you post anything THINK:

T | Is it true? H | Is it helpful? I | Is it inspiring? N | Is it necessary? K | Is it kind?

Help and support

If, in your use of ICT, you experience something you are uncomfortable with or feel that you are a victim of ‘cyber-bullying’, speak to a trusted adult (e.g. parent, teacher, form tutor, Head of Year) as soon as possible. Sometimes you will need help or guidance about how to deal with an issue that arises online; it is best to seek advice at an early stage, before the situation becomes more complicated. Even if you think you have made a mistake or done something wrong, we will still help and support you.

If you would like more information about e-Safety, visit the Think U Know website.

Years 7–9: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_13/

Years 10–13: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/14_plus/

Digital learning tools

Canvas

Canvas is our virtual learning environment (VLE). Canvas supports your learning in every subject area, in lessons and at home. Subject teachers may use Canvas for interactive activities, quizzes, virtual discussions, sharing documents, and much more. Canvas courses are also used by year groups, clubs and activities. You have a ‘dashboard’ screen showing all your courses. Each course has a calendar that shows the homework set for you by the teacher. Canvas has a ‘to-do list’ and a notification system that reminds you of tasks and activities. There is also a messaging feature for communication between teachers and students.

Canvas is a secure platform. This means you must log in with your school username and password. It is cloud-based and accessible anywhere there is an internet connection. There are two ways to operate Canvas; through the website or via the App. On the web, type www.bsn4home. com into a browser of your choice (we recommend Google Chrome), click on Canvas and log in with your school credentials. Since you will be using Canvas every day, you may prefer to download the Canvas App from the Microsoft Store. If you have any problems with Canvas, make sure you seek help straight away so you do not miss any assignments or get behind with work. Contact the IT Support team for help and advice. Teams is a communication and collaboration platform. Your teachers will set up a Team for each class. You can use this to communicate with other students and with teachers. Teams will be used for live meetings and video calls if we find that we need to work from home at any time during the year. Some teachers will also post files and resources in Teams, and they may use a OneNote Class Notebook which can be found in Teams.

Teams is for work-related communication and must be used responsibly. You should remember that all posts and messages sent via Teams are associated with your account and are visible to the school’s IT Support staff, so THINK before you post.