DIGITAL LEARNING
Digital Learning SECONDARY
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DIGITAL LEARNING
Overview JESS Secondary students use Microsoft OneNote as a platform for their digital books. All students at JESS use digital exercise books instead of paper exercise books. Students are required to have a device that meets the core device requirements outlined in the Secondary Digital Learning document to support this. Windows hybrid tablet computers have provided students with the power and functionality of a laptop and the mobility and versatility of a tablet. A touchscreen and stylus support digital inking, allowing students to write with clarity and ease. All schoolwork is recorded on OneNote, affording the students at JESS a vast range of learning opportunities and the ability to access learning at any time. Whilst students work efficiently in a digital environment, it does not mean JESS has moved to become paperless. Students will always learn in a variety of ways. Students continue to work on paper and use OneNote as their digital book to capture all learning. In previous times, worksheets would have been glued into an exercise book. OneNote now allows students to not only hold copies of their work on paper but also multimedia work. The digital books are rich in content, allowing students to create an organised digital portfolio ready to learn from. The nature of each lesson and each subject will vary and incorporate a diverse range of activities. Students are actively encouraged to use their stylus for note taking. Microsoft Teams is used for class video meetings, conversations, and assignments. All homework is set through Microsoft Teams. Students use the Turn It In function to organise their homework. Presenting to an audience is an important skill for students at JESS and is practiced across all subjects regularly. Our classroom screens work within a Windows infrastructure and allow students to connect and present to an audience.
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Device Criteria & Purchasing Options All students are required to come to school with a personal device for use in class. As new devices are released regularly and a wider range of options are now available to parents, we no longer specify a particular device for students to use in secondary. Instead, we have the following set of core device criteria which must be adhered to:
All devices must: • • • • • • • •
Run on a minimum version of Windows Pro or Enterprise (Windows Home is not suitable for learning at JESS) Have at least an Intel Core i5 processor 256GB Storage as a minimum 8GB RAM Function as a laptop and as a tablet (i.e. it must have a keyboard and have touchscreen) Have a stylus Have both front and rear-facing cameras Have headphones or earphones.
Considerations when purchasing All students will receive 1TB of cloud storage which will allow all files to be backed up and stored online. Please be aware that students require Windows Pro or Enterprise to allow JESS to manage students devices and facilitate sending applications and updates to support teaching and learning. Our recommended supplier, Jacky’s, offer this at no additional cost.
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Purchasing options for JESS parents There are two options for purchasing the device: 1.
Purchase any device that meets the criteria via your chosen website/store. Please check carefully when buying a device from outside of the UAE. Devices bought from outside of the UAE are not always serviceable within the country. Please also check the Windows version that comes with the device
2.
Purchase a Surface Pro Seven+ or Surface Pro 8 from our partner, Jacky’s Retail. These are offered at a special discounted rate for JESS families. All devices purchased through Jacky’s include Windows Pro at no additional cost (currently priced at 620aed on the Microsoft Store). Jacky’s also offer a 12-month financing option as well as a 1-year warranty. They are the official service provider for Microsoft in the MENA region.
Please note, that JESS have worked with Jacky’s to secure a package that meets the core device requirements at a competitive price. Purchasing from Jacky’s is favourable because you will get Windows Pro included at no cost; one-year free warranty; a 12-month payment plan (optional); and the device is remotely configured with all school settings and safety protocols (no requirement to hand the device in to school). For any devices not purchased via Jacky’s, they will need to be handed over to the JESS IT Tech Team for configuration. This will involve a 1 month turnaround time before the device is available for use. If you have any questions about device choices, please do get in touch with us.
Parents offers – Jacky’s Retail LLC We have partnered with Jacky's Retail as a supplier for devices. Jacky’s have negotiated with Microsoft on our behalf to bring you excellent offers on the latest Surface model devices. Jacky’s Retail are an authorised Microsoft partner and will only sell devices which are UAE region-specific products. Jacky's are also offering a 12-month financing option. https://www.jackysbrandshop.com/jess This portal will provide you with the opportunity to choose the specifications and peripherals you wish. All of these models meet or exceed the core device criteria outlined on the previous page. The keyboard type cover and Surface pen are also essential. The ARC mouse is optional. PLEASE USE YOUR HOME ADDRESS AT THE ONLINE CHECKOUT FOR DELIVERY Please note: Jacky’s Retail is not the same as the Jacky’s stores in the malls. These offers are not available in any Jacky’s stores.
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Warranties
As with many companies, products not bought within the UAE may not be serviceable within the UAE, therefore it is important to understand your rights as a consumer when purchasing a device outside of the UAE.
Devices purchased with Jacky’s: Redington are the official warranty and service provider for Microsoft in the MENA region. Devices bought through Jacky’s Retail come with a standard 1-year warranty and the option to add additional Redington warranties.
Devices not purchased with Jacky’s: Check carefully that your device is under warranty for the UAE and that there is an option for service and repairs locally. If your device is in warranty and in need of support/repairs, the process with Redington will be: •
Call Redington toll free on 800 367873
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Redington will carry out remote diagnostics and support
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If this is not successful, they will pick up your device and take it to a service centre
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They guarantee you a replacement device within 48 hours.
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Device Management Student devices are set up by the school to ensure we uphold the highest standards for safeguarding your child. Student devices at JESS are managed by our IT Tech Team. This has many advantages. It enables the Tech team to ensure your child’s device is kept up to date with the latest versions of apps. It also allows teachers to protect your child’s online activity and keep children safe while working in school; monitoring and managing what they are accessing, including games and social media. For those students who have already been at JESS, this is a similar device management strategy that is used in our primary schools to manage iPads.
When devices are NOT managed by the school
When devices are managed by the school
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Students manage application installations and software updates
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Remote management of the application installation and software updates
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Parents pay for educational apps
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School pays for educational apps
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Delays when using apps
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No delays - apps can be used as required
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Safety protocols left to family discretion
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School-wide safety protocols
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Students unsupervised on games and social media during the school day
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Student use of devices is monitored throughout the school day
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Initial Device Setup Devices need to be ready for learning and set up to JESS protocols. Please find below stepby-step guides and FAQs for this process.
Devices bought from Jacky’s Devices bought via Jacky’s will be delivered to your home address and our IT Tech Team will configure them remotely using Microsoft Endpoint Manager. This will configure the device with our safety protocols, configure Wi-Fi and avoid the need for families to set up devices. This will also download the applications needed for learning at JESS Secondary.
Buying devices from other retailers If devices are bought at a different retailer, the device will need to be dropped off at JESS Arabian Ranches security, for our IT Tech Team to set the device up with the Digital learning platforms and protocols required for school. The turnaround time for this is normally 1 month. However, this will depend on the number of devices dropped off each day.
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Frequently Asked Questions Why not Apple devices? Secondary students do not make use of iOS app learning and work within the Office 365 environment. Their device needs to prioritise Office 365. Why not an iPad for Secondary students? -
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Whilst iOS Microsoft Office apps are available, they don’t at the moment have the full functionality of Office as a Windows environment does. As an example, Word does not support referencing which is a skill taught to students to support assessment at IB. Whilst there is a workaround and other available tools online that could be used, Word is likely to be the application students choose to use at university iPads do not support our DT, Music or Computing software Secondary students should be working on a more powerful device as their predominant device (laptop rather than an iPad)
Why not an Apple laptop (MacBook/MacBook Air) for Secondary students? -
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Without a touchscreen or stylus, students cannot digital ink within their exercise books. This is especially important for subjects like Science, Maths, Geography. It is also important for students to practise digital inking when completing exam papers Apple devices don’t have front and back facing cameras. This prevents students from uploading images of work on paper on to their OneNote. We do not want our students working on devices all day, and so working on paper will continue to be a learning approach at JESS.
Presenting to an audience is an important skill for students and is practiced across all subjects regularly. Our classroom screens work within a Windows infrastructure and allow students to connect and present to an audience. JESS also invest in site licenses for Windows devices for software that your child will use for learning. We utilise Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which allows us to make sure the apps needed for teaching and learning are effective on your child’s device. In recent years, we have invested in Classroom Cloud, which allows us to monitor devices whilst on our school site. This has huge advantages from a safeguarding perspective as we can make sure that students do not access content that is inappropriate.
Can I purchase the device overseas? Whilst this is a viable option, please note that it may mean that local service is not supported, and repairs may be more expensive. In our experience, devices bought from outside the UAE have had to be sent overseas for repair. This can become a lengthy process.
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Does the device need a cover? It is essential that the device is protected by a rugged cover. Various options are available both in stores and online via sites such as Amazon.ae. The UAG (Urban Armor Gear) brand covers are particularly durable and have proven popular but there are many different types available.
Will there be facilities to charge devices at school? Students will have the opportunity to charge devices in school during the day in some classrooms. The onus will be on the students to charge their device every night, so it is ready for use in lessons the following day. However, the new Surface Pro allows for charging via a USB-C connected power bank. There are also charging stations available for students to use at break and lunchtime. Will there be spare peripherals available at school – e.g. stylus/batteries? A limited number of spare styluses for the Surface Pro are available from the cashier. We do not keep stocks of batteries or pen nibs.
Should devices and peripherals be named? It is important that students label their equipment for easy recognition and security. Please do not have devices engraved as this invalidates any warranty.
How will students ensure that their devices are secure and safe when they are not using them? All students are provided with a personal locker in or near their tutor base. It is the responsibility of each student to lock their device in their locker securely. Devices should not be stored in a locker overnight as they will need to be taken home to charge for the following school day.
Do we need to purchase Microsoft Office as well? No. When you purchase a PC, you will often be prompted to bundle Microsoft Office with the device. JESS students receive 5 free copies of Office 365 as a part of the school’s Office 365 Education subscription. They can download this software from the Office 365 portal (www.office.com)
Do students work on their device all day long? Students will always learn in a variety of ways. Student will sometimes use their device and sometimes use paper. OneNote works as a digital exercise book allowing students to capture all of their learning in one place. In previous times, worksheets would have been glued into an exercise book. OneNote now allows students to not only hold copies of their work on paper but also multimedia work. The digital books are rich in content, allowing students to create an organised digital portfolio ready to learn from. The nature of each lesson and each subject will vary and incorporate a diverse range of activities.
Will students receive any training in how best to use their device in school? In September, all new students will receive digital induction which will focus on using their device effectively. Additional training will be delivered throughout the year via our Digital Skills curriculum and support is always available to them from both staff and student digital leaders.
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Does the device need to have been setup before the first day of term? Yes, and any pending updates should have been installed. All devices must be configured and setup with the Secondary protocols and platforms for learning. Please see the information on device set up.
What if I am missing some applications for home use? Students will be able to install games and apps for personal use via the Microsoft store. If an app is not available on the store, parents can contact IT Tech Team on ITTechTeam@jess.sch.ae who will make the app available.
Can I purchase a second-hand Surface? Purchasing a second-hand Surface is acceptable. but we recommend at least Surface Pro 5 that matches the minimum device requirements above. Please be mindful that older devices may not have the same performance as a new device.
When can I expect to replace my Surface? As with all digital devices, the life cycle will depend on student usage and how well it is cared for. In our experience, student devices normally need replacing after three or four years of ownership, for example, teachers’ Surfaces are replaced on a four-year cycle. As students progress through the school, they may choose to replace their device depending on GCSE/IB subjects chosen. Some subjects, such as music and DT will require more storage as they begin to engage with more complex work.
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