1. BYOD Parent Information Evening

2. School Direction
Our school has embraced a Bring Your Own Device approach for enriching the learning of students and teachers. Electronic devices are used to promote genuine learning, research, problem solving and positive communication. We support our students to become digitally responsible cyber citizens.

3. Department Direction
The Education Department has plans to take NAPLAN online over the next 3 years. Some schools are beginning next year. Touch typing is advantageous in electronic typing tests e.g. typing up a persuasive text. Our NAPLAN online trial this year showed that iPads were the most reliable device.

4. High School
The majority of High Schools our sevens are transitioning to require that students use iPads and or Mac Books; Saint Peters, Merecedes, Seymour, St Peter girls, Norwood Morialta, Pulteney Grammar School, Loretto, Blackfirars, Woodville, CBC.

5. STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) focus
The state and federal government are offering grants and services to support STEM programs in school, such as 3D printing. This is to train students up for a future where STEM skills and knowledge will be important in many employment sectors.

6. Aim
Students are actively engaged in the process of defining problems and opportunities, designing, implementing and evaluating digital solutions, and creating and sharing information that meets a range of current and future needs. These solutions and information are created through the application of computational and design thinking, and technical skills.
I.e.- Use technology to solve problems, answer questions and communicate what has been learned to others.

7. iPads
Recent changes to technology have changed the climate of personal learning devices. They have become powerful, versatile and reliable.
Walkerville Primary School Recommends iPads

8. What are the advantages of using iPads?
Many students in year 3 (next year’s 4s) already have an iPad at home. Students have experience using them as WPS provides iPads for shared use in R-3 classrooms.

9. Advantages Continued
Same problems - same solutions. Students/Staff can often solve their own problems
Highly reliable
Affordable ($450 / unit).
Long battery life (all day device)
Powerful apps for education
Airplay (allows students to show their work from their device onto the classroom interactive smartboard or TV)
Light and portable
Add-on keyboards
Low physical footprint on tables and in the classroom. Size of an average A4 book
Reliable hardware (WiFi)
Easily repaired (cheap)

10. How does Walkerville Primary School create a safe learning environment?
Providing filtering in addition to the automatically managed Safe Search function on browsers. This program actively prevents inappropriate material from showing up on screen.
Running Cyber-Safety weeks at school, where each class delivers a set of ACMA (Australian Communication and Media Authority) approved lessons focused on cyber safety.
Inviting in experts to speak to students and deliver programs about cyber safety, includes Office of E-Safety commissioner streamed lessons.
Ensuring that all online components of programs are password protected and managed locally by the teacher and coordinator
Our technician is able to investigate who is online and what is accessed while at school
iPads are locked inside classrooms during breaks during the day by the classroom teacher
Students and families read and sign the school BYOD and internet use policies so they are on the same page

11. Apps
During the 2015/16 year, teachers engaged in a range of iPad training sessions centred on the latest learning apps. Many of these are now being utilised across the school. These include;
Clickview
Book Creator
iMovie
Weebly
OSMO
Maker’s Empire
Pages, Keynote and Numbers (2017 focus)

12. How are they used?
1. ‘Just in time learning’ (immediate source of information for answers and solving problems)
2. Airplay (allows students to show what they are learning/ working on onto the classroom interactive TV/ Smartboard and collaborate/ receive feedback
3. Learning continuity is enhanced by providing full access to learning programs at school and at home.
Homework, projects, research and publishing in all curriculum areas.
5. Self-Directed Learning. At the core of the Australian Curriculum are important life skills that include the ability to locate accurate information through self-directed internet browsing. This is not ‘Free-time’. It is, however, learning led by the student with the teacher’s scaffolding, supervision and guidance.
Examples of this include ‘Genius Hour’ and ‘A Night at the Museum’ (Programs run in year 6 and 7). Both of these programs enable students to work within a framework to pursue interests they have using multimedia technology.

14. What should I get for my child?
If you would like to participate in the Walkerville Primary School BYOD program, we recommend the following;
iPad Air and above (including iPad Minis)
Must be running iOS 10+ If it won’t update to iOS 10 or higher than may not work on our network consistently
Wireless keyboard
Label the iPad/ cover for identification

15. More Information
Copies of the school’s BYOD policy and Acceptable Use (internet) forms can be found on our school website for download and viewing. Please be aware that these are being updated currently.