We recognise the potential for learning to extend and support learners and to open up new and different ways of learning. The New Zealand Curriculum states that e-learning has the potential to:

• assist the making of connections by enabling students to enter and explore new learning environments, overcoming barriers of distance and time
• facilitate shared learning by enabling students to join or create communities of learners that extend beyond the classroom
• assist in the creation of supportive learning environments by offering resources that take account of individual, cultural, or developmental differences
• enhance opportunities to learn by offering students virtual experiences and tools that allow them to take their learning further

Bring Your Own Device ?

Albany Senior High School uses Google Apps for Education (GAFE) for collaboration between students and teachers as well as many other types of software across different subjects and areas of the curriculum. We have a robust wireless network and it regularly handles close to 1000 concurrent users and can handle even more users if the need arises.

All students are encouraged to take part in the ASHS ‘Bring Your Own Device’ to integrate their learning both inside and outside of school and to take advantage of the information and collaborative opportunities the world wide web and access to technology provides.
The device might be a laptop, a Chromebook or a tablet – any Internet-capable device with a keyboard that can assist learning. A mobile phone is not an appropriate device to be used as a learning tool in all contexts, it may supplement another device.

If the student has a device that is serving him/her well then there is no expectation that a new device is purchased through this programme at this time. The programme simplifies the process for those needing to purchase a replacement device or a new device.

Device Programme

ASHS does not have a specific partner to support our BYOD programme. The device students use should meet the needs of the courses they choose to study.

For most courses, this means a device that is Wi-Fi-capable and has internet access via a browser, as we are a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) school.  Recently, browsers and computer hardware have become powerful enough that many key productivity tools are available on Chromebooks (through the Google Chrome browser) and on tablets via applications explicitly written for iPads and Android tablets.

While tablet and Chromebook applications aren’t generally as powerful as those for laptop computers, they do provide useful functionality for learning. In many student situations, such a device would be appropriate for their learning programme. If you want a device to collaborate with teachers, other students, to carry out internet research and use GAFE for storing your work in the cloud (which makes it available from any device with an internet connection), then a Chromebook might be the choice for you. One thing to keep in mind about Chromebooks is that, depending on the model, most require an active internet connection to access all their features.

However, specific subjects may be better served by a laptop with an independent operating system (Windows or MacOS).

These devices will have the capacity to install software that is provided to the learners as part of their programmes based on their subject choices.
Should your learner be studying any of these subjects at Level 1-3 then they may be better equipped with a device other than a Chromebook.
Subjects specifically affected at this time are:

• Art – Digital Design
• Art – Photography
• Design and Visual Communication
• Digital Technology
• Food Technology
• Industrial Design Technology
• Media Studies
• Music
• Textiles Technology

The minimum specs required should be based on the need for Adobe suite are: https://helpx.adobe.com/nz/photoshop/system-requirements/2024.html

Care and Maintenance

It is expected that all students will be prepared in the morning ready for learning with a fully charged device. With any device, battery life will degrade noticeably after the first two years and significantly after three years. When engaged in learning on campus, we have a good number of powerpoints at ASHS, but it is worth keeping the practicalities of charging your device in mind when making a purchase.

The safety and security of any hardware brought on campus rest with the student. All learners are asked not to leave their devices unattended or unsupervised, as this can compromise the safety of the hardware and potentially lead to issues around the responsible use and misuse of another’s resource.