Next Year, 2025, Waihi College will be moving to a fully BYOD model. BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. Students and teachers are working more and more with digital platforms for the distribution and completion of work in the classroom. By students having their own device, there is a seamless link between home and in school learning and the student can personalise their device to suit their own needs.
Why BYOD?
Personalised, flexible learning ● Increased access to devices for learning activities eg Google Drive, research, skills practice etc ● Seamless learning between home and school ● 24/7 anywhere/anytime access to learning ● Preparing for the future – IT/ collaborative/ cloud-based tools.
What sort of device do I need?
For most students, the most economical device is a Chromebook. Ideally the device would have a minimum of 4GB RAM, a minimum of 32GB and a screen that is large
enough for the student to read information on easily. All Chromebooks will have
access to Google classrooms and the Google suite where the majority of work is
completed in class.
For senior students (Year 12 and 13) who have specialised courses, they may choose to purchase a laptop that has higher specifications and the ability to add course related programmes. Noel Leeming, PB Tech, The Warehouse, Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi are some of the examples of retailers that offer excellent deals for devices.
Expectations
The device must be brought to school each day fully charged and is expected to
have a minimum charge life of 6 hours. Students will be expected to use their own device in class and there will be no option for borrowing a device if a student fails to bring their device. The student will work on paper if they do not bring their device to school.
What if I am unable to purchase a device?
Waihi College will have devices available for students to lease should they be unable to purchase one themselves. Students will pay a bond to lease the device for the year, they will take the device home and use it as their own for the year. Parents/caregivers and students will sign a contract agreeing to maintain the condition and return of the device with any loss or damage charged to the student.
More Information
Buying a device can be confusing with lots of overwhelming information. Please take a look at this handy guide from NetSafe NZ about buying a device and how to keep your child safe online.
As the 2024 year progresses, we will continue to give you more information.
This information can also be found in the Administration & Policies tab under Our School.