Pakuranga College is a BYOD (Bring your own device) school, requiring all year nine, ten, eleven and twelve (2017) students to bring a digital device to support their learning. The information on this page aims to support staff in understanding the BYOD programme.
Devices
All students (except year 13 in 2017) should have a device available in every lesson. A "device" is NOT a phone.
If a student does not bring a device, inform the dean and this will be followed up with the parents. There is no reason for any student to not have a device even in cases of hardship, as the college will work with parents.
Not having a device hinders learning for everyone, in just the same way that not having books or writing equipment does, and needs to be dealt with promptly.
Students can connect to the school wi-fi with one device per day (this rule is in place to preserve bandwidth). If they have problems with their internet connection they can see the technician in the Rae-block office.
Remember: It is the student's responsibility to have a working, charged device that is connected to the internet. If they do not do this, then it becomes a disciplinary matter.
Remember: It is the student's responsibility to have a working, charged device that is connected to the internet. If they do not do this, then it becomes a disciplinary matter.
Platforms
We choose to be platform-agnostic. We think about learning outcomes rather than specific applications. For example, rather than asking students to make a Powerpoint, we ask them to present their learning in whatever way works best for them. If they create a presentation that their teacher cannot view, then clearly they need to re-think whether they chose the "best" option.
All devices have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, a laptop is best for entering text but an iPad is better for incorporating a photo of their practical work in a report. We encourage students to take control of their learning and solve problems.
Digital Competencies
All students complete a "Digital Competencies" course at the beginning of year 9. If any student seems to be struggling to be productive with their device, encourage them to revisit this course.
SSO (Single Sign On) and Google
Student accounts are actually Google accounts. This means they come with Gmail and Google Drive, which in turn gives them a school sign-in to a plethora of other services. As much as possible, get students to use their school accounts when registering for apps and services that they use for school work.
The student username/password works across all services, including wi-fi. The student's default password is available in Kamar, but they are able to change it by logging on to a school network computer.