There is growing evidence that young people today need the skills to work with information and communication technology to access information and keep pace with the world and employment they will be moving into.
Your school may have recognised this and be integrating devices into their education model.
At present the combined cash price for the Chromebook and bundle of accessories including warranty, insurance, a carry bag and the Chrome management software is $550.
The maximum cost including interest over a 3 year period of payments would be $602.08 - from 3.86 per week.
Yes, Once the contracts are signed and a parent/caregiver Education Workshop is completed, the device is yours to take home.
Insurance is included in the deal, so contact your school and they will arrange for the device to be sent away for repair. Repair will not be covered by insurance if the damage is caused by spilling of food or drink or dropping the device while running around as described in the Kawa of care documents you will have signed.
If the device is stolen, the Chrome management software included in the package can be used by the school to disable the device so it is useless to anyone else. A message will appear on the device’s screen if it is turned on the advise the user that it is locked and where is can be returned to.
This process can be reversed if the device is found.
YES
There are many schools in NZ that have already moved to using 1:1 devices as a tool to achieve better outcomes for students.
The Manaiakalani Project started in 2007 and has had exciting results.
http://www.manaiakalani.org/our-story/journey
Closer to home the Te Reanga Ipurangi and Te Mana o Kupe Trusts have launched in 2014 and are supporting the Te Hinaki project in the Horowhenua
Cybersafety is a priority. As part of the sign up process, families will learn about how help their children to be safe online, there will be ongoing reminders at school about the responsibilities that go with ownership of a digital device.
www.netsafe.org.nz is a good reference.
Also whenever a child is on a school WIFI network it will be filtered by the school’s Network for Learning (N4L) service which can be set to restrict access to non educational sites such as Facebook.
The Chrome management software can be used to manage sites that children access outside the school network. A parent can have a different log in to the device so restrictions don’t apply to them. It is your device to use as you wish at home.
Children will be encouraged to develop discretion and be responsible about how they use technology outside of school.
These devices are tools that will be as effective as the make them.
Some online social effects are beneficial, some are not. Schools and parents can work together to promote the wellbeing of students.
As we all know Physical Activity has positive benefits for physical and mental health and there is now lots of evidence that it can improve academic outcomes for students.
We can have the best of both worlds if we have a sensible balance.
One of the main focuses of the Te Hinaki Trust is to support great teacher practice.
Many schools have already started using devices and sending staff on courses to upskill to make the most of the technology.
Each school may be a little different in the timing of it’s roll out but all Schools that are involved have committed to collaborating to achieve best teacher practice through sharing of resources and professional development opportunities.
The Trust is also interested in the acceleration of student achievement and will be evaluating the effect of the programme as it develops.
It is best to talk to your school about your concerns. There may be a simple solution. The project is for the benefit of the children so we are interested in your thoughts.
Yes the device is yours.