The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program operates for all Senior School Students. The BYOD Program aims to enhance student learning outcomes, provide the best opportunities for students to engage in digital learning, develop contemporary 21st Century skills and is integral to the curriculum. Students are required to bring their device every day to school.
It can be challenging to choose a device. To make the decision easier for parents each year we choose a recommended supplier with a range of devices to suit different budgets and needs. Parents who prefer to purchase through other suppliers can use these devices as a guide. We have broken them up into four options: Basic, Standard, Premium and an Apple device.
The criteria against which the laptops are tested are:
- The machine must be an educational model with a robust screen and internal structure
- Within the above constraint, it will be as light in weight as possible
- It will fit within a price range
- The Standard and Premium machine will have the option of being a stylus enabled device
- It will have a battery life that will last for the duration of a school day
- It will have a three-year warranty and the option of accidental insurance cover.
- There will be flexible financing arrangements
For the 2023 school year the devices are below:
- Basic – Lenovo 13w Yoga – 13.3′ Touch, Ryzen 3, 8GB Ram, 256GB of Storage
- Standard – Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 3- 13.3″ Touch, 16GB Ram, 512GB of Storage
- Premium – Lenovo X1 Yoga Gen 6 14″ Convertible Touch Notebook, 16GB Ram, 512GB of Storage
- Apple device – MacBook AIR
The Standard and Premium Windows devices come with a touch screen and a stylus. Details on how to purchase the machine are below. Please note that the device will be sent directly to your home. We highly recommend that you buy the 3 Year Warranty and Accidental Damage Cover. The cost is an additional $150 to $250 and removes the hassle and stress if your child accidentally damages their device.
The preferred supplier is Learning with Technologies (LWT) based in Blackburn Victoria, and the device can be ordered through the following website:
http://girton.orderportal.com.au
The site is easy to use. You can choose to buy outright or by using finance arrangements. Please be aware that there are merchant charges for the use of credit cards.
If you intend to buy an Apple device, you can purchase directly from the Apple site, go to Centre Com here in Bendigo or purchase through Learning with Technologies (LWT). We also recommend that you buy the AppleCare Pack, which covers accidental damage.
Buying through the portal for Windows devices allows if there are warranty or insurance issues, the student can take the device to the IT Office where they will assess, lodge the claim and arrange the repair.
Please note that there is no compulsion for parents to purchase one of these recommended devices, and parents are most welcome to purchase a device from a supplier of their choice.
Instructions on how to set up the student device, activate their Girton account, set up Microsoft Office, log in to Astra (the School’s Learning Management System), and set up their email and printers, will be sent to parents in early January. If extra support is required, students are asked to bring their device to School on Monday 23th January, and support will be available after their testing has been completed.
If you have any queries concerning any of these details, please feel free to call or email Mr Carl Sillery, ICT Manager carlsillery@girton.vic.edu.au