Stage 1, 2012

Research shows that students who have their own electronic devices engage more deeply in their learning, become more active creators in the learning process, take greater pride and ownership over the knowledge they subsequently create, and are able to participate in more flexible forms of schooling.

Student thinking, participation and interaction are much more accountable in the digitally-equipped classroom. Each student develops the knowledge, skills, practices and attitudes necessary to be a successful citizen in the 21st century.

Seymour's one-to-one program is supported by our recently-installed and campus-wide wireless network. Through wireless connectivity, students and teachers can use the network wherever and whenever required - in a classroom, around the campus, in a student common room or the Boarding House.

On campus, one-to-one users have seamless access to the Internet and other network software. Wireless connectivity lets our students work collaboratively and share information quickly and easily between one another, their teachers and those beyond Seymour.

As part of the College's Technology Plan, most students will be able to access their virtual classrooms remotely, personal files from the Cloud, and College email.

All students in Years 5, 6 and 7, Year 9 and Year 10 will be involved in the first phase of our one-to-one program.

There are three phases to Stage 1 of the College's one-to-one program:

• Parents of students in Years 5, 6 and 7 in 2012 will be asked to purchase an iPad for their child. She will use her iPad at school for a minimum of two years;
• Parents of students in Year 10 in 2012 are asked to purchase a Toshiba Portege R830 laptop (the same model purchased by the College for the teaching staff) which the students will use for their final three years of secondary schooling;
• The College acknowledges the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution (DER) funding which has meant that students in Year 9 will be lent a College iPad for one year. Parents will be required to purchase the necessary Apps and can organise this via the purchase of an iTunes Card. (Parents of Year 9 2012 students will be asked to sign an Agreement which details the responsibilities surrounding the provision of the device, including financial responsibilities in the event the device is damaged, lost or stolen.) In 2013, it is envisaged that these students, who will then be in Year 10, will purchase a laptop for their final three years of schooling.

We are very conscious that different devices suit the learning needs of different year levels, and any one-to-one program needs to address the needs of students at an age-appropriate level:

(a)    Our 'Mobile Companion' model - an iPad tablet for Years 5, 6 and 7, and Year 9
In 2011, we have been trialling the iPad and see enormous benefits of this device at targeted year levels. All students and teachers at these year levels will have an iPad (complete with 'real' keyboard) for anywhere, anytime access, to support personalised learning, foster learning autonomy, assist research and organisation, enhance online collaboration and home-to-school connectedness.

The iPad tablet has the capacity to converge technologies to achieve a variety of services such as text books and printed materials, note-taking, word processing, calculator, voice recording and camera. Further, the App Store provides for students and teachers literally hundreds of thousands of Apps that facilitate teaching and learning. (Another added bonus: students' bags, and our carbon footprint, ought to be much lighter as a result of the iPad program!)

Compact in size and light weight, the iPad is highly portable and its battery life of 10 hours means it will get through an entire school day without requiring charging. It is an 'instant-on', and it is a very simple and highly reliable device.

(b) Our 'Personal Productivity' model - a laptop for Year 10
Each Year 10 student and teacher will have a personal laptop with which to access the College’s online learning tools. Access to interne­­t, intranet/portal, software and hardware is required by all. These senior school students, working at a more independent level, will have individual anywhere, anytime access to their own personal device.

Through our one-to-one laptop program, students get the benefit of College-provided software, including the Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Creative Suite, email, multimedia tools and so on.

Students in Years 8, 11 and 12, in 2012, will continue to have access to the College's computer laboratories, and all Hetzel-based classes will also have access to our newly-purchased trolleys of laptops in the Hetzel Centre.

It is envisaged that Stage 2 of our program will see our 2012 Year 8 students borrowing the College’s iPads when they are in Year 9, in 2013.

If Year 11 and 12 students wish to purchase a laptop, we strongly recommend they purchase the College’s authorised model - the Toshiba Portege - and are welcome to do so through this program and via our weblink. (Please note that, while the College’s ICT staff will image the Toshiba Portege for any Year 11 or 12 student who wishes to purchase one, the Year 10 students’ laptops will need to take priority.)