There are some major changes to the way students will access technology (Laptops and Tablets) for learning across Queensland. This page will convey the most up-to-date information about Ayr State High Schools BYOx Program.
Bring Your Own ‘x’ (BYOx) is a new pathway supporting the delivery of 21st century learning. BYOx is a term used to describe a digital device ownership model where students use their privately owned devices to access the network and information systems in an educational setting.
It is the schools primary aim to make the BYOx experience for the community as seamless as possible, and provide the same experience as if it were a school owned device.
Purchasing a device
The school has endeavoured to make the purchasing process as easy as possible for parents by providing a minimum specification list that will cover most basic curriculum needs (Word Processing, Internet Research, etc). If your student is studying more demanding subjects (Graphics, Art) it may be necessary to purchase a machine that has higher specifications. If you have any queries, contact our school technician.
| Processor | Core i3/Pentium Processor (i5/i7 recommended for Graphics)
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| RAM | Minimum of 4GB (8 or 16GB Recommend for Graphics)
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| Hard drive | Minimum 500GB HDD, or 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD).
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| USB | 1x USB Port (USB 2.0 or USB3.0) |
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| Battery life | Minimum of 4 hours |
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| Platform | Windows 10; macOS High Sierra or newer. |
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The school is also making available various purchasing portals from vendors that the school has existing relationships with, that provide access to discounted Education pricing, and superior Onsite repair warranties (which generally aren't available in retail purchases).
The school wishes to stress that you are able to bring any device, providing that it does meet the minimum specifications. An example of a device that does not meet the minimum specifications would be a Chromebook or Android Tablet, because they are incompatible with our network.
The schools policy was recently amended to allow students to bring iPads as their primary devices. Though, when making purchasing decisions, parents should be aware that compared to a regular Windows/Mac machine, iOS/iPadOS devices will be constrained with how they access curriculum resources at this time due to the limitations of these devices.
Minimum software requirements
To function in an optimal fashion, the following minimum software requirements apply to devices that will be participating in our BYOx Program:
If running Windows 10:
If running macOS:
An easy way to achieve this is to ensure that your personal machines are current on their Windows updates. When students onboard their devices, the school will also be providing them with an application that allows them to 'self-install' most curriculum related software that we are able to distribute under current licensing arrangements. These requirements are absolutely necessary, because some software components have these minimum requirements.
Vendor Purchasing Portals
- HP
- Acer
- Harvey Norman (primarily selling Acer and Microsoft Surface)
Device care
The student is responsible for taking care of, and securing the device and accessories in accordance with school policies and guidelines. Responsibility for loss or damage at home, in transit, or at school remain the sole responsibility of the student. Advice should be sought regarding including your students BYOx device in your home insurance policy. The school however, will be providing a number of lockers for students that participate in the BYOx Program.
It is recommended that at the time of purchase, Accidental Damage Protection is discussed. Some of the vendors that the school has arrangements with, do offer that to parents on their portals (linked above). It's especially important that you are well informed about your devices warranties and what they do, or do not cover.
Warranties
When engaging with the vendors that do provide portals, the school has recommended to them that they do provide a minimum warranty that consists of Next Business Day Onsite service, for 3 years. That means, that if there is a warranty fault with the device, a repair agent would be able to attend the school and repair it onsite (rather than a mail-in warranty).
Please do double check this though, before you do purchase. Common abbreviations for this warranty include '3 Yr NBD Onsite' or something similar. This level of warranty does not include Accidental Damage Protection unless it is purchased as an added extra.
Software
The school has procured the following arrangements for parents of Ayr High Students.
This means that parents will not be required to purchase Microsoft Office/Adobe Creative Cloud at the point of sale. Students are also able to download these products when connected to the school network.
Connecting to our network
Students are now able to connect to the schools BYOx Infrastructure. In order to do this the student must:
Obtain a device that meets the minimum requirements (specified above).
Complete a BYOx Induction evening at the school.
Complete a BYOx Charter and return it to the school office. The school office will verify that the student has paid their School Resource Fee for the current year before connection will be permitted. For families experiencing financial hardship, students/parents can bypass this requirement by arranging a payment plan with our Business Services Manager.
Our School Technician will email the student at their school email address, and post a notice on School Notices advising that they are able to connect their device.