Student Technology

Years 7-12

It is compulsory for each student in Years 7-12 to bring a laptop.

It is standard for students and teachers to use technology in classrooms, their co-curricular endeavours and their social lives. Senior School students require a lightweight Windows or Mac laptop as their primary computing device. An iPad or similar may optionally be used as a secondary device.

It is recommended that parents/caregivers purchase a laptop that will last approximately three years into the future. The following information has been prepared to assist people who are considering purchasing a laptop for their son in Years 7 - 12.

Wi-Fi

To be compatible with the College Wi-Fi network, the laptop must support 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Mobile connectivity is not required or desirable.

Weight

Boys will move between classes every hour or so, travel to and from school, and work in different environments.

Size

The size and weight of the device and accessories is a crucial factor in its use and for the health of the student.

Processing Power

Boys will utilise their laptop for a vast array of different tasks from graphic design, music composition, programming to word processing. The computer must be powerful enough to meet the requirements of students throughout the school day, whilst having sufficient battery life to provide up to 5 hours use.

Laptop Requirements

The Laptop must:

Weigh less than 2.0kg
Have 5GHz Wiﬁ (Dual Band or 802.11abgn - note the "a" in this standard indicates a 5GHz capable device)
Have a powerful processor (e.g. Intel i5) and at least 8GB RAM (16GB is better) and at least 128GB storage (recommended 256GB+)
Be in good working order
Be running one of the latest two versions of the Windows or Mac operating systems. At the time of writing that’s Windows 10 versions 20H2 or 2004, and Mac OSX 11 (BigSur) or OSX 12 (Monterey)
Be carried in a padded satchel.

We recommend the laptop should:

Have a screen size of approximately 13”-to-14” (maximum of 15.9” and a minimum of 10”)
Be purchased with accidental damage/theft insurance
Consider applying a transparent screen protector, particularly on touchscreen devices.

Your laptop should not:

Be running a version of Windows older than Windows 10 version 1909
Be running a version of Mac OSX older than 10.14 (Mojave)
Be a Chromebook
Be a tablet without a full hardware keyboard
Be a heavy ‘gaming’ laptop
Be running VPN services which may attempt to bypass the College filtering services
Be equipped with independent cellular or mobile Internet connectivity.

All Marist students have access to an extensive range of software and services.

Each boy is given their own College email address which starts with their Marist Student ID. For example: ‘12345@student.mcc.act.edu.au’

Other services include: access to the College’s Portal, Learning Management System, Google G-Suite for Education, and Microsoft Office 365. Installable versions of Microsoft Office applications as well as several Adobe Creative Cloud titles are provided as part of your son’s enrolment. Several other titles including advanced Adobe multimedia software and anti-virus programs may be available at reduced cost via the College.

Specialist software, which either requires more processing capability than a student laptop can be expected to possess, or which may be restricted to College-owned equipment due to licensing considerations, may be provided via specialist lab equipment or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

Students are responsible for the appropriate use of their device, for its security and for its care.

While the College is a relatively safe environment, accidents can happen, and the College accepts no responsibility for damage or theft of a student-owned device. We strongly recommend the laptop is covered by accidental damage/theft insurance.

The College is unable to provide technical support for a student’s laptop beyond assistance with connection to our Wi-Fi network.

Getting Connected

An instructional video for onboarding Microsoft Windows devices can be found here.

An instructional video for onboarding Apple Mac devices can be found here.

FAQs

Do students have to bring in a laptop or tablet?

Years 4-6

Junior boys are not required or encouraged to bring a device. The College has sufficient Chromebook devices to allow every student sufficient access while at school.

Years 7-12

It is compulsory for every student in Years 7 – 12 to bring a laptop.

What will the devices be used for in the classroom?

Use of student devices in classrooms will vary depending on the boy, the lesson, the subject and the teacher. There is a wealth of Australian electronic resources that have been created for students that can be accessed on the internet. The internet also opens doors to the wider world through guided research. Students could also use their device to do assignments such as creating a presentation, video or digital poster or art. In Science, they may use spreadsheets to analyse data or create graphs. These are just some of the possibilities. All students will still be required to bring paper and pens to every class. Not all lessons will be ICT based and use of any device is at the teacher’s discretion. It’s important for students to have a wide range of skills in addition to those related to the use of technology.

Will the internet be controlled?

Internet access at the College is filtered to block extreme sites with inappropriate or offensive material. In addition, all internet traffic is monitored. It is important to realise that any technological barrier of this type is not foolproof and will be prone to failure. With that in mind, students are also required to follow the College Student ICT Use Agreement.

What about touch screen and stylus enabled devices?

There is no requirement for students to bring a touch-screen or stylus-enabled laptop. Whilst these features may provide significant advantages, they are not a College requirement.

What about security of the devices?

Devices must be locked in the boy’s locker with a secure lock when not in use. The College does not accept liability for the theft of a student-owned device and misbehaviour will be handled according to the College's normal student behaviour management policy and practices.

Do we need to buy a new laptop?

No, although we strongly recommend a student device is less than three years old. Your son may bring a device he already uses at home if it meets the minimum specifications.

What if the device is broken at school or on the bus?

The College accepts no liability for the loss, damage or theft of a student-owned device. It is strongly recommended that students use a padded satchel type bag to carry their device between classes. The College will not enter into disputes between boys or between families in the event of damage to a device and liability for repair or replacement costs.

What about textbooks?

Textbooks will be loaded onto student’s devices or made available electronically where possible within Copyright Laws.

What training will my son get?

The College provides an ongoing education program relating to the use of various elements of the College’s Information Systems environment, including the use of the Learning Management System, Google and Microsoft suites. Additionally, we run programs relating to Digital Citizenship, cybersafety, cyberbullying, and Work, Health and Safety.

Years 4-6