How are personal devices used at Galston High School?
Personal devices are permitted for students to bring to school and use during class to enrich learning.
Is a personal device compulsory?
No, a personal device is not compulsory. The school will supply students with a shared device as needed if required for a lesson (but student may prefer to use their personal device)
How often will students use their personal device?
A device is not a replacement for pen and paper - this is still the primary form of learning. A device may be used with varying frequency, depending on the subject, year and the student's own preference for using technology.
Are students required to bring textbooks as well as their device?
Yes, students are required to always bring notebooks to school. A personal device is a complement to traditional pen and paper, not a replacement.
What software should be installed on a personal device brought to school?
Personal devices should have an Internet browser as Galston High School uses web-based apps for learning.
Office 365 is the preferred online suite of programs, however Microsoft Office can be installed for free from student’s DEC portal. More information about what software should be installed can be found on the Online Apps and Links page.
Is there free software available for students?
There is free software available for students which is accessible via there student portal. Avariety of Adobe and Microsoft software is available for download for free.
Is the internet filtered at Galston High School?
Like all Department of Education schools, inappropriate sites and certain social media sites are filtered on the school internet as well as illegal websites.
How do students get technical support for their device?
This website has links that students can visit to solve problems from connecting to the WiFi to signing into Google Apps. There are also IT staff at Galston High School who students are able to go to if they experience technical issues with their device.
Can students print from their devices at school?
Students can not print from their devices due to network security protocols.
If my child requires to charge their device at school can they do so?
If students choose to bring a personal device, their device must be fully charged at the commencement of every day. Any personal device must have at least 6 hours of battery life. Charging lockers are provided free of charge in the library, if needed, as no charging is possible in classes.
What type of personal device should be brought to school?
The minimum requirements for personal devices that are bought to school may differ between different years and subjects.
Students in Years 7 and 8 only require a basic device that can perform note taking/word processing functions, browse the Internet and can view PDFs (which is most any connected device).
Students in Years 9 and above who undertake certain elective subjects such as Visual Arts which require software such as Adobe Photoshop will need a slightly more advanced laptop.
All students require a device that either has a keyboard or has a detachable keyboard in order to effectively type notes and their device must be capable of connecting to the 802.11n 5GHz WiFi. More information is available on the Buying or Selecting a Device page.
Can older devices be used as a personal device?
Certainly. This is often a great way to provide your child with a personal device. Beware that while older devices can be used as a personal device, there are a few things to be aware of before using them in the classroom:
Ensure that the battery life is sufficient for a school day (old batteries tend to have shorter battery life) – you can buy replacement batteries for some laptops
Check whether it can connect to 802.11n 5GHz WiFi. If it can’t connect to the 5GHz WiFi you can purchase a WiFi adapter.
Are smartphones suitable personal devices?
Phones are not personal devices and not permitted in the classroom. Only laptops and tablets with a keyboard that are over 10″ are suitable personal devices as phones lack enough functionality for classroom educational use.
What is the minimum size of a personal devices?
We recommend a 9″-11″ device.