Cyber Safety Boot Camps 2014

We kick start Term 1 with a focus on Digital Citizenship, in particular, the online safety of your children. With internet-enabled devices in their hands, your children have ready access to a world of learning opportunities. Alongside these opportunities lurks a world of risk. It is crucial that the safety and privacy of your children is never compromised through their online behaviours. In order that parents, students and teachers share an understanding of the potential risks of internet activity we aim to establish a consistent approach digital citizenship at school and at home.

Step One - Attendance at Cyber Safety Boot Camp

Digital Citizenship education will permeate everything we do at school each year. This is not something that can be accomplished in one evening... Digital citizenship is a way of life! 

In recognition of the importance of our Learning Innovations (with iPads) Program and of the importance of strong links between home and school, we require all Year 5 (2014) students with at least one parent (each!) attend ONE ONLY of the Cyber Safety Boot Camps held at the commencement of the 2014 school year. The program will be identical each night.

Please arrive at 6.45pm for a look around your child's new classroom, ahead of a prompt 7pm start. The events will conclude by 8.30pm... Everyone needs a good night's sleep in the first week of school!

We look forward to seeing you all at EITHER:

Boot Camp 1

Tuesday 28th January, 2014

7pm - 8.30pm
Year 5 classrooms, A block

OR

Boot Camp 2

Wednesday 29th January, 2014

7pm - 8.30pm
Year 5 classrooms, A block

Parents we highly value your family's time. We do recognise that the first week of school will be one of the busiest and most anxious weeks of the year. We also recognise that the issues that we plan to address at these events concern the safety and well-being of your children, which is of paramount importance to all of us.

 

Targeting Maths 2 - Free for 48 hours

Parents, this app is aimed at Year 2 level but if you think your child would benefit from some engaging maths practice to develop fluency with numeracy skills, you might like to take advantage of this limited time free offer. 

Targeting Maths is a top quality app. Normally the apps in this series cost $7.49 but for a limited time (48 hours I'm told), you can download Targeting Maths 2 for free. Students at St Catherine's are familiar with the high quality Targeting Maths software which is installed on our student laptops. The apps are Australian and aligned with national curriculum.

This promotional video from Pascal Press's Targeting Maths website will give you an idea of what the app offers:

Before you install the app, make sure you are logged into the App Store (app on the iPad) or iTunes (if you're using a computer) with the Apple ID that you wish to own the app. Either your child's school Apple ID, or you may prefer to use a family Apple ID so that younger siblings can benefit from using the app. But why not download it with both accounts?

Here are some screenshots from the app. You can see more information here at the iTunes preview.

Happy Installations!

The Drum on Apple IDs

Why does my child need an Apple ID?

To install any apps (even free ones) on your child's iPad, you must sign in to the App Store with an Apple ID. More information about Apple IDs can be found here. 

How do I create the Apple ID?

The Parent Handbook Setup Guide (Section 4, page 11) contains detailed instructions for creating an Apple ID on an iPad without credit card or iTunes card details. You can access this document online from the Documents page on this blog.

How do I verify the Apple ID via my child's email?

During the process, a verification email will be sent to your child's school email address. You can access this email account online, from the Student Dashboard on the School Portal. Please click this link to open the Student Dashboard.

The page will look like this:

Screen capture of the Student Dashboard on St Catherine's School Portal

Click the Outlook icon in the main frame or the MyBCE Mail link at the top of the left hand frame (see arrows in the image above).

To login to the email, your child must enter their username (not their entire email address) and password. The username consists of all characters that precede the "@" in the email address e.g. Michael Smith might enter "msmith9"

Is my child old enough to have an Apple ID?

In Australia, individuals under the age of 13 are not legally permitted to own an Apple ID. You may wish to read the iTunes Terms and Conditions for more information. During the account creation process, you will be asked to enter a birth date. We recommend that you use your child's own birth date to avoid confusion, but you will need to choose a year of birth greater than 13 years ago.  Legally, this Apple ID will be owned and managed by you until your child reaches the age of 13. 

We highly recommend that you keep the Apple ID password secret so your child cannot inadvertently make inappropriate app purchases. You will be the best judge as to when you hand over the management of the Apple ID password, allowing your child to install apps independently. 

I already have an Apple ID. Why can't we use that?

If you used an existing, shared Apple ID to manage your child's school device, your child would have access to all the apps, books, music, movies and TV shows purchased with that account. Some of this material may be distracting in a school context or inappropriate for school use. Similarly, any messages or emails associated with the shared Apple ID would sync to your child's iPad.

In the interests of maintaining safety and limiting distraction for all students, we wish to ensure that the digital material that your child requires for school remains separate from family recreational material. Having a personal Apple ID for your child allows their iPad to be managed separately, and maintained for school purposes.

With a personal Apple ID for your child, whenever the iPad is connected to a shared, family computer, the syncing of apps, music and other media will be restricted to the files owned by your child's own Apple ID. This will ensure that only appropriate material is stored on the iPad that is brought to school. Again, this maintains a positive and safe learning environment for all students.

You can manage your child's apps by using their Apple ID to log into the iTunes or App Stores on your own computer (Mac or Windows). With automatic downloads (in Settings), activated on your child's device, any apps you download using their Apple iD in iTunes will automatically install. Please ensure that you always log out of their Apple ID to maintain its security on a shared or family computer.

In the not too distant future (if not already!) your child may want to purchase apps, music etc for themselves, perhaps using iTunes gift cards. For this, they require their own personal Apple ID. When they are old enough to take over the management of this personal Apple ID, they will also retain ownership of the apps they use at primary school - throughout their secondary schooling and beyond.

How do I pay for apps?

We recommend that you do not attach a credit card to your child's Apple ID, especially once your child is managing their own Apple ID password. A simple way to allow the purchase of paid apps is to buy iTunes or App Store cards. Major department stores often discount these cards so you rarely have to pay full price for apps. Each time you redeem a card with an Apple ID, you add limited funds to the account. This ensures greater control on spending with the Apple ID than a credit card would allow.

There is no school requirement for any credit or funds on the Apple ID. A free apps list is supplied on the Documents page (hard copies will be available on Setup Night). All paid apps will be purchased by the school. This arrangement allows us to take advantage of Apple's Volume Purchasing pricing. Registered educational institutions can purchase most educational apps at half price (when 20 or more licenses are purchased in one transaction). We will therefore organise the purchase of required paid apps for all students, so these savings can be passed on to families. A levy of $40 will be charged to each family via the school book list to cover the cost of ALL school apps required over the two year program.

When the school purchases an app for students via VPP, we receive a redemption code or link which we can email to your child. This enables each app to be installed on your child's device without further payment. Ownership of the apps is retained by the Apple ID so your child keeps the app even when they leave the school. Redemption codes will be emailed in the first week of school in 2014, to all families who have paid the $40 levy. The cost of purchasing these required apps independently would be double this cost.

"Rubik Apps" by Cesar Poyatos on Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA] 

Please feel free to use Comments to share information or ask questions.

Ready...Steady...Setup Night!

Parents,

St Catherine's iPad Setup Night is fast approaching. Here are the details again:

Arrive 6.50pm for a 7.00pm start

on Monday 18th November

in the Nano Nagle Centre

The evening will conclude by 8.30pm.

What to Bring: 

• Your child's iPad (if you have already purchased it)
• Access Consent Form, completed by you and your child (this will allow us to install the wireless certificate on the iPad during the setup event)

"iPad Girl" by Charles Tsevis on Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND] 

This event will be time well spent for any of you who are unfamiliar with the iPad and its operating system. Our Year 5 teachers and students are busy planning some short sessions for you, to make you feel more comfortable about managing your child's iPad from next year. The evening is designed for parents. Your child will receive all the "how to" instruction they need in the first weeks of the 2014 school year.

If you DO have the iPad already, please bring it along, charged and ready to use.
If you DON'T yet have the iPad, please don't fret, there will be school devices ready for you to borrow for use on the night.

There is no need for you to completely set up the iPad before you come, however we hope that you create your child's Apple ID before the Setup Evening, so that you can participate fully in all available sessions. Instructions for creating Apple IDs can be found in the Parent Handbook - iOS7 Setup Guide. You can view, download and print a copy of this document from the Documents Page on this blog. A printed copy of the Setup Guide will be available for each family attending Setup Night.

One session will show you how to download the free apps that will be required for school next year. The Free Apps list can be found on the Documents Page on this blog. Instructions for installing apps can be found in the Parent Handbook - iOS7 Setup Guide. You can also access both of these documents (and more!) on the Documents Page on this blog.

Our Apple technician will be available on the night to install school Wireless Certificates on the iPad for those families who have returned (or bring on the night) a completed Access Consent Form. Copies of this form and the accompanying Acceptable Use of Technologies Agreement were sent home with your child two weeks ago. Once again, these documents can be accessed on the Documents Page on this blog.

Whether or not you attend Setup Night, there are four things you can do NOW to prepare for next year:

1. Plan the purchase of your child's iPad. (see previous post "Purchasing the iPad")
2. Create your child's Apple ID. (see Parent Handbook - iOS7 Setup Guide for instructions)
3. Read and discuss the Acceptable use of Technology Agreement with your child. (this document is available on the Documents Page on this blog)
4. Complete the Access Consent Form and return it to school, or bring it on Setup evening.

Hope to see you on the night!

Don't forget, you can use the Comments below to share information or ask questions. Don't be shy!

Purchasing the iPad: When? Where? Which one?

Parents, in the words of that most famous of Hitchhiker's Guides...

Image: "don't-panic-ipad" by Kevin Sonney [CC BY-NC-ND]

Despite the urgings of any over-eager Year 4 children, there is NO need to rush out and purchase an iPad THIS WEEKEND! Absolutely no need whatsoever. Any continuing students only need to have their iPad ready to bring to school on the first day of Term 1, 2014, so you have plenty of time to plan your purchase.

Here are two factors which may influence your decision on...

WHEN?

1. Setup Night - Monday 18th November

The purpose of this event is to show parents who may be unfamiliar with iPads and its operating system (iOS), some ways to make the most of this fabulous learning tool. Your children will receive all the training they need "on the job" next year so this event is designed for parents. The only reason we hold setup night this term, is to make families aware of the measures that you can take to ensure safe and appropriate use using the iPad's "Restrictions" settings, in case the iPad is being used recreationally over the holidays.

If you cannot attend on this evening, the information is available in the Parent Handbook - Setup Guide on this blog. If you have purchased your child's iPad by this date, please bring it along and our technician, Mr Trevor Weatherhead (Class IT) will be available to add the necessary certificate to the device so it will be able to access the school's wireless network. If you have not purchased the iPad by this date, school iPads will be available for you to explore and the wireless certificate will be added in the first week of school next year.

Please note that installation of this wireless certificate is perfectly safe. It is simply a "key" to the school's wireless, not a modification to the device and will not change the functioning of your iPad in any other way.

2. The Festive Season

Many families decide to enlist the help of Father Christmas (and several birthday fairies as well!) when purchasing the iPad so if you want to have it wrapped under a tree by December 25, you will need to check with vendors about availability of particular models during their busiest retail season.

WHERE?

Brisbane Catholic Education negotiates deals with preferred suppliers for particular school laptop purchases but to date there is no such arrangement for mobile devices like iPads. Apple sets prices nationally for its own resellers so you may do better with larger retailers. I have no wish to promote any particular store but your own favourite will probably stock the full range of iPads. Most will price match if you ask. Some may even throw in an extra such as an iTunes card. These will not be required for school apps but will always come in handy. Stay alert for special deals in the lead up to Christmas.

There is an Apple Store at Westfield Carindale and they have been exceedingly helpful to the school for service of school iPads. The Apple Store staff are very knowledgeable and always happy to explain the different features of different models or let you try out the iPads on display. You will pay full recommended retail price at any Apple Store and all Apple resellers but you may prefer this shopping experience.

The cheapest option will be the iPad 2. Most retailers will offer hire purchase options that allow you to pay the iPad off over one or two years with weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments. You will need to undergo a credit check and you will end up paying more overall but this may be a preferred option for some families. Anyone who faces great difficulty making this purchase for your child is urged to contact Paul Leeson or Anne Kelly at the school office to make special arrangements. No family should be put at financial risk by this investment in your child's education.

(...If you happen to be purchasing any iTunes cards for Christmas stockings, don't ever pay full price. Target, Big W, Kmart, Harvey Norman etc frequently offer discounts such as two $20 cards for $30 or similar. Keep an eye on the catalogues.)

WHICH ONE?

As previously advised, any full-sized model of iPad, in either colour, with a camera and a battery that lasts a school day will suffice. A new iPad model will be released for sale this Friday 1st November. Some families will want to take advantage of purchasing this latest model which has the highest specs and will therefore be a viable device for longer. Others will take advantage of the now cheaper prices on older models. There are so many variables that it's difficult for us to make any particular recommendation. The decision is totally up to you and your budget.

Most iPad models are available in 3G and Wifi. Your child will only ever need wifi for school. If you want the iPad to have internet access while travelling away from home you will need a 3G model. (Though you can also tether the iPad to a mobile phone for internet access. Check the data limit on your phone if you're doing this as you may incur additional charges). The iPad's 3G function requires a SIM and you will pay for data from an internet service provider. However if you do purchase a 3G iPad, your child will not be permitted to have the SIM inserted while at school. This is for their own safety as the school's wifi network is secure and internet access filtered. This would not be the case using a 3G connection.

Be wary of purchasing second hand iPad models. Battery life span is dependent on good battery care and you do need it to last two years at school. There is no way of knowing how well the battery in a second hand iPad has been treated.

If you already own an iPad, you may wish to upgrade it for yourself and reset the older model for your child to use. The visible difference between models during normal classroom use, with covers on, will be negligible.

GOOD LUCK!

I hope this post makes things a little clearer for you all. Please use the comments below if you have any further questions, or if you want to share news about a great offer you've found on iPads. It's a great place to discuss strategies. Don't be shy!

Welcome to your Launch Pad

Welcome, Year 4 parents of 2013, to your blog...

This blog will offer you up to date information on our 1 to 1 iPad program so we can all be ready to hit the ground running when school begins next year. You can add it to your Bookmarks/Favourites if you like, but please subscribe via email using the button to your right. That way, any new posts will land straight in your inbox. This will save you having to come back here and check regularly.

This blog will hopefully be a conversation rather than a one-way street. Use the comment section below each post to ask questions. Please don't be shy - chances are others will be wondering the same thing! Don't fret if you don't see your comment right away. All comments are moderated so we don't collect any nasty or spam content on here. As soon as it is approved you will see it.

This method of communication and information access may be new to you, at least where you child's schooling is concerned, but we wish to avoid the stream of printed letters and documents that would otherwise be sent home with your child ...very possibly to become lost, crushed to oblivion, saturated with fruit juice or rendered illegible in numerous other ways.

We're turning over a new leaf in communication with families!

[Image: Leaf_detail CC BY-SA 3.0 by Daniel Schwen via Wikimedia Commons]

We appreciate you taking the time to subscribe by email (above right) so we know you are getting all the information you need. Blogging will be an important means of communication for the year 5 classes next year, when your children are learning with iPads. You will be able to 'step inside the classroom' via the class blog, wherever and whenever it suits you.

We hope and trust that you will find this blog useful. Our aim is to create an online space where you can discuss your experiences and concerns, gain advice and share different perspectives with your child's teachers and each other. The sooner we can forge an active, supportive online community for you all, the clearer and smoother the launch of the 2014 Innovative Learning program will be for everyone. More information about student email, iPad purchasing and Setup night will be posted here very soon, so stay tuned...