Notice for parents of students Enrolling in 2024:
We are currently reassessing our BYOD recommendations for students entering the college in 2024. Once apple has released specifications and pricing information for the 11th generation iPad and the retail prices of older generations are adjusted, we will assess all available options and notify parents of incoming students with the details.
The BYOD enrolment booking page will be adjusted to allow for bookings during term 4 and the december-january break once we are able to update our information.
Below is the information for our BYOD program in 2023 to serve as a frame of reference while we await further information.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Program:
Our JB-Education portal is once again available. At the moment only 9th generation iPads are available for order for lower school students.
In 2023, devices will be mandated for years 7, 8 and 9. For students in Years 10 and above a tablet or laptop is required, however there is no specific requirement in terms of brand or type.
We enroll devices into a Mobile Device Management system, JAMF. In previous years, devices were enrolled simply by purchasing them through our BYOD portal. Policy changes from Apple now require us to enroll devices onsite regardless of purchase method. You can book a time to bring your device in for enrolment on the BYOD Enrolment booking page.
Year 7-9 mandated device 2023
Students in Year 7, 8 and 9 are required to bring an iPad (WiFi only preferred) capable of running at least iPadOS-14. Devices that cannot run iPadOS-14 will not be connected to the network or be supported. As there is a significant price difference between the 9th and 10th generation iPads without a significant increment in performance or functionality our recommendation remains a 9th generation iPad. We hope to add 128GB 2021 iPad Pro’s as an alternative option on the portal for parents looking to purchase a more powerful device.
We recommend:
- Apple iPad 9th Wi-Fi only with 256GB of storage
- One of the three protective cases from our JB portal
- Apple Pencil
Years 10-12 recommended device 2023
For students in Year 10-12 we recommend an iPad capable of running the latest version of iPadOS-14 or a MacBook. A MacBook is the recommended option for students in the Media Arts program. A MacBook will provide a larger screen and has the ability to run the full version of Adobe Premiere Pro, a video editing software suite.
Students using non-Apple devices (tablets or laptops) in Years 10-12 may still bring these to school however, this may impact the support available to them at the College.
Cases and Keyboards
We encourage the use of protective cases and keyboard peripherals for iPads. Our BYOD portal provides a choice of a keyboard case with an integrated battery, a keyboard case that is powered by the iPad itself and a sturdy protective case without an attached keyboard. Selecting the ‘accessories program’ option on the purchase portal under student programs will allow for the selection and purchase of peripherals separately from a device.
The College recommends keyboard-case combinations with sealed keyboards that run off the iPad’s internal power, such as the Logitech Rugged Folio Keyboard Case, shown below. This is not a hard requirement and there are a range of keyboard-case combinations on the market to suit different price points and availability, so please use your best judgement.
As the 9th generation iPad shares the 8th generation iPad’s dimensions, it will fit into any 8th generation case.
Storage
Previously we recommended 128 gigabytes of storage for iPads as 64 gigabytes was insufficient to guarantee there would be no storage related issues over the devices lifetime. At the moment 128 GB storage is available for the 2021 iPad Pro, but not the 9th generation iPad. For the 9th Generation iPad we recommend the 256GB model.
Pens
While there are third party Stylus options such as the Adonit note+ or Logitech Crayon which are suitable for handwriting, these frequently do not have full compatibility or functionality for features such as pressure sensitivity needed for brush strokes in drawing apps.
To avoid such issues, the Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil 2 is our recommended stylus for students invested in arts or design streams involving digital drawing. For students performing such tasks as part of enrichment units we are undergoing trials of classroom stylus sets which will hopefully allow participation without unnecessary expense.
Purchasing
When purchasing a device, we encourage you to shop around and look for the best deal you can get. Please consider the need for some form of extended warranty and accidental damage protection.
While we do not recommend one retailer over another, we have added JB HiFi’s online purchasing portal as they offer a higher level of educational discount and also provide guidelines on devices required for each year level.
If you can not afford a device please make contact with the College to discuss your options.