BYOD - Fraser Coast Anglican College

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BYOD Program

Bring Your Own Device program

All Secondary students are part of our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program. Our BYOD program allows families to choose a device that works best for them – at school and at home. We will provide our students with all the software they need for school as well as tech support for when problems arise.

Below you will find specific information related to the College’s implementation of the BYOD program, suggested computer specifications and some suggested supplier details. You can also download the BYOD Parent Information booklet. If you have any questions relating to the College’s BYOD program, please email us at [email protected].

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Program overview

We do not specify a particular device that parents are required to purchase. Instead, the College will provide some general specification guidelines and parents will have the freedom to make decisions about what best suits their specific circumstances regarding device usage.

Please note however the following caveats:

Devices that do not run a desktop OS – eg Apple iPads or Android tablets – are not suitable within the College’s BYOD environment. This also includes Google Chromebooks.

Apple devices that meet the required specifications and run a full desktop operating system (eg Apple Macbooks Pro and Air) can be used; however, the user may need to provide access to a Windows environment, such as Parallels, to run some of our software.

Depending on your knowledge, purchasing a laptop can be a daunting process. To assist parents in making an informed decision, we have worked with some suppliers to provide a shortlist of devices across a variety of price points that address the recommended specifications. Please note that there is no obligation to purchase devices from these providers.

JB Hi-Fi

Extended warranty and ADP must be purchased in same transaction as the laptop
JB Hi-Fi BYOD Portal
Access the Portal using password: FCACBYOD2023
BYOD JB Hi-Fi Contacts
BYOD FAQs Page
BYOD Warranty Support

As part of the College’s License agreement, students are able to access the full offline installation of Office365 and Adobe Creative Cloud suite. To install MS Office onto your BYOD device, please follow the instructions contained in the following document: MS Office Installation Instructions

Students will be provided with instructions for the installation of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite at the beginning of the school year.

The following table provides an overview of the base and recommenced specifications for BYOD devices. These specifications have been chosen to provide a balance between cost and the technical longevity of the device.

	Base level	Recommended
Processor	(Intel) Core i3 Processor/(AMD) Ryzen 3	(Intel) Core i5 or above/(AMD) Ryzen 5 or above
Memory	4 gig of RAM	8 gigabytes or RAM or above
Hard Drive	128 gigabytes SSD	256 gigabytes SSD or above
Screen Type	Minimum 11.6 inches	13/14 inch with optional touch or stylus

Operating System	Windows 10 or Windows 11 is due to be released soon; however, Windows 10 will be supported for some time to come.
Battery Life	Approximately 6-7 hours – enough for a school day.
Connectivity	Dual band AC wifi
Accessories	Separate laptop bag
Warranty	3 year onsite warranty with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP)

The College does not have insurance to cover damage to privately owned laptops.
If a laptop sustains damage while at school, it is important that students alert staff to this issue immediately. This message is reinforced to students during the BYOD induction process.

The College has a pool of replacement devices that students can access for a short-term loan in the event of issues with their devices. It is recommended that parents source the longest warranty that fits within their budget and consider the option of onsite repair as opposed to a depot warranty (which means the device will need to be couriered back to a repair centre).

Accidental Damage Policies (ADP) is insurance that can be purchased to cover a device in the event it incurs damage that falls outside the scope of the normal warranty terms and conditions. Some manufacturers offer ADP protection, while it can also be sourced through home and contents insurance or third-party providers.
As with all insurance products, please carefully consider the Product Disclosure Statement when choosing ADP including such aspects as excess payable, total amount the policy will cover, repair v replacement options and the permitted frequency of claims.