eLearning Guidelines @ MCC

Network access for all students at Mackay Christian College is a priority, providing a valuable educational resource. Parents are asked to purchase and label earphones (not earbuds) with iPad connectivity for their students.

Students in Prep to Year 4 will be given access to classroom-based eDevices.

Students in Years 5 and 6 will receive an in-classroom iPad through the MCC iPad Program to enhance their learning experience. Mackay Christian College has made a strong commitment to the integration of ICT in classrooms.

Parents/Carers must complete and sign an agreement with the College for their child to participate in this program.

Students in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 will be allocated a full-sized iPad purchased through the College that has been preconfigured with all required learning apps and supplied with both Apple Care and a case.

Students in Year 10 must provide a full-sized iPad with a minimum of 32GB storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. iPads must not be more than three (3) years old. The iPad ‘Pro’ with Wi-Fi connectivity is acceptable; however, it is more expensive to purchase. The iPad ‘Mini’ is not permitted as the screen size makes it unsuitable for learning. The use of cloud technologies provided by the College enables students to supplement an iPad with other devices at home if preferred. Parents can choose on the amount of storage required (64GB or 256GB). Permission to use laptops for Year 10 who are planning an ATAR pathway in senior may be requested and must be approved by the Head of Senior School before connecting to the College‘s Wi-Fi. The College advises as a minimum requirement, laptops are equipped with an Intel Core i5 10th generation CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a drive with 256GB storage. BYOD laptops should have current antivirus software installed, with free versions being readily accessible. The College may install configuration applications to set up WiFi and Office 365 access.

Senior students in Years 11 and 12 can either provide a full-sized iPad (as described above for Year 10 students) or bring their own laptop if preferred. Laptops must be Wi-Fi enabled and capable of running Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud. Students in Years 11 and 12 who are ATAR eligible are required to complete substantial assignments in a number of their subjects and should choose the laptop option. The College advises that as a minimum requirement, laptops are equipped with an Intel Core i5 10th generation CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a drive with 256GB storage. BYOD laptops should have current antivirus software installed, with free versions being readily accessible. The College may install configuration applications to set up WiFi and Office 365 access.

eLearning Guidelines pdf

Network Student User Agreement pdf

Electronic Devices Policy pdf

Student Responsibilities

Students will be responsible for using their eDevice in accordance with the College’s Network Acceptable Use Policy, the Code of Conduct and our CLEAR Technology expectations (see Network Student User Agreement at mcc.qld.edu.au).

Students who fail to meet their responsibilities will be dealt with as per the College’s Student Behaviour Education Policy. Students may be instructed to delete apps if used inappropriately while at school, and the student’s iPad may be confiscated. Electronic learning devices are under teacher supervision from 8.30am to 3.00pm. If students in Years 7 to 12 regularly fail to bring their learning devices to class, parents will be notified. As parents/carers, your support of the College’s eLearning is greatly appreciated.

Advice for Parents/Carers

Advice for Parents/Carers: Students do not need games or entertainment apps for school. If you would like your child to have an entertainment device, we strongly recommend you purchase another one and keep the school-supplied iPad exclusive for school work. iPads are a tool to facilitate learning; that is their primary purpose at MCC. Students can use their iPads for other purposes, often leading to them being disabled for school. Learning devices for school are subject to permission. We support parent/carer decisions about the setting of boundaries at home as long as schoolwork can be completed.

Where to Purchase an iPad (Yr 10-12)

iPads are available to purchase locally and online. As part of your purchasing decision, you may wish to consider whether local after-sales support is available. Standard Apple support requires the customer to call a support number and then send the iPad directly to Apple for repair, with an estimated turnaround time of 2-3 weeks. As well as inquiring about after-sales support at your store of choice, you may also wish to ask if they provide free training in using iPads. The College cannot assist with iPad hardware faults, warranty claims or repairs, or loan units. However, our ICT department always endeavors to help students with iPad software configuration issues where possible.

Online options include:

The School Locker theschoollocker.com.au/schools/mackay-christian-college

Local retailers include:

Apple Premium Resellers (Specialists in Apple Sales and Service) eg Matilda Internet
Department stores - Big W, Target, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys.

iPad Support & Additional Warranty

We strongly recommend purchasing an AppleCare+ warranty with your iPad. This includes two (2) years of phone support from Apple rather than 30 days, plus an additional 12 months warranty (total of 2 years warranty) as well as cover for accidental damage (T&C’s apply AppleCare Products - iPad - Apple (AU)).

Protecting your iPad

The College strongly recommends the purchase of a robust iPad case to minimise potential damage. The Griffin Survivor Case or Otterbox Defender have both been proven to be highly effective at reducing damage to iPads used by students at MCC and other schools. The risk of accidental damage occurring is real and should be factored into consideration. The College accepts no responsibility for damage caused to students’ iPads. We also strongly recommend that you insure your child’s iPad and that any damages are repaired by an authorised Apple provider which will not void the iPad’s warranty. It is probable that your child’s iPad will need to be replaced after three (3) years.