BYOD & Technology Code of Conduct

Bring Your Own Device & Technology Code of Conduct

The following information outlines appropriate and acceptable use of internet and online communication services provided by the Department of Education (DoE) in a specific school context. For more information visit the DoE's Student use of Digital Devices and Online Services.

Access and Security

Students will:

• not hack, manipulate or modify settings, attempt to gain access to and/or gain access to password protected content or services
• not disable settings for virus protection, spam and filtering that have been applied as a departmental standard
• not save, upload, manipulate, transmit or in any other way interact with an image of a student, staff member or community member without the expressed written permission of that individual
• never utilise a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or similar communication technology or service to bypass Department of Education firewalls, filters or safety settings for any purpose
• never damage or disable computers, computer systems or networks of the department
• ensure that communication through internet and online communication services is related to learning
• never allow others to use their personal e-learning account
• not knowingly damage hardware devices, peripheral devices or networking infrastructure of Merewether High School
• not upload, download, transmit, save, copy, distribute or print digital content not specifically mapped to a Merewether High School Teaching and Learning or extracurricular program. This includes but is not limited to computer games, applications and system related files, movies, music, images, animations and software intended for monitoring, system related modification, creating aliases or system harm
• not utilise Merewether High School hardware, software, networking infrastructure and related Department of Education systems for any activity or process not strictly linked to a Merewether High School Teaching and Learning or extracurricular program

Students will never send or publish:

• unacceptable or unlawful material or remarks, including offensive, abusive or discriminatory comments
• material that is threatening, bullying or harassing another person or making excessive or unreasonable demands upon another person
• sexually explicit or sexually suggestive material or correspondence
• false or defamatory information about a person or organisation

Students should be aware that all use of internet and online communication services can be audited and traced to the e-learning accounts of specific users.

Impersonating, using or creating system users is a serious breach of the Department of Education’s Code of Conduct. Students utilising Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) technologies are responsible for abiding by the school’s Technology Code of Conduct and the department’s Student use of digital devices and online services from which it has been formulated.

Misuse and Breaches of Acceptable Usage

Students will be aware that:

• they are held responsible for their actions while using internet and online communication services
• they are held responsible for any breaches caused by them allowing any other person to use their e-learning account to access internet and online communication services
• the misuse of internet and online communication services may result in disciplinary action which includes, but is not limited to, the withdrawal of access to services, this includes all hardware, software and network infrastructure connected to or associated with the Merewether High School technology network

Handling of Misuse and Breaches of Acceptable Usage

Students should be aware that there will be a three-tiered reporting approach. These are continuous consequences and do not reset with a new school year or term:

1. First instance of breach: Head Teacher Technology informs parents or caregivers of the breach via email. This will be in addition to any management applied at a classroom level or wherever the breach is observed.
2. Second instance of breach: Student is given a lunch detention where they undertake activities in digital citizenship. This will be in addition to any management applied at a classroom level or wherever the breach is observed.
3. Third instance of breach: Student is referred to their Year Deputy Principal for continued disobedience in relation to the use of Information and Communication Technologies.

A serious breach of the BYOD and Technology Code of Conduct may result in immediate referral to the Year Deputy Principal and suspension from school.

General DoE BYOD Policy

Key Principles

• Merewether High School allows students to bring their own laptop or tablet devices to school and provide access to the Department's Wi-Fi network.
• The Department will provide filtered and monitored internet access through its wireless networks at no cost to students enrolled in NSW Public Schools at DoE sites.
• Students are responsible for the care and maintenance of their laptop or tablet devices including data protection and battery charging.
• The Department will not accept any liability for the theft, damage or loss of any student's laptop or tablet device (intentional or accidental). Students who bring their own devices onto school sites do so at their own risk.
• Schools are not obliged to provide hardware, software or technical support for laptops or tablets.

Damage and Loss

Students bring their laptop or tablet devices onto the school site at their own risk. In cases of malicious damage or theft of another student's device, existing school processes for damage to schools or another student's property apply. For advice on theft or damage of students personal devices please refer to Legal Issues: Claims for Loss or Damage

^{Note: the act of accessing the MHS and DoE computer network implies that the user is aware of and agrees to abide by the code of behaviour statements contained in the DOE communications policy and the MHS BYOD and Technology Code of Conduct.}