Information Technology Update – December 4, 2017

December 3, 2017

End of Year 1:1 Device Health Check

As we approach the end of the year, it is a good time to check that our son’s device is in good condition. It would be great if you could take five minutes to check your son’s device to make sure that it is in good working condition. The school holidays are a good time to have any issues with the device repaired to enable all boys to start the 2018 school year with their 1:1 device in tip top shape. If your son uses an iPad, you can get the iPad repaired at an iPad/iPhone repair shop. If your son uses a notebook, the repairs must be carried at by the College IT team.

  • iPads– It has come to my attention that a number of students are using iPads that are in need of repairs. Also, some of the covers I have noticed are well worn and tatty and no longer provide the level of security that they did when new. Here are some of the things you could check with your son’s iPad:

    • Screen -“ are there any cracks?

    • Headphone jack -“ does it work properly?

    • Home button -“ is it working properly?

    • The iPad Casing or The iPad Itself-“ is it straight? Or is it bent? Are there any major dents?

    • iPad protective Cover -“ is it still in good condition and still providing a high level of protection?

    • iPad neoprene sleeve -“ does your son have a neoprene sleeve in good condition providing a high level of protection?

      • Please note -“ replacement iPad cases and neoprene sleeves are available from the College shop

  • Should there be any problems with your sons iPad, please endeavour to have it repaired or replaced over the holiday break so that your son is not without a device at the beginning of the 2018 school year.

  • HP Spectre Notebook

    • Any repairs that need carrying out must be done by the College ICT Hub as we are authorised HP repairers. Having repairs carried out by a non-authorised repairer will void the notebook warranty. If your son has any issues with his notebook it is important he brings the notebook to the ICT Hub for repairs. Some of the things you could check include

      • Screen -“ are there any cracks? Is it in good condition?

      • Keyboard -“ are all the keys present and in good working condition?

      • Notebook case -“ is it straight? Is it bent or are there any major dents?

      • Notebook TANC protective case -“ is it still in good condition and still providing a high level of protection?

      • Graffiti or stickers -“ the notebook looks unsightly dur to graffiti or stickers

    • If your son’s notebook needs repairs, he can leave at the College IT Hub at the end of the school year and they will repair the notebook over the school holidays and have it ready for use on day 1 2018 when your son returns to school.

Moderating Screen Time Usage

One of the questions I get asked most frequently by parents and friends is how much screen time is appropriate for our children. This is certainly a very relevant topic in the 21st Century as increasingly we are all bombarded with screens in many aspects of our lives. It sometimes seems like we cannot escape screens in our lives when we now have shopping centres and supermarkets and the like making more and more use of screens to get their messages across. In answering the question -How much screen time is appropriate for my child?- there is no easy answer. Our children now use devices for both their education and their entertainment so we need to be mindful of the -‘work vs pleasure’ scenario. As well, there is no doubt that we have a major role to play in this as well as we are our children’s single biggest role models. There is lots of information and advice on screen time limits available and one of the best sources I have come across is on Common Sense Media (CSM). CSM is a not for profit organisation operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area and provide lots of fantastic support to parents and educators on a wide variety of technological issues. They have put together a number of resources on screen time limits and interestingly have come up with some simple ways we as parents can use to help role model the use of devices and to limit screen time. Some of the tips include: