The use of Information and Communication Technology is an essential and powerful skill in our world.
At Penola, we acknowledge the importance of a seamless integration of Information and Communication Technology within our students’ education. Our focus is on building the capacity and extending the skills of our students to enable them to actively participate in the world beyond school.
Our students are already comfortable using technology, to expand on this we focus on teaching them to use ICT in innovative and creative ways that will enhance their learning. It is an exciting opportunity for our students to become increasingly skilled at using a range of technology to access and present information, to problem solve and work collaboratively.
As a prerequisite to using devices on the College's network, students and parents/carers must sign our ‘Technology and Network Agreement’ and return it to their child's homeroom teacher.
As part of the Diocese of Parramatta, Penola Catholic College uses management software to connect student devices to the Internet. This software must remain on the student’s device to support a safe and stable connection to our network, deployment of educational Apps to devices and locate devices if needed. This does not compromise the privacy of the user at school or home.
Device Requirements
Year 7 and 8 Chromebooks
Year 7 students are required to supply a Chromebook to assist in their learning. We expect that this device will be used in Year 8 and potentially Year 9, depending on your child's selected subjects. This will provide a cohesive and uniform technology experience for our Stage 4 students.
Why Chromebooks?
- Unlike iPads, Chromebooks come with physical keyboards which will allow students to have higher productivity and provide a keyboard experience.
- Chromebooks are some of the safest devices on the market, and they meet all of the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta’s security standards.
- Chromebooks offer all-day battery life and rugged build quality.
- Chromebooks are a more affordable option than current Macbooks or Windows devices.
- Chromebooks offer all Google applications and services easily accessible without the need for extra setup.
- Provide a more streamlined classroom experience due to having a consistent device type across students.
Requirements:
Latest Version of ChromeOS
4GB Ram 16GB of Storage
Screen Size Greater than 10”
6 Hrs Battery Life (Minimum)
All models from our Preferred Suppliers meet the requirements.
Purchasing Options:
Chromebooks can be purchased from our suggested suppliers Officeworks or JB Hi-FI Education, or from any provider as long as they meet the above requirements. (Please note: Chromebooks have a Chrome symbol on the device to allow quick recognition, please ensure you purchase a Chromebook and NOT a windows device.)
Year 9 Macbooks or Chromebooks
Year 9 students can continue using their Chromebook or purchase a Macbook. This is entirely dependent on your child's CONFIRMED Timetabled subjects for year 9. The technology requirements will be detailed at the selection time for their subject preferences for Year 9.
Subjects MAY include but is not limited to:
- Photography
- Engineering
- Industrial Technology-Multimedia
- Visual Arts
If you require the purchase of a Macbook please ensure the Macbook meets the requirements listed below in the Year 10 - 12 section.
Years 10 - 12 Macbooks
Year 10 - 12 students are required to supply a Macbook to assist in their learning. We expect that this device will be used through their final years at Penola Catholic College.
Why Macbooks?
- Macbooks offer a safe operating system and they meet all the security requirements of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese.
- Our current staff ecosystem consists of Macbooks which means our staff will be able to provide assistance from their experiences of using a MacBook.
- Macbooks are designed with schools in mind so they offer all-day battery life and a device lifespan of at least five years.
- The school infrastructure has been built and focused around Apple machines.
- Our entire school’s programming and unit writing are all designed and focused around the MacBooks and their capabilities. Assessment tasks are also designed using Mac only applications.
Requirements:
MacOS Version 12
8GB Ram 256GB of Storage
6 Hrs Battery Life Minimum
All models from our Preferred Suppliers meet the requirements.
Purchasing Options: