For Parents - BYOD
The Riverina Anglican College aims to offer students rich learning experiences in the facilitation of knowledge and skills. The College continually strives to adapt and improve our teaching methodologies. To better accommodate for the needs of students in the 21st Century, from 2015 students enrolling at the College are to bring a technological device to school. This is called BYOD or Bring Your Own Device. The primary use of this device is to benefit learning within the classroom. Please note that exercise books will still be issued and the device will not replace writing within the classroom. At this stage there are no plans by the Board of Studies to move away from handwritten exams at the HSC.
One of the most common questions that we have been asked is “What device should my child bring?”
A few points to consider:
Preferred device
Our preferred device is a laptop with a 13” or 14” screen, not a hybrid, tablet or ipad.
Weight of the device.
Our greatest concern is the weight that students will be carrying around. This will be offset by not having to carry some textbooks. Laptops are becoming more and more portable today. Ultrabooks and Macbook Airs are very light and offer the power of a full laptop. In most cases a 13 inch screen is sufficient for work at the College, saving on weight compared to the bigger models.
Cost
There is a wide variety of devices ranging from $500 up to $2000. This will be determined by your family budget. Our preferred options are listed on the next page.
Preferred Minimum Specifications
Operating system Windows 10 or OSX
RAM Minimum of 4GB
Hard disk drive Minimum of 128GB
Processor i3 or greater.
A number of training and support opportunities will be made available to the students.
Year 7 and 8 will have a study skills/library lesson throughout the year with digital competencies and technology included in this program.
Software that will be needed
Web Browser
Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.
Word Processing
MS Word is the most widely used package.
Presentation Software.
PowerPoint is the most widely used package.
Anti-Virus Software
There are a variety of anti-virus software programs, with the option to purchase or free programs with less functions.
Recommended Devices:
WINDOWS LAPTOP/ULTRABOOK - $500 to $2000 
Strengths - Great compatibility. Widely used.
Weaknesses - Can be heavy if too cheap.
Try to avoid buying very cheap machines, as generally they are heavier and have poorer battery life. In many ways the Ultrabook is the new standard in portable computing, with all the flexibility of a Windows PC built into a light and portable device. Many Ultrabooks have a long battery life that make them great for use at the College.
MACBOOK PRO/ MACBOOK AIR LAPTOP – $1400 to $3000 
Strengths - Powerful computers that now have compatibility with most software. Great for creative pursuits such as video editing. Macbook laptops are versatile machines. They have complete compatibility with MS Office and all websites will work on Mac if the correct software is installed. A Macbook Air is light and generally provides great battery life and have processors that provide similar performance to the Macbook Pro.
MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO – $1400 – $2400 
Strengths - All of the features of a laptop built into a tablet styled computer. Does have a USB port. Runs a full version of Microsoft
Weaknesses - The “Touch” keyboard is generally considered poor. We would suggest buying the “TYPE” keyboard.
In many ways, a MS Surface Pro is a great compromise between a laptop and a tablet. It is a lightweight device that has all the functionality of a larger laptop. More and more students are using the Surface Pro as they are functional, light and have a very good touch screen with writing capabilities. Those students who have one report a high degree of satisfaction.