news, latest-news

Students using government-issued laptops have been told the ACT will monitor how they use the device and refer illegal activity to the police. Year seven to 11 public school students will receive their promised free Chromebook only when their parents sign an agreement that says they understand "the territory and other people helping or working with the territory" may monitor how the laptop is used and access information added to the device. Illegal activity would be referred to police, the Chromebook Acceptance Form said. An Education Directorate spokesman said authorised staff and ICT security could watch how students used the laptops at school but confirmed the devices wouldn't be monitored when students were at home. "Chromebook internet browsing activity and history is captured when the devices are at school and connected to the directorate's school wireless network," he said. "Internet access and appropriate use at home is a responsibility between parents and students. "However, all Canberra public schools are encouraged to teach students about cyber safety and respectful online behaviours, and we also make available a range of online resources for parents and students from the Commonwealth eSafety commissioner on safe ICT practices at home." The Chromebook agreement also covers an existing ICT contract signed by all students, with a warning a breach of that policy could lead to the directorate removing the laptop. Pornography, online gambling, dating sites, terrorism and looking at swimsuit and lingerie models are banned under the acceptable ICT use agreement. ACT Council of Parents and Citizens president John Haydon said the Chromebook agreement was similar to one students signed under the existing bring your own device policy. "I don't really think there's any intent to [search through people's information]," he said. "On the other hand, everything they submit goes to teachers anyway." All students in years seven to 11 will receive a free laptop from the ACT government by 2019 as part of a $17 million ACT Labor election commitment. The directorate has not said how much each device will cost, saying the figure was commercial-in-confidence. About 15,000 Acer Chromebooks will be bought as part of the scheme with Datacom in charge of program logistics, program management and the delivery and distribution of devices to schools. The Canberra Liberals last week questioned the purpose of the device roll-out, arguing there was no benefit to students. Opposition education spokesman Andrew Wall labelled it "an expensive policy with no projected outcome". "ACT public schools are performing below similar schools in other jurisdictions despite expenditure on a per-student basis for public schools being one of the highest in the country," he said. "Every Canberra family deserves the best education for their children. Handing out shiny laptops without a corresponding plan on how they will be integrated into the school curriculum is an irresponsible use of public money." The Education Directorate spokesman said providing free laptops would allow teachers to "focus more on the learning outcomes for students and less on worrying about the ICT". "The success criteria for this initiative is clear: every single ACT public high school and college student will have equitable access to the modern tools they need to access learning." Mr Haydon said his organisation supported the policy: "The intent is to provide devices so no children are disadvantaged in accessing education through the public school system. "One could wonder whether that was the most appropriately targeted way of doing it, given there's a reasonable proportion of people on actually quite high incomes who send their children to public schools, but my understanding is it's an equity issue and it makes sense from an IT perspective."

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/f3311c38-2e6c-4027-abad-1d95d85beb8a/r0_303_2000_1433_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg