Digital devices are important tools to facilitate anytime, anywhere learning.

Mobile learning (m-Ako) and digital literacy are crucial 21st-century skills in which the College wishes to build student capabilities. However, there is no more important partnership than between home and school presently. Parents/whānau are encouraged to have high levels of participation and monitor what their child is using the device for and the content they are choosing to engage with. The risks and rewards need to be carefully managed to eliminate cyber-bullying, ensure student safety and teach them to negotiate the online environment ethically and as good citizens. A few key points to always remember:

• Face to face conversation is always best. It promotes the development of positive relationships and social skills that enable emotional intelligence.

• The use of games and some apps can be addictive (e.g. Fortnite), so limit screen time.

• The presence of a phone can consume attention and take students away from their learning.

• The increased use of smartphones by students has led to a decline in students' resilience and their ability to cope with uncertainty. This has been linked to an increase in teenage anxiety and depression.

The best place for parents/whānau to go for online safety and advice is Netsafe, New Zealand.

• Screen time and setting boundaries

• What teens do online - Snapchat, Instagram

• Online Grooming - nude pictures, or similar are more common than you will ever imagine!

• Bullying and abuse

Cyber-bullying

Cybe-rbullyingis high on our priority list to address quickly and effectively. However, most cyber-bullying behaviour is happening out of school hours. The College does the best it can to address all concerns and complaints, however, this consumes a significant amount of staff time and resourcing to work through. Often the best solution in these situations is for the parent to parent! Make some hard calls and don’t be manipulated by your child.

• Take the devices off your children between the hours of 7 at night and 7 in the morning, especially if there is an ongoing pattern of this behaviour.

• Perhaps don’t let them take their device to school until they can use it responsibly.

• Take the device off them as a consequence for bad choices in behaviour or use.

• Don’t text or call your child during lesson time.

• Do not engage in similar behaviour with other parents, e.g. interactions with parents of other students via text or social media. This just makes the situation worse. Model responsible citizenship for your child. Report ongoing bullying to the police or Netsafe.

• Be the adult. The College often finds itself in a situation where it is trying to reconcile relationships between parents/ whānau and students/ rangatahi who have taken to social media or texting to address issues of perceived bullying at school. Please consider you are the adult and need to make good choices about using technology and the online environment.

Please trust our staff to have the expertise to manage and identify when a device is being used to support learning and when it is not. At Katikati College we feel strongly that the key to developing good decision-makers and future citizens is to educate our students to use digital devices and technology appropriately, (including social media). This will ensure lifelong digital capabilities and competence are developed.

The technology era our children are growing up in is full of unique challenges created by technological advances and they are different from those challenges we faced as adolescents. We need to work together to set clear boundaries and establish high expectations of students about making positive choices. It is a shared responsibility of parents/whānau and the College to develop our students’/children’s/rangatahi’s understanding of how to manage their digital footprint and be positive digital citizens.

Our College Expectations - The use of mobile devices and the internet at Katikati College

Overall this is down to teacher discretion. We want to educate our students to make the right decision as to when to use digital devices, the internet, and social media as opposed to prohibiting their use.

• Students may use mobile devices before school, in between classes, interval, lunchtime and after school. However, students are expected to transition quickly and quietly between classes and not stop to use their device. When devices are being inappropriately used or used at the wrong time they will be removed and passed on to the Principal.

• Students using mobile devices must adhere to the Computer and Internet Acceptable Use Agreement conditions at all times.

• Students are NOT allowed to text, make or take phone calls in class. Accepting calls during class will not be allowed. If parents need to contact students they should do this through the student office.

• Students may use mobile devices in class for appropriate learning activities. This will be determined by individual teachers. These may include:

  • Photographing work

  • Recording work

  • Timing activities

  • Researching information

  • Using learning apps

• Listening to music and/pr wearing headphones during lessons is at the teacher’s discretion. At interval and lunchtimes students may wear headphones. They must be seated while wearing headphones.

• Consequences for misuse of a mobile device may involve the student being asked to surrender their mobile device and/or usual school behavioural responses.

Please be aware that students and parents may now be held accountable for any unacceptable use of devices, including any abusive, bullying or trolling behaviour or inappropriate actions on social media in accordance with the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015.

IMPORTANT: All mobile devices are the responsibility of the student. It is not the responsibility of the College to deal with the loss of devices. If a device is stolen this can be referred to the Community Police.