Student use of digital devices and online services

Student use of digital devices and online services

Sydney Distance Education High School follows the Department of Education's Student use of digital devices and online services policy.

Refer to our school specific Student Use of Digital Devices and Online Services Procedures (PDF 361KB) for more information.

Responsibilities and obligations

Student use digital devices and online services in safe, responsible and respectful ways is a shared responsibility.

For students

• Be safe, responsible and respectful users of digital devices and online services.
• Respect and follow school rules and procedures and the decisions made by staff, knowing that other schools may have different procedures.
• Communicate respectfully and collaboratively with peers, school staff and the school community and behave in the ways described in the Behaviour Code for Students.

For parents and carers

• Support implementation of school procedures, including the school’s approach to resolving issues.
• Recognise the role they play in educating their children and modelling the behaviours that underpin the safe, responsible and respectful use of digital devices and online services.
• Take responsibility for their child’s use of digital devices and online services at home such as use of online services with age and content restrictions.
• Communicate with school staff and the school community respectfully and collaboratively as outlined in the School Community Charter.
•  Switch off or put their digital devices on silent when at official school functions and during meetings.
• Provide digital devices that meet school specifications. See Appendix 3.

For the Principal and teachers

• Deliver learning experiences that encourage safe, responsible and respectful use of digital devices and online services. This includes:
  • establishing agreed classroom expectations for using digital devices and online services, in line with these procedures and departmental policy
  • reading and abiding by the Terms of Service for any online services they use in teaching
  • educating students about online privacy, intellectual property, copyright, digital literacy and other online safety related issues.
• Model appropriate use of digital devices and online services in line with departmental policy.
• Respond to and report any breaches of inappropriate use of digital devices and online services as required by school procedures, departmental policy and any statutory and regulatory requirements. This includes:
  • reporting the creation, possession or distribution of indecent or offensive material to the Incident Support and Report hotline as required by the Incident Notification and Response Policy and Procedures and consider any mandatory reporting requirements
  • working with the department and the Office of the eSafety Commissioner (if necessary) to resolve cases of serious online bullying and image-based abuse
  • following the school’s behaviour management plan when responding to any incident of inappropriate student behaviour relating to the use of digital devices or online services.
• If feasible, and particularly as issues emerge, support parents and carers to understand strategies that promote their children’s safe, responsible and respectful use of digital devices and online services.
• Participate in professional development related to appropriate use of digital devices and online services.

For non-teaching staff, volunteers and contractors

• Be aware of the department’s policy, this procedure and act in line with the conduct described.
• Report any inappropriate use of digital devices and online services to the Principal, school executive or school staff they are working with.