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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY USE BY STUDENTS
RATIONALE:

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been introduced into schools predominantly through email and the Internet. The availability of such resources provides the opportunity for schools to help students develop their full potential. ICT provides significant educational value but can pose a risk of exposure to inappropriate and offensive material and personal safety.

In accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church, the practice of communication must be totally honest and reflect the highest standard of accountability and sensitivity to human rights and relationships.

DEFINITION

‘Information and Communication Technology (ICT)’ means all computer hardware, software, systems and technology (including the Internet and email) and telecommunications devices in facilities that may be used or accessed from a school campus or connected to a school’s communication network.

PRINCIPLES

  1. At Sacred Heart College ICT is provided for educational purposes only.
  2. Using ICT at Sacred Heart College is a privilege. This privilege can be removed if school rules are broken. Students using the school’s ICT must not break State or Federal laws (a summary of these laws are an attachment to this Policy and form part of this Policy).
  3. The school has the right to check all written, graphic, audio and other materials created, produced, communicated, stored or accessed on school ICT by students, including emails.
  4. Students shall be made aware that access to ICT and in particular email and the Internet can expose them to inappropriate material or potential harm.
  5. Students shall take personal responsibility when using the school’s ICT services by protecting their personal information and data, maintaining the required level of security, respecting the privacy of others, respecting the legal boundaries of licensing and copyright, using language appropriate to the school’s expectations and taking good care of all ICT equipment.

PROCEDURES

  1. Sacred Heart College is committed to ensuring all students are aware of standards for the use of ICT within the school environment. Consequently, unacceptable use will not be tolerated under any circumstances and disciplinary action will be taken against any student who breaches this policy.
  2. Sacred Heart College shall identify acceptable and unacceptable use of email and Internet systems and is committed to regularly updating this policy.

2.1 Acceptable use includes:researching information relating to assignments*;gathering specific information about subjects/topics*;

  • emailing a teacher or friend for assistance with school related work;
    and,
  • other teacher directed activities.
    Students shall exercise caution as to the quality and accuracy of the information they are accessing or transmitting.

2.2 Unacceptable Use:
2.2.1 Unacceptable use includes but is not limited to:

  • accessing networks without school authorization;
  • transmitting or deliberately accessing and/or receiving material that may be considered inappropriate, which includes threatening, sexually explicit, or harassing materials, offensive or discriminatory materials, or material that may be harmful either physically or emotionally, which includes bullying or harassment of fellow students or others outside the
    school;
  • communicating information concerning any password, identifying code or other confidential information or violating the security of the system in any way;
  • interfering with or disrupt network users, services or equipment. Disruptions include but are not limited to, distribution of unsolicited advertising, propagation of viruses, in any form, and using the network to make unauthorised entry to any other machine accessible via your network;
  • plagiarising and/or breaching copyright laws, including software copyright and re-engineering of software;
  • conducting private business matters or use the system for any personal gain; and,
  • downloading and/or installing software programs (eg .exe files), videos, music, picture galleries, copying music CD’s, greeting cards screen savers and game etc without the permission of the school.

2.2.2 It is unlawful to send emails which:

  • defame someone or an organisation;
  • infringe copyright laws i.e. reproduce or adapt copyrighted material by downloading and further disseminating the material;
  • contain statements which could constitute sexual discrimination or sexual harassment;
  • display sexually offensive or explicit material;
  • contain offensive or insulting statements based on the race, colour or nationality of a person; and,
  • undertake activities which breach State and Commonwealth laws.
  1. Unacceptable and/or unlawful use of ICT systems constitute a breach of school rules and may warrant disciplinary action.
  2. This policy is available on our web site at www.sacredheart.wa.edu.au and also on our college intranet. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of its contents.

Costs and Charges Information for Students and Parents

EMAIL MONITORING

All students and parents should be aware that the Catholic Education Office monitor all student email and in particular redirects student email, which contain obscenities sent via the myinternet portal provided at the college. All students in Catholic schools in Western Australia are subjected to this filtering.

The filtering system automatically detects inappropriate email and forwards these to the college network managers instead of the intended recipient. Students will have privileges removed as stated above if this is in breach of the college acceptable use policy.

CHARGES

The cost involved with Internet downloads and printing at Sacred Heart College are considerable. Our budgeted monthly allowance can be easily exceeded if students are not using Search Engines efficiently or are downloading and printing excessive amounts of materials.

Each time a student downloads materials or sends a job for printing it subtracts a few cents from individual student accounts. This process worked very well last year and students have become more aware and efficient in using finite resources effectively. If the allocated credit is exceeded, students will need to pay for the extra.

INTERNET COSTS

  • We have allocated an Internet credit of $10.00 per student per term.
  • This is charged at 10c/MB, which equates to a student download of 100 MB. When a student logs onto the network and accesses the Internet they can automatically monitor their account balance.

PRINTING COSTS

  • Printing will be monitored when students access the facilities provided at the college. When you print to a college printer the cost will be deducted from your account.
  • Students have been allocated a printing credit of $5.00 for the year.
  • This is charged at 5c/page, which equates to 100 pages of black and white printing. Students can monitor the balance of their account when logged on. When you have used your allocated amount you will need to pay extra to have access to college printing facilities.

COLOUR PRINTING FOR STUDENTS

  • The college has a colour printer located in the ICT Office, when required. The students can select this networked printer from anywhere within the College. Students will be charged at a rate of $1.00/per A4 sheet. This will automatically deduct from their printing balance.

LEGAL ISSUES

  • Users are advised that the inappropriate use of electronic information can be a violation of local, state and federal laws. Please make yourself aware of the attached statutes that are applicable to your use of the college ICT facilities.

ATTACHMENT
IMPORTANT STATUTES WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO STUDENTS’:Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
Students may copy or otherwise deal with copyright material for the purpose of study or education. However, generally only the author of original material has the right to reproduce, copy, publish, perform, communicate to the public and make an adaptation of the copyright material.

Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
This Act precludes:

  • Discrimination against persons on grounds of sex, marital status or pregnancy, family responsibility or family status, sexual orientation, race, religious or political conviction, impairment or age in education
  • Sexual harassment and racial harassment in the workplace and in educational institutions, and
  • Promotes community recognition and acceptance of the equality of all persons regardless of their race, sexual orientation, religious or political convictions, impairments or ages.
  • Censorship Act 1996 (WA)
    Students must not use a computer service to transmit, obtain or request an article knowing that it contains
    objectionable and restricted material. It is an offence to possess or copy indecent or obscene articles or child pornography. Students should be aware for their own protection that people who deal with such material commit an offence.
  • Criminal Code (WA)
    Students should be aware that it is illegal to show offensive material to children under 16, and that if someone does show them offensive material that person is committing an offence. Racist harassment and incitement to racial hatred are also criminal offences.
  • Cybercrime Act 2001 (Cth)
    Unauthorised access to or modification of data held in a computer and unauthorised impairment of electronic
    communication eg ‘hacking’ or infecting computer systems with a virus, are illegal.
  • Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
    Students should respect that the personal information of others is private. This Act covers the collection, use
    and disclosure, quality and security of personal information.

  
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