I’m buying a personal laptop and wondered if my school is allowed to install software that restricts what I can do on it. I won’t be using the school’s devices or network. Do they have the right to make changes to my personal device? I plan to use this laptop after I finish school and don’t want any spyware or restrictions on it. What do most schools typically do? I’m from Queensland, Australia. Is it common for schools to install programs on students’ personal laptops without their consent?
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
H.Greenspan said:
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
I’m surprised your school is okay with you using your own device. I wouldn’t risk it.
@Alexander
As a school admin, I can tell you that any personal device is against our rules. If it’s on our WiFi, it must meet our policies, including tracking software.
@Alexander
I found it really convenient to use my own laptop during my last two years of high school instead of carrying a backpack.
H.Greenspan said:
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
Allowing personal devices can lead to serious issues. A nearby district had a major problem with inappropriate student photos syncing to district servers because of BYOD policies.
@TomHarris
The only time we allow personal devices is for specific educational needs as part of an IEP, and even then, it’s heavily regulated.
H.Greenspan said:
@TomHarris
The only time we allow personal devices is for specific educational needs as part of an IEP, and even then, it’s heavily regulated.
That’s right, and personal photos no longer sync with system accounts thanks to changes in Google’s policies.
H.Greenspan said:
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
I use my personal laptop for displaying notes because the school-provided one is not good enough.
H.Greenspan said:
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
It’s funny hearing that using a personal device at school could be considered okay.
@AmeliaScarlet
I’m from the US too, and even here it’s rare for schools to allow personal devices without strict controls.
H.Greenspan said:
@AmeliaScarlet
I’m from the US too, and even here it’s rare for schools to allow personal devices without strict controls.
Even well-funded schools in my area provide outdated or inadequate devices.
@AmeliaScarlet
The technology in schools has significantly improved since 2016. Most schools now provide adequate devices like Chromebooks.
H.Greenspan said:
@AmeliaScarlet
The technology in schools has significantly improved since 2016. Most schools now provide adequate devices like Chromebooks.
Those Chromebooks were often outdated and poorly maintained.
@AmeliaScarlet
The situation has improved, but it sounds like your experiences are based on outdated info.
H.Greenspan said:
@AmeliaScarlet
The situation has improved, but it sounds like your experiences are based on outdated info.
From my experience and hearing from family in schools, the quality of provided devices still varies a lot.
H.Greenspan said:
Why use your personal laptop at school? It’s better to just use the devices provided by the school to avoid any trouble.
Why does the school need to control what students do on their personal devices after school hours?
@josephcreamer
Schools must ensure safety and compliance on their networks, which is why restrictions apply even outside of school hours.