Direction and guidance on the safe, respectful and responsible use of digital devices and online services for students in NSW public schools.
Audience
All staff and students in NSW public schools.
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| V03.1.0 | 07/11/2025 | Updated to include expectations for students using department digital technologies and restrictions on student access to department devices and online services from overseas locations. Updated policy ownership. | Director, Cyber Security |
| V03.0.1 | 25/02/2025 | Updated contact titles | Executive Director, Technology Enablement |
| V03.0.0 | 09/10/2023 | Updated the procedure to remove reference to mobile phones. Converted to the new procedure template. Changed procedure name from ‘Student use of digital devices and online services guide’. | Executive Director, Digital Learning |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Digital devices |
Include laptops, tablets, wearable technology (such as smartwatches and headphones) and other devices that can receive, store, process and share digital information and connect to applications (apps), websites and other online services. For mobile phone management, refer to Student use of mobile phones in schools policy. |
| Educational purposes | Any use approved by school staff that supports student learning, wellbeing and educational outcomes. |
| Online services | Include digital classrooms, chat and messaging, online games, virtual reality, interactive online learning activities, social media and other online spaces. |
| School-related settings | Include school grounds, school-related activities and outside of school, where there is a clear and close connection between the school and the conduct of students, such as excursions and camps. This connection may exist in situations where: there is a discussion regarding school related matters taking place outside of school hours; a student is wearing their school uniform but is not on school premises; a relationship between parties commenced at school; students are online in digital classrooms; and where online contact has flow on consequences at school and duty of care requires the school to respond once an incident is reported. |
| Virtual Private Network (VPN) | A technology that creates an encrypted connection over the internet between a device and a private network. Use of VPNs to access department systems or services is prohibited unless explicitly approved. |
Principals:
Principals, teachers and school administration services staff:
Parents and carers:
Principals need to determine their school’s approach to managing student use of digital devices and online services, including considering their school’s infrastructure and capabilities.
For mobile phone management, refer to the Student use of mobile phones in schools policy.
Principals need to consult with staff on the planned school approach, as well as engage with students and parents or carers on aspects of the approach.
Be clear about what aspects of the approach the school community can influence and give them sufficient time to review and provide feedback.
Communicate any key changes well in advance and provide an opportunity to have questions and concerns addressed.
Work through the school strategy with staff and ensure they understand what needs to be done, why and whose role it is to carry it out.
Principals may want to establish a team of staff members to be subject matter experts, champion the strategy and be the first point of contact for other staff, students and parents or carers.
Examples for engaging students:
Examples for engaging parents or carers:
Principals may use the sample school plan to document the appropriate range of contexts and settings, as outlined in the following sections.
Principals and teachers can allow students to use digital devices and online services for educational purposes. For example, teachers can use digital devices and online services to:
Learning to be good digital citizens
Schools can help students understand how to be good digital citizens (refer to Teaching and learning with games) by being:
Schools can also choose which school-related settings are appropriate for students to use digital devices and online services.
Bring your own device (BYOD) is an optional program where parents or carers can provide personal digital devices for use at school. Personal devices are also covered under this policy.
To ensure personal devices can support students’ education needs, principals need to clearly communicate any device specification requirements to students, and parents or carers.
Further resources:
Students are expected to use department-provided digital devices and online services in a safe, respectful and responsible manner. These expectations apply whether students are using devices at school, at home or any other location.
Principals are required to ensure that these expectations are built into their school’s technology and behaviour plans. A sample Student Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement (DOCX 261 KB) is available for schools to support implementation.
Teaching staff also play a key role in modelling appropriate digital behaviours and helping students understand these expectations. Teachers should set clear classroom expectations and manage these in alignment with the school’s technology and behaviour plans.
Schools can access additional support and resources through the department’s Cyber safe schools (staff only) page.
Expectations for students using digital technologies:
Safe
Students support their own safety and the safety of others when they:
Respectful
Students demonstrate respect in digital environments when they:
Responsible
Students show responsibility when they:
Some students require reasonable adjustments to their learning and support needs under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth). A disability may include a medical condition impacting a student.
Principals must consult, as appropriate, the student, and their parents or carers, and any external service providers as needed, in determining the adjustments for the student.
Reasonable adjustments may include access to digital devices and online services to participate in education on the same basis as a student without disability. This may need to be documented as part of an existing student learning plan, as determined by the principal.
Principals will need to:
If a student, and parent or carer has any complaints relating to this strategy, the first step is to follow the school’s complaints process. If the issue cannot be resolved, they should access the Making a complaint about our schools (PDF 146 KB) guide.
The department’s Complaints handling policy also provides further information and support for both the school community and staff.
Student access to department digital devices and online services is restricted from overseas locations. Where a student is temporarily overseas and continues to engage in learning, schools may enable access for a set period using the Educational Management Utility (EMU). Refer to the EMU User Guide (staff only) (PDF 5 MB) for more information.
To apply for overseas access to department digital resources:
Schools should only enable access if the student:
Schools can grant access for a maximum period of 12 months. If more than 12 months access is required:
Schools must:
Device and service use while overseas:
The Chief Information Officer monitors the implementation of this procedure, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.
