Microsoft
Surface Stories
Page 8
Baradene College of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic Girls
School, in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand, teaching girls
from Year 7 until Year 13. There are 1,200 girls on the roll,
including approximately 40 international students with a
teaching staff of more than 70.
The school explains its mission is providing an education
that doesn’t just turn the children out “small and finished,
but seriously begun on a wide basis”. The aim is to have the
students leave with self-knowledge, energy, and purpose.
Sandy Pasley, the Principal at Baradene College, says “We
understand that the foundation to achieving our mission
lies in a committed, engaged, dynamic and progressive
teaching and support team. We are continually looking to
improve and push ourselves to make sure we are equipping
our students for the modern technological world.”
The New Zealand Curriculum prescribes that schools should
explore not only how ICT can supplement traditional ways
of teaching but also how it can open up new and different
ways of learning. With this in mind, Baradene has set out a
strategic ICT plan that supports teaching and learning where
parents, community, teachers and students all work towards
a common outcome.
“We want to make sure that all Baradene students leave
us as confident 21st century learners that are able to
collaborate, construct knowledge, self-regulate, solve real
world problems and innovate. We want them to leave
school ready for life in 2020 and beyond,” says Sandy.
BYOD device strategy
A large part of Baradene’s strategic ICT plan is making sure
that the students are using devices that are supportive of
modern learning. The school is now in the fourth year of a
student one to one program – one device per student. In
2013 they trialled Surface devices for all Year 9 students and
in 2014 the school extended the program to include all Year
7, 8, 9 and 10 students.
“Over the past three years we have learnt some valuable
lessons about how devices affect teaching and learning and
the use of a personal device has become an important part
of the toolkit that supports students’ learning at Baradene.
“The advantages for students bringing their own devices are
many and varied. A student owned internet capable device
gives them instant access to unlimited online resources and
enables them to support, extend, communicate and share
their learning in a way that will prepare them for the future,”
says Sandy.
Baradene has found that ownership of a personal device by
students has also proven to bring a new level of motivation
and engagement in the classroom.
“We have found that since we started the programme,
students have developed greater independence and critical
thinking, and the devices have provided new and exciting
opportunities for collaboration and sharing,” says Sandy.
Surface Pro in the classroom
With the programme now in its fourth year, the majority
of students now use a Surface device at school. Teachers
have found that having all students in the class on the same
machine and on a Windows platform ensures they are able
to stick to their core business, which is using the device
to support teaching and learning, rather than spending
precious teaching time on technicalities.
Due to the success of Surface Pro 3 devices in the
classrooms in 2015, Baradene recommended Surface Pro 4
to students in 2016.
The Surface is light enough for the students to carry around
to their classes, is durable, has a long battery life, and the
Type Cover Keyboard makes it an excellent device for the
school environment.
Sandy Pasley
Principal, Baradene College of the Sacred Heart