The Queensland Academies are committed to moving students and staff forward in a contemporary learning environment. In 2014, Queensland Academies – Health Sciences Campus moved to a BYOD model to give parents and students greater choice in device, functionality and budget.
IT devices are powerful means of differentiating and personalising a student’s education, and student-owned devices facilitate student choice over which application best suits their learning and communication style. Teachers will work with students to ensure everyone can access and view a student’s final work in appropriate formats as necessary.
We are giving families control over the choice of IT device to bring to school as their primary device (within specifications). With this primary device we will continue to support students by diagnosing IT issues and consulting with families if further action is required. We make the following recommendations around device specifications and software as these are expectations that the Academies have of the devices students bring to school.
Please see the BYOD Document (PDF, 1615KB) for more information.
Device minimum specifications
Screen Size
| 10” screen or higher (measured diagonally) – consider portability and weight
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Processor
| Intel i5 or equivalent
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RAM
| 8 GB or higher
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Hard Drive
| 256 GB or higher
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Operating System
| Windows 10 or higher MacOS 10.14 or higher
NOT SUPPORTED: iOS, Android, Windows RT, Windows Standard/Home editions, Chromebook & distributions of Linux (eg. Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora etc.)
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Wireless
| Dual-band wireless capabilities (2.4 & 5 GHz / also referred to as 802.11ac)
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Features
| Keyboard, USB port, headphone port, In-built microphone, webcam
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Battery Life
| 4+ hours
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Connecting your device
Once at the Academy, connecting your device to the network is done in two simple steps:
- Selecting our network from the list of available networks, iDET and entering in your EQ school username and password. If you are coming from a private school you will receive an EQ school username and password upon commencement at the Academy.
- Making sure your device is set to “Auto detect proxy“. (Guide to setting proxy settings (PDF, 446KB))
Required software
The only software requirement for Queensland Academies is each student must have Microsoft Office installed.
All state school students can download multiple free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to their personal home and mobile computer equipment.
Students who want the free software will need an active Managed Internet Service (MIS) login, school email account and password — those who don‘t should contact their school’s MIS Administrator or class teacher. The administrator will help students activate their MIS login. If your student is coming from a private school, these details will be provided on commencement of schooling at QA.
Students can download Office.
Each student has access to OneDrive for Business as part of Microsoft Office 365. OneDrive for Business is an integral part of Microsoft Office 365 and provides a place in the cloud for students to store, share and sync their school files. The following features are available for students through OneDrive for Business:
- Cloud storage
- Word Online
- Excel Online
- PowerPoint Online
- OneNote
- OneNote Class Notebook - students can access Class Notebooks shared with them by a teacher
Suggested software
Internet browsers
Online storage/Backup
Video players
Audio recorder
Virus / Malware protection
- This is a personal preference and families should consider their options carefully.
Please note some security software may not be compatible with the DET network or may require additional configuration for optimal performance.
Questions or problems?
If you have questions about BYOD please feel free to contact the QAHS IT Department on 07 5510 1100 or it@qahs.eq.edu.au.