As the year draws to a close, work continues behind the scenes to ensure the new ‘Managed Device’ program is ready to roll out across SCEA schools in 2026.
The project team met this week to give an update on their respective areas: staff training, device rollout and parent registration for 2026 Year 7 and 10 students.
All of these areas are very much on schedule, with staff training beginning next week through Mr Stephen Drew, SCEA’s Manager of Digital Learning.
Managed Device Project Team (from left): Mr Nick Wood (Chief Operating Officer – SCEA), Miss Lauren Hays (Marketing & Communication Specialist – SCEA), Ms Melanie Ponnan (ICT Service Delivery Manager), Mr Stephen Drew (Manager of Digital Learning), Mr Long Nguyen (Applications Specialist) and Ms Lize-Mari Janse van Rensburg (Enterprise Applications Manager).
Parent registrations for the Managed Device program are tracking well, with Southern Hills leading the pack with almost 100% of 2026 Year 7 and 10 parent sign-ups!
Why are parents registering as part of this new program?
In order to receive these new Managed Devices from SCEA, parents must sign a parent agreement and abide by the terms and conditions.
While signing an agreement may seem arduous for most of us, the uptake from parents who are relieved that these devices are ‘educationally-centred’ has been very positive.
So all of the parents are on board with this new concept, but what about SCEA ICT staff?
Last week, our ICT staff from across SCEA schools gathered to receive their own training from managed device provider Winthrop.
This is just one of the many sessions that will ensure our SCEA ICT representatives are equipped for the new year and the MacBook/iPad environment that SCEA students will enter.
Teaching staff will have their own induction and training ahead of the new year, led by Mr Stephen Drew and the ICT Applications team.
This training begins next week at Ellenbrook Christian College, with Mr Long Nguyen excited about the prospect of upskilling staff:
“It is exciting to be a part of this project, with all of the new devices and training that is set to take place during this term. It is the culmination of a lot of hard work for a lot of people!”
What are these new devices that are coming into our SCEA schools?
As of Term 1, 2026, SCEA students will be provided with either a classroom device (Kindy-Year 6) or a leased device (Years 7 and 10) for educational use.
The table below outlines what this means for your school at a classroom level:
| Issues that can arise with ICT in classrooms | Negatives of the ‘BYOD Program’ | Positives of the ‘Managed Device Program’ |
| Classroom management | Lack of consistency of content across all student devices. There is a need for teachers to monitor student device use manually in the classroom. | All student devices have access to the same content. Teachers can manage their lessons through Apple Classroom. |
| Learning focus | No content blockers in place, unrestricted access to all digital content, games and social media. | Content filters and blockers are set by the SCEA ICT team. Access to social media sites and games is restricted. |
| Use of different programs and devices | Various devices in use per classroom, with different operating systems, plugin ports and applications. | Each student has the same device, using the same operating system, plugin ports and applications. |
| App installation and updates | Parents/families are responsible for app download and updates, including costs. | SCEA’s ICT teams remotely install and update apps. Costs are included in the device lease payments. |
Does this program really make our students safer?
Research indicates that risks faced by young people from unfiltered device use include heightened anxiety and stress, disrupted sleep patterns, greater risk of cyberbullying/online harassment, and increased risk of mental health concerns.*
The Managed Device program is set up to address these issues directly through use of content blockers and other filters; however, we’re not just blocking undesirable content.
As this program rolls out in schools from 2026 to 2030, we expect it to enhance our educational excellence and prepare students to engage with technology wisely now and in their futures.
*More detailed information and links to this research are available here.