In any learning environment, students should have a clear understanding of what their educators expect from them, as well as what they can expect from the educator. The online platforms can sometimes be confusing for learners to effectively navigate and therefore, an Online Code of Conduct has been designed to ensure that Bryanston Primary students understand what will be expected of them with regards to assessments and curriculum. The addendum also serves to protect student and educator privacy regarding General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Student responsibilities for online learning:

Microsoft Teams (MST) Lessons

MST lessons are the same as an actual lesson at school and all usual school rules regarding behaviour and etiquette will apply. The Learner Code of Conduct will be used in MST lessons to ensure that students do not engage in behaviour that affects the rights of others to learn.

Preparing for an MST lesson

In order to create an environment that is conducive to effective learning and teaching in an online lesson, students will be responsible before the lesson starts to do the following:

• Finding a quiet place in their home to attend the live lesson. Try to not have any distractions during the lesson e.g. the TV or music on, another person in the room talking or cleaning. 
• Creating an area with a classroom environment, where they are seated at a desk so that they can do work. Do not work on a bed or sofa that will allow you to lie down or slouch. If using a mobile device, keep the camera still and refrain from walking around during a lesson.
• Making sure they have covered the work on BPS online as instructed by their educator, that they are in-line with the planned work schedule and that they are not behind in class work and assessments. This is essential otherwise learners will not understand the MST lesson.
• Ensure they are comfortable using MST and that they understand the rules to follow during the lesson.
• Have their cameras on (If the device you are using does not have a camera function or you are unable to use the camera due to limited data/slow internet line etc. please make sure that you inform your teacher via email) and their microphones muted when the educator starts the MST lesson. Only an educator may start an MST lesson, no learner may start a lesson and will receive a demerit if they do so.
• Students must ensure they are adequately prepared for their online lessons, having all the necessary equipment available (Pen, exercise book, equipment, calculator etc.).
• Students must be appropriately dressed, no pajamas/nightwear or inappropriate clothing and must have brushed their hair and look presentable as if they were dressing for school. (No make-up, dyed hair etc.)
• When participating in a video conference on MST, they will ensure that there is no confidential information in the background (e.g. letters with addresses or personal family photographs).
• Students should have eaten before the lesson starts and are not allowed to eat during the lesson. The same rules for school will apply for your lesson, follow your timetable which will allow for breaks for eating and going to the bathroom.
• Before starting an MST lesson, the student must have the permission of an adult to participate in the lesson.
• Students must be on time for a lesson and educators will start the lesson five minutes before the scheduled time.
• If there is load-shedding, please catch up the recorded lesson and email your educator the reasons for your absenteeism.
• A register of attendance for each lesson will be taken and kept on record.
• End the MST lesson immediately when instructed to do so by your educator. Once everyone has said farewell, the educator will terminate the lesson.

MST Lesson etiquette

 All students are expected to behave and respect the educator and all students during the lesson and will be responsible for their behavior and actions when using MST, this includes the resources they access and the language they use. Students are expected to engage in the lesson, remain attentive and follow the Learner Code of Conduct regarding behaviour, communication and handing in assessments/work. If the Learner Code of Conduct is not followed appropriately then students may be removed from the online lesson and parents will be contacted and school sanctions applied. Unlike school, learners misbehaving cannot be spoken to individually as an MST lesson cannot be stopped and therefore will be reprimanded during the live session and asked to stay online after the session has ended.

Communication

 When speaking during the MST lesson, only do so when instructed by your educator. Make sure your mute button is on until you are called upon by your educator to talk.

• If you want to get the attention of your teacher or answer a question, press the hand waving icon to show your teacher you would like to talk.
• Be courteous when asking a question or addressing the teacher or another student.
• When talking, make sure you talk slowly and clearly, making sure you are always polite and wait for any pauses or delays that may occur due to connection issues.
• Students may not use the chat function during a live lesson to chat to one another or the teacher, this includes the sending of emoticons. This is the same as talking during class and you will distract other students. If you do not have a microphone, please inform your educator, who will give you permission to answer or ask the educator questions via the chats function.
• All communication should solely be work related.
• All messages or information uploaded during an MST lesson or on other applications provided by the school will be monitored and logged by the school and if deemed inappropriate can be made available for disciplinary hearings.
• Students may not at any time, mute anyone else’s microphone but their own, turn off their camera without permission or leave a live lesson for the duration of the lesson.

 Behaviour and Privacy

• The MST lesson is only for Bryanston Primary students and students may not invite anyone to attend the lesson.
• Respect the personal information and privacy of others. Students may not share their login credentials and may not assume someone else’s identity
• Record lessons. Only the educator will record each lesson.
• Students will not deliberately browse, download, upload or forward material that could be considered offensive or illegal. If they accidentally come across any such material, they must report it immediately to their teacher and parent.
• Students may not share resources or videos created by their educators with anyone who is not a pupil or member of staff at Bryanston Primary School and will respect all copyright laws.
• Students will not record or take photos of their peers or educators during an MST lesson.
• Students will not share any school content on social media

Academic work

• Be honest and demonstrate integrity in all areas of work.
• Complete and submit work according to instruction and in a thorough manner.
• If you do not understand how to complete work or an assessment, contact your educator a minimum of three (3) days before the work needs to be submitted.
• If you are unable to submit work due to IT problems, load shedding etc. then the work/assessment must be submitted by hand to the school in a clearly marked envelope with the following details:
• Name of Learner
• Grade and class
• The name of the educator who the work is for
• The name of the work/assessment
• All work must be submitted by 13H40 on the due date and any work submitted after this time will be deemed as late and the Learner Code of Conduct will be adhered to in regard to assessments not done.
• Students are required to submit their own work without plagiarism or copying of another student’s work. This is a breach of the Learner Code of Conduct and the student will receive 0% for cheating.
• Students may not include any information in academic work that may be  discriminatory, offensive, hostile, or

If students are deemed to have breached this addendum according to the Learner Code of Conduct, appropriate disciplinary action will follow according to the Learner Code of Conduct.

Email etiquette

 Students are asked to be respectful and courteous when they engage in individual email  communication with an educator. Below are guidelines to follow:

• A formal greeting (Good Morning Mrs/Mr) and formal language are required in
• If a request is being made, please phrase it respectfully i.e. say please and make sure you are clear in what you are requesting.
• Respond timeously to an email from a teacher and notify her/him that you have received the email with a polite response.
• If a task is being submitted as an attachment, please include a greeting and explanation in the text section of the Never submit an attachment without this.

Parent responsibility for online learning:

• Parents need to explain the Online Code of Conduct and be familiar with the rules in order to assist their children and help them to complete the academic requirements set out by the school.
• The MST lessons are between teachers and students ONLY. Parents should not help, give students answers and if the student does not understand the concept, the student needs to speak to the educator. At no time is a parent allowed to be on the MST lesson.
• If parents wish to contact the school, they should do so through the schools formal communication channels (e.g. email the educator concerned).
• Parents must understand that Microsoft Teams is a closed school system and only accessible via your school Office365 account and should therefore not invite any guests from outside the class or school to join the system through the misuse of login details.
• Parents/carers should be mindful that they and other family members might be seen or heard within the session by staff. Trying to limit this would be recommended and can be guaranteed if the student’s microphone remain turned off.
• Parents will not share any school content on social media platforms or with any other person who is not a student or educator of the school.
• Parents need to safeguard technology that students may be using to ensure that they cannot access any inappropriate material.
• Parents/siblings may not do the work for the student or give them answers that will benefit them in an assessment.

Microsoft Teams Disclaimer

 Under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in order for your child to use Outlook, Microsoft Teams and BPS online to share their work with others, we require your consent. Please read the Learner Code of Conduct and GDPR regulations before sharing these with your child.

For more information on GDPR, please visit https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/lawtopic/data- protection/reform/rights-citizens. If you have any questions with regards to the use of Microsoft Teams to enhance online learning, please forward them to Mrs. Roman, HOD of IT.