Academics Technology

The one-to-one program primarily began out of our desire to teach students 21^st-century skills and connect students to content in new and exciting ways.  We also accepted that many traditionally used resources began to transition to digital platforms. For example, most textbooks are now digital, providing a dynamic way for students to engage with presented information. Digital textbooks cost less than printed textbooks, yet in many ways provide more engaging learning opportunities through their use of embedded videos, interactive maps, graphs, tools, and other dynamic supplements to traditional text. Likewise, resources, like periodicals and research journals, are primarily available in digital format as well. The program was established with five educational goals: expanded equitable access to content, critical engagement with content, meaningful and creative expression, connection to exemplary teachers, and 21st-century skills and issues. As we created our new five-year strategic plan and planned for the direction of our school, we have enacted the following goals for our one-on-one technology program:

1. to greater inspire awe and wonder for learning.
2. to prepare students for the future digital landscape (focused around a Biblical worldview).
3. to expand access to content (to include absent students).
4. to enhance engagement and collaboration (teacher to student/student to student).
5. to teach digital citizenship and respect for the device.

In 2013, after three years of research, communicating with other schools, faculty development, and piloting of programs, FPD implemented a 1-1 convertible PC laptop program in grades 5th-12^th grade. The program also provided class sets of laptops for use in the 4^th grade and in the Lower School Tab Lab.  Additionally, a class set of iPads was purchased for use in the early childhood classrooms.

• Pre-K-3^rd Grade- Students have access to iPads in the classrooms where teachers use educational apps and web-based resources to supplement instruction. Students also have time each week in the Tab Lab where they begin to learn how to use the tablet they will eventually receive in 5^th
• 4^th Grade– Students continue to build on their foundation of skills learned in the Tab Lab. They also have access to a classroom set of tablets, which teachers utilize to supplement learning and prepare them for using their own assigned device in 5^th
• 5^th grade- Students are issued their own personal tablet. During the first two weeks of school, they are taught how to use the device and what the expectations are for using it. Information is also shared with parents at Open House on ways to support their student’s learning using the tablet. The tablets are a learning tool, but not exclusively used in coursework. For instance, students still write in journals and do math work on paper. In Tab lab, 5^th graders learn about things like One Note and other programs they will use in middle school.
• 6^th– 12^th – Students start using Moodle as their student information system for classes and One Note as a digital notebook.
  • One Note- Teachers are always connected to students’ notebooks. They can check their notes or work digitally.
  • Digital resources are easily shared by teachers with students.
  • Students can also keyword search for content making notes easy to access.
• All classrooms for students in 3K-12^th have interactive Viewboards teachers use to supplement instruction.

Student tablets include tools and software that protect them from inappropriate content and limit the functions students can access on their device. Furthermore, teachers may set parameters on what students have access to in their classrooms. For instance, if students only need to access Moodle or PowerPoint, the teacher can block all other programs while students are in class (dyknow software).  When students go to the next class, the parameters can change based on the teacher’s needs.

While the fee does not cover all technology expenses, the FPD technology fee helps pay for the actual devices that students use, as well as the safety software and tools on each device. The technology fee also helps pay our dedicated IT staff who are trained to troubleshoot and fix many problems with the devices.

• Parents may track their child’s classes and be more involved with their academic work and progress.
• Students are able to prepare presentations for their classes to be shared on the interactive Viewboards.
• Students are able to share digital content with their teachers and other students (as directed).
• Teachers are able to leverage academic resources through secure browsers to differentiate their instruction, better engage their students, and receive “right now” formative assessment data to determine mastery level of academic objectives.