Our educational technology vision is to model an environment where all members of the school community can confidently and responsibly engage in a robust curriculum supported with the most current tools of technology for teaching, learning, and assessment. We will provide technological guidance and support for the use of evolving pedagogical practices in the creation of authentic learning experiences that enable faculty and students to contribute productively to the learning community
Savannah Country Day strongly believes that technology offers new opportunities, powerful tools for global communication, intellectual and aesthetic pursuits, and encourages life-long learning. Technology and its application to education is a necessary tool for the 21st century classroom and will be integrated throughout Savannah Country Day School divisions. In keeping with this belief, education technology at Savannah Country Day begins in the lower school introducing students to technology as a tool for creativity and exploration. Students will progress to middle school empowered with technology that seamlessly integrates digital tools, accommodates a mobile lifestyle, and encourages collaboration and teamwork in physical and virtual workspaces. Upper school students will continue to employ educational technology skills and methods acquired in middle school while transitioning to an environment where access to technology and curricula will prepare them for institutions of higher learning.
Lower School Philosophy
We believe that digital and information literacies are necessary for meeting the challenges of 21st century life. We want our students to use technology effectively and creatively and to be concerned with not just how to use digital tools, but also when to use them, and why. In keeping with this belief, technology instruction at Savannah Country Day begins in the lower school as students are introduced to technology as a tool for creativity and exploration. Instruction in basic computer operations, interconnectivity of devices, productivity applications, information literacy, communication and collaboration tools, digital citizenship, and keyboarding are integrated into classroom learning at all levels. We believe that technology is an essential piece in the teaching and learning environment and that students and teachers should have access to digital tools and information at the time of need. Each lower school student is assigned a device for use during the school day and teachers have ready access to various emerging technologies. A combination of digital tools gives our teachers many options with which to creatively engage students and model effective use, while also giving our students a wide variety of experiences with technology tools for learning. We believe that our lower school administrators, teachers, and students must be supported with the guidance and assistance they need as new devices are introduced in order to successfully fulfill their roles in our learning community. By providing both structured and project based learning experiences within the context of our curriculum, we create an environment that is designed to encourage positive attitudes toward technology and pave the way for lifelong habits for learning.
Middle School Philosophy
Students expect to learn in an environment that reflects their lives and their futures—one that seamlessly integrates today’s digital tools, accommodates a mobile lifestyle, and encourages collaboration and teamwork in physical and virtual work spaces. At the middle school level, providing each student with a laptop allows them to pursue both in school and out of school learning with greater ease and accessibility. It also allows teachers to integrate and leverage learning by strengthening the extension of the curriculum beyond the classroom. Middle School’s objective for the one-to-one program, in which each student has a mobile computing device, is to empower students and educators with “anytime and anywhere,” meaningful learning; active, individualized, and independent learning. Having technology as an integral part of our school not only enables students to develop their computing skills, but is also instrumental in developing their critical thinking, and the moral and interpersonal skills that they will need to meet the intellectual, social, and ethical challenges of society. Our middle school curriculum integrates this technology and focuses on promoting student creativity, problem solving and collaboration. Additionally, these resources assist communications, enhance productivity, and assist teachers in developing new resources and tools for engaging their students in relevant learning activities.
Upper School Philosophy
Savannah Country Day strongly believes that technology is a necessary tool for the 21st century classroom. We believe that integrating technology into the classroom provides our teachers with the flexibility to teach the same lessons in a variety of ways, helping students to learn the content in ways that they learn best by engagement, creativity, and innovation. We believe that a combination of a one to one and a “bring your own device” environment across upper school grade levels and subject areas are the best methodologies to support our curricula and prepare our students for college. We believe that curriculum drives the mix of the technology that will support the learning, teaching, and assessing of content. We further state that the technology will never drive the curriculum. Teachers and students in the upper school will employ technology seamlessly and ubiquitously. They will be able to select the “best tool for the job” and have access to a large variety of technologies and tools from which to select. We believe the classroom is student centered; the curriculum is adaptable and flexible. There will not be a digital divide between students and they will have equitable access. We believe our teachers should be provided the leadership, professional development, resources, and support to effectively create challenging, creative, and engaging lessons that go beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Students and teachers will network: collaborating, mentoring, and tutoring on assignments and projects. Our teacher’s lessons will create ownership and activism; encourage risk taking; and experimental/experiential learning between student and teacher. Classes will use emerging technology tools in a variety of modes and forms, while participating in local and global projects that will promote higher order thinking skills, engagement, and authentic learning.
