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Philosophy

ICT Philosophy

Vision

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) prepares students to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and social activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technologies.  Well developed ICT skills give students independence and control of their learning, allowing them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information responsibly, creatively and with discrimination.   South Island School’s vision facilitates a deeper and more differentiated learning process by enabling students to connect with a wide rage of information, people, communities and culture.  The effective use of ICT is a key 21st Century life skill that ensures our students are enthusiastic, active and independent learners.

Aims

South Island School’s aims are:

  • To produce enthusiastic, active, independent and lifelong learners
  • To equip students with 21st century skills
  • To encourage creativity and reflection

These aims enrich and deepen the learning potential for all students and ensure that teachers reinforce the confident and competent use of Information and Communication Technology across the curriculum.

Information and communication technology offers opportunities for students to:

  • Develop their ICT capabilities and understand the importance of information and how to select, evaluate and prepare it.
  • Develop their skills in using hardware and software so as to enable them to manipulate information.
  • Work independently and collaboratively on real life projects
  • Develop their ability to apply ICT capability and ICT to support their use of language and communication.
  • Explore their attitudes towards ICT, its value for themselves, others and society, and their awareness of its advantages and limitations.
  • Use and apply ICT skills across the curriculum and outside of school
  • Develop good Health and Safety attitudes and practice.
  • Encourage students to see the world in new ways and express that with the use of technology

Our commitment to ICT and 1:1 connectivity

As a school, we recognise that the use of ICT augments excellent learning practices.  Therefore we introduced a 1:1 Laptop Program in 2007/08 and every student is now required to bring their own laptop to school on a daily basis.  We evaluated many vendors and decided to make Apple our technology partner based on the educational quality of their products, hardware and software and their long-term commitment to education.  The Apple MacBook's flexibility and ease of use complements the full and varied curriculum offered at South Island School.

ICT Embedded in Learning and the Curriculum

The effective use of the wide range of facilities offered by ICT opens up unprecedented opportunities for invigorating learning and teaching at SIS and improving students' attainment in coursework across the whole curriculum. In particular ICT supports some key school developments including independent learning, enquiry based learning and differentiation.

In 2009 the school took the decision to remove the discrete ICT course from the curriculum in years 7-9 and to teach and reinforce ICT skills in context across a range of subjects ensuring that we build on the students' achievements at primary school level. The scoping document that outlines where specific skills and applications are taught across the curriculum is available on request.

In years 10 and 11 students who have a particular interest in ICT can choose to follow a GCSE course in this subject however the use and development of ICT skills will continue throughout the curriculum and onto year 12 and 13.

At the start of year 7 when students receive their laptop computer, all students will receive a basic one-week hardware and software familiarisation course taught in the context of an enquiry. This will include issues such as the acceptable use policy, cyber safety, security, and network access. A limited version of this induction/introduction will provide on a monthly basis for new students joining the school mid-year.

Curriculum Aims and Objectives

Aims

  • Prepare students to use mobile devices effectively
  • Ensure students understand the risks involved in using the Internet and mobile devices
  • Encourage students to gather, store, process and present information through activities in a range of contexts.
  • Provide students with opportunities to analyse, design, implement and document information technology systems for use by others.
  • Encourage students to develop an understanding of the wider applications and effects of information technology.
  • Encourage students to solve problems through the use of information systems and associated principles and techniques.
  • Provide students with a broad and balanced view of the range of applications and information systems and an understanding of their capabilities and limitations.

Objectives

  • Provide opportunity for students to use mobile devices effectively
  • Provide opportunities for students to discuss the risks involved in using the Internet and mobile devices
  • Provide a curriculum that is relevant and up to date.
  • Provide a curriculum based on real life scenarios
  • Provide a curriculum that encourages independent learning and problem solving skills
  • Provide a curriculum that relates the information technology in lessons to the wider applications and effects of IT in everyday life.
  • Choose learning experiences that build upon previous work and students' present knowledge and understanding.
  • Provide specific opportunities for students to take on responsibility for their own learning by encouraging the development of research, practical and investigative skills.
  • Provide opportunities for students to use information technology independently and to show awareness of how IT improves efficiency and supports new ways of working.
  • Provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding of IT to a range of situations.
  • Provide opportunities for reflection, evaluation and target setting
  • Provide opportunities for students to consider the social, legal, ethical and moral issues and security needs for data that surround the increasing use of this technology. 

Assessment Recording and Reporting

ICT Assessment, Recording and Reporting is under review and will be finalized at the beginning of the 2010.11 academic year.

Technical and Use Considerations

Acceptable Use

Students and parents are both required to read and sign the Acceptable Use Policy before using ICT and mobile technology in school.  A copy of this can be obtained online from the school website or the ICT Office.
 
Hardware

All students are required to bring their personal laptop to school every day.  In order to provide better peer and technical support each student is required to use a MacBook laptop (see Purchasing & Issuance of Laptops below).  Homogeneity of software and hardware facilitates peer support and improves the ability to quickly move beyond the equipment and into learning and education.  All teachers are issued a MacBook, which they use to support and facilitate their teaching.  Each classroom is equipped with a LCD projector, an Interactive Whiteboard, a sound system and the ability to show multimedia content.

Students are required to bring a working laptop to school.  Students can be required to submit their laptops to the ICT Help Desk if the laptop is not working or is under performing.  In the case of repairing under performing laptops, the computer may need to be cloned.  It is the responsibility of all students to have up to date back ups of their work.

Purchasing & Issuance of Laptops

For Students Arriving Mid-Academic Year

Laptop order forms are available online from the school website.  Orders are placed directly with Apple and laptops are delivered directly to the school.  Parents will receive and email notification stating Date of Delivery.  The laptop will be available for distribution 1 day after the Date of Delivery, this allows the ICT Department time to configure the laptop for the school network.

For Students Arriving at Start of Academic Year

To ensure that laptops are ready for the start of the academic year, all orders should be placed by the end of July.  Apple will dispatch new laptops in bulk to the school during August.  New laptops are distributed during Orientation Week.  Parents will be informed of the Orientation Day via letter from the Head of Year.

Software

All students are required to purchase a personal copy of Microsoft Office for Mac Student & Home Edition.  This requirement ensures the use of and ability to open standard office file formats from inside and outside the school community.  The school provides, when possible, software to facilitate the objectives of specific classes.  These software packages are included in the standard school laptop clone image available for all laptops purchased through the school laptop purchase program.  Laptops purchased outside the school purchase plan may not be eligible for all software packages available.

Network

The school uses a standard 'g' Wi-Fi network capable of supporting 1,500 users.  It provides easy access to a wide range of learning resources managed by task specific servers.  Students and teachers collaborate through the network using a combination of network storage areas and on-line resources.  The network employs a combination of anti-virus and firewall technologies to ensure the safety and integrity of the network.  Anti-virus software is made available to students and teachers.

Service & Support

The ICT Office, located on the 3rd floor of the main building is open from 8:00am to 4:30, Monday through Friday.  Support can also be obtained by phone or email.  There is a dedicated Apple Certified Technician provided on-site by Apple. A non-functioning laptop, due to software problems, can be cloned and returned to working service within 30 minutes.  Students are encouraged to backup their work on the school network or to external hard drives.  Sufficient supplies of replacement parts are kept on hand supporting an average 1/2 day turn-around-time for hardware repairs.  Links to FAQs and support material are always under development and placed on the school website for general access and reference.  Ala-carte drop-in service and support is available for all members of the school community.

If students did not purchase their laptop through the school they are required to get help from the place of purchase.

ICT Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) (click here)