1. Equitable Access:
We have a strong network and connectivity is almost a non-issue at our school.  The Technology Director ensures that we have strong Wifi connections throughout the school.  We are a Google-based school and all faculty and staff have a Chromebook.  Students have a Chromebook beginning in 3rd grade.  All classrooms have Epson Interactive Whiteboards.  One area that is lacking is in our lower school (K-2) where students do not use technology at all.  That is because of our school’s culture, which has a strong philosophy around play-based learning.  Another reason that no technology is used in K-2 is because there has been little turn-over of teachers and nobody has really questioned the relevancy of technology use in grades K-2.

2.  Student-centered Learning:
This condition, in terms of technology, is strong at our school.  Students often work in small groups or one-on-one with teachers to complete tasks and projects.  Students use Google Classroom to communicate with teachers and fellow students and they have a lot of freedom in choosing formats, apps and software that is best suited to their unique learning styles.

3.  Consistent and Adequate Funding:
We are fortunate to have a budget for technology in our schools.  For example, last year I proposed to purchase a digital Spanish curriculum to supplement our existing Spanish curriculum in K-2.  This was approved and is proving to be a stepping-stone for more technology use by students in lower grades.  

1. Creativity & Innovation
Students create digital portfolios for parent portfolio share (beginning in 3rd grade).  Students also use technology to create project presentations in multiple subjects.  Elective classes are offered in middle school for graphic design and technology use.

2.  Communication & Collaboration
Students use Google Classroom from 3rd-8th grade.  They communicate with teachers and other students via Gmail and Google Docs.  They use presentational software such as Prezi, Emaze, Google Slides, Voicethread and more.  They begin to collaborate on their work beginning in 3rd grade and have regular technology classes that teach them how to use apps and programs, as well as general digital citizenship.

It is important to show teachers how technology can help them to extend the learning outside of their classroom and enrich their lessons through virtual field trips and flipped classrooms.  Teachers should see that technology use can be a phenomenal way to motivate and spark creativity in students.  “Technology can help learning move beyond the classroom and take advantage of learning opportunities available in museums, libraries, and other out-of-school settings.” (https://tech.ed.gov/files/2015/12/NETP16.pdf )  

In my experience as a Spanish teacher, using technology brings other cultures into my classroom.  Recently I was teaching my kindergarten class about Ecuador.  I used technology to show the students a map of South America on the SmartBoard.  Students got to come up and find Ecuador on the map and circle it with their “magic finger”.  I showed the students a video of Ecuadorian landscapes, which had a song in Spanish playing in the background.  I paused throughout the video to practice words and phrases using images from the video.  The students were swept away into a virtual trip to learn the words for landscapes.  This brought the learning alive and I was able to use more traditional materials such as posters and flashcards to reinforce the vocabulary.    

The students were absolutely mesmerized and some even told their parents that they want to go to Ecuador because it was so beautiful.  This lesson made it so real and fun for them.  The students used images from the video and map to journal and discuss in class.  They are only five years old, and using technology in meaningful ways.  

Another crucial step is to include the administration and ensure that an expectation is set.  Small goals and initiatives to use technology in the classroom should be expected and encouraged by the administration.  This is important to ensure accountability and to streamline our technology integration program throughout the school.  Currently, our only school-wide expectation when it comes to technology is that of teacher use through our blog communications to parents.  In Middle School, teachers are expected to use Google Classroom, but there are no expectations in Lower School.  

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE (Rep.). (2017). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/essential-conditions

United States, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2016). Future ready learning. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/files/2015/12/NETP16.pdf