Technology in the Classroom
While good pedagogy, a robust curriculum, and strong relationships remain at the heart of our school, we also believe that the use of technologies in instruction and student work is an essential 21st century skill for our learners. Weaving technology intentionally throughout the disciplines and across grade levels, we foster the skills of collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking thereby preparing girls for leadership and life-long learning.
Our exceptional faculty incorporates technology at all levels to provide a rich and relevant classroom environment and to facilitate project-based and collaborative learning, to provide global perspectives, and to promote interdisciplinary thinking. We teach students to use technology to take ownership of their learning by comparing perspectives, drawing connections, articulating the relevance of their studies, and developing creative solutions to authentic problems. Recognizing that safe and effective use of technology are critical skills for today’s students, we emphasize and model Internet safety and digital literacy throughout our academic and advisory programs.
Through opportunities such as the IDEA Lab, STAR Center, robotics club, and courses such as programming, design technology, and graphic arts, we empower girls with the confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills needed to lead in STEAM initiatives. Accessible in the Learning Commons, our extensive online database subscriptions provide students with access to the most current research, news, and perspectives across disciplines. Students in grades 5-12 receive direct instruction in evaluating web sites, citing sources, comparing points of view, and presenting ideas using 21st century tools.
In addition, SPSG has integrated a 1:1 laptop program, as we believe, and research demonstrates, that moving to this instructional design supports the way girls learn best. We are committed to preparing girls to be ethical, innovative, and organized leaders in college and in today’s complex and rapidly changing workforce. In order to succeed in this environment, girls must possess not only strong content-area knowledge and critical thinking skills, but also the ability to work well and communicate with others, the skills to analyze and create media, and “the ability to apply technology effectively” (Partnership for 21st Century Skills). The 1:1 laptop program allows girls to engage in projects that build these skills on a daily basis. In addition to providing girls daily access to technology necessary for success in the twenty-first century, program ensures equitable access of all girls to technology. All girls come to school and go home with a laptop in order to be equipped to learn similar critical thinking skills. Confident that all students have similarly high-functioning technology, faculty are prepared to teach and incorporate technology to enhance learning.
Specifically, a 1:1 laptop program allows girls to:
- complete long-term, technology-based projects, such as research and video editing, in class and at home;
- access and explore web-based resources on a daily basis in class;
- organize class materials and share notes and resources with their teachers and classmates;
- collaborate on web-based projects with their SPSG and SP classmates and with peers from the Online School for Girls or SPSG sister schools;
- and to use technology to create and publish their own bodies of work.