TISA Educational Technology: Engage Empower Inspire
“Today’s students must be prepared to thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape.”
-- ISTE Standards: Students, 2021
At TISA, we engage students in technology-enhanced, high quality learning experiences using current, relevant technologies, led by skilled educators using effective pedagogy. Educational technology empowers students with “the skills and knowledge they need to thrive, grow and contribute in a global, interconnected and constantly changing society” (The ISTE Standards, 2021). Our inspired students demonstrate high levels of educational technology knowledge and skills in a wide variety of learning processes, projects and products.
Digital citizenship is a core part of TISA educational technology, and TISA Digital Citizenship aligns with the IB Learner Profile. Digital Citizenship is developed and delivered through integrated learning units in both Primary and Secondary. Through our commitment to Digital Citizenship, our students learn to, as C.S. Lewis puts it, “do the right thing when no one is watching” with technology both in and out of school.
TISA educational technology practices are standards-based; student-centered; inquiry-driven; design-oriented; project-based; differentiated; sequenced and iterative; and purposefully, mindfully and consistently implemented by TISA Educational Technology and Design teachers and staff.
The IT Department supports and enhances TISA High Quality Learning by providing a robust network and school administration infrastructure, powerful and abundant computing and projection/display devices, and a wide array of educational systems and digital resources to meet our current and emerging school needs.
In Secondary, students are assigned MacBook laptops from M1 - DP2 as their primary computing device, as per our Laptop Program Agreement. Secondary students use a variety of core and subject-specific digital resources including: Google Workplace for Education for productivity, collaboration, and creativity; ManageBac for learning management and online classrooms; Adobe CS Suite for advanced multimedia; 3D and CAD software for Design; coding and computer programming software and apps; and multiple Library online database informational resources and e-texts just to name a few.
Primary students in P3 - P8 use 1 to 1 iPads at school, with 2 to 1 iPad access in N - P2. iPads are available for all Primary students during Distance Learning. Toddle is the core Primary learning management and online classroom tool, with Google Workspace also providing another rich digital toolset. iPad apps are carefully and mindfully selected and managed for each grade level with the assistance of our Primary Educational Technology Coordinator and IT staff.
Privacy and Data Protection
Note: Network security, content filtering, and digital monitoring of TISA users’ devices and digital activities are conducted within prescribed parameters to ensure “a safe, secure, and inclusive environment” (2.1 Strategic Objective), compliant with international and local data protection and privacy laws. Digital monitoring and device searches are conducted in alignment with the TISA Parent-Student Handbook 2021-22, keeping student data security and privacy as a central consideration. This applies to all TISA-assigned devices, and personal devices on campus.
