The Mission of Technology Integration
The mission of Technology and Technology Services at The Grosse Pointe Academy is to support and enrich the core curriculum, the school’s mission and vision, and our Montessori foundation.
The Current State of technology integration at GPA
We accomplish our educational technology mission through the extensive integration of a vast array of cutting edge tools which equip every classroom in grades 1-8 with a one to one tablet program, document cameras, projectors, teacher laptops, and wireless access points. Additionally, we employ two computer labs, classroom computers in Grades 1-5, and an Innovation Design Lab complete with a 3D printer, EV3’s and Lego Robotics, and dedicated desktops. The technology is supported through a powerful infrastructure including a robust wireless network, several dedicated servers, as well as a ticketed trouble tracking system. Additionally, faculty and staff are regularly trained in-house in how to effectively utilize the technology and integrate it into their curriculum.
In April of 2012, The Grosse Pointe Academy Technology Committee presented a plan to support student-centered, experiential learning in the 21st century – and to ensure the unimpeachable quality of the “Academy Advantage.” This visionary plan led to the complete overhaul of Technology and Technology Services and was beholden to the generous financial support of our families and friends who donated a surplus of a half a million dollars through coordinated paddle raising campaigns at our annual auctions over the past three years.
Central to this new vision and mission of technology and technology services at The Grosse Pointe Academy was a redesign of curriculum implementation. While many traditional methods that were essential to the “Academy Advantage” were safeguarded, we employed a more modern, student-centered approach to learning and reinvented many of our teaching strategies. Our instructors put into practice the pedagogy of SAMR and TPACK and use methods such as flipped classrooms, blended learning, and problem/project based learning. Students are using their devices not only to consume and research, but to create, collaborate, communicate, and publish. We believe these improvements serve to extend students’ conceptual understandings, facilitate differentiated instruction that meets each learner where he or she is, and allow for deeper extensions as well as the pursuit of individual interests. This new approach to learning in tandem with the use of technology ignites critical thinking and fosters a culture of creativity and innovation.
The Grosse Pointe Academy recognizes that the progress we have made in reforming our educational practices with the seamless integration of technology is due to the growth mindset of our administration, faculty, and staff. Teachers have wholeheartedly embraced the rapid pace of change and new avenues of learning. Our Technology and Learning Specialist regularly presents professional developments. Individualized support is offered for school systems, productivity tools, as well as subject and age-specific apps and programs. The faculty educates and supports each other through Personal Learning Networks and Communities. In the Spring of 2014, GPA hosted an internal EdCamp which is a participant-driven, unconference specifically for teachers and their instructional needs. We plan to make this an annual event.
The ubiquitous presence of technology in our school’s environment acts as a portal to the global community and history of human knowledge. As such, it is the expectation of every member of our school community to continuously practice critical thinking and behave with the same kindness, respect, and ethical consideration in the digital community as they do on our school campus. Responsible digital citizenship is woven into all courses of study and is directly taught in computer and library media literacy classes in grades 1-5, as well as health and language arts classes in grades 6-8. The guidelines for responsible use of technology are clearly stated in our Acceptable Use Policy and Student Handbook. These guidelines are consistently modeled and enforced.
In April of 2012, The Grosse Pointe Academy Technology Committee presented a plan to support student-centered, experiential learning in the 21st century – and to ensure the unimpeachable quality of the “Academy Advantage.” This visionary plan led to the complete overhaul of Technology and Technology Services and was beholden to the generous financial support of our families and friends who donated a surplus of a half a million dollars through coordinated paddle raising campaigns at our annual auctions over the past three years.
Central to this new vision and mission of technology and technology services at The Grosse Pointe Academy was a redesign of curriculum implementation. While many traditional methods that were essential to the “Academy Advantage” were safeguarded, we employed a more modern, student-centered approach to learning and reinvented many of our teaching strategies. Our instructors put into practice the pedagogy of SAMR and TPACK and use methods such as flipped classrooms, blended learning, and problem/project based learning. Students are using their devices not only to consume and research, but to create, collaborate, communicate, and publish. We believe these improvements serve to extend students’ conceptual understandings, facilitate differentiated instruction that meets each learner where he or she is, and allow for deeper extensions as well as the pursuit of individual interests. This new approach to learning in tandem with the use of technology ignites critical thinking and fosters a culture of creativity and innovation.
The Grosse Pointe Academy recognizes that the progress we have made in reforming our educational practices with the seamless integration of technology is due to the growth mindset of our administration, faculty, and staff. Teachers have wholeheartedly embraced the rapid pace of change and new avenues of learning. Our Technology and Learning Specialist regularly presents professional developments. Individualized support is offered for school systems, productivity tools, as well as subject and age-specific apps and programs. The faculty educates and supports each other through Personal Learning Networks and Communities. In the Spring of 2014, GPA hosted an internal EdCamp which is a participant-driven, unconference specifically for teachers and their instructional needs. We plan to make this an annual event.
The ubiquitous presence of technology in our school’s environment acts as a portal to the global community and history of human knowledge. As such, it is the expectation of every member of our school community to continuously practice critical thinking and behave with the same kindness, respect, and ethical consideration in the digital community as they do on our school campus. Responsible digital citizenship is woven into all courses of study and is directly taught in computer and library media literacy classes in grades 1-5, as well as health and language arts classes in grades 6-8. The guidelines for responsible use of technology are clearly stated in our Acceptable Use Policy and Student Handbook. These guidelines are consistently modeled and enforced.