In our world today, technology can either be used effectively or ineffectively. There are so many advantages to it, but if not handled adequately, the disadvantages can quickly outweigh them. From my experiences at Hathaway Brown, I can confidently say the positives of technology compensate for the negatives. This is because Hathaway Brown recognizes that technology is part of everyday life. As part of their mission to prepare girls not just for school but for life and their future, it must be carefully implemented into their curriculum. They believe students can consume just as much as they create when using technology.

As a result, Hathaway Brown has created a technology implementation plan so that they can provide students with a careful and mission-based approach. Their philosophy is clear “[They don’t chase the latest technological fad; instead, [they] choose the tools that will best prepare [their] students for the world they’ll inherit” (Hathaway Brown 1). Consequently, technology at Hathaway Brown is used to transform the girls’ learning and development and to promote the use of technology as an instrument for life-longing learning. Technology is a way to further engage them in their learning and to help advance their knowledge.

The first step in doing so is to provide every student access to technology. Hathaway Brown offers 1:1 technology in Early Childhood to Twelfth-grade classrooms. In the primary school, specifically, every student has access to iPads and starting in second grade, each student has their own (School-owned) iPad to use in their classroom. In my specific cooperating classroom, the iPads are stored in a cart in the room, making them readily available. The cart that stores the devices in the room is similar to the one below.

The cart in the classroom has multiple outlets so the students can plug in their devices when they are not using them. Each outlet and charging station is labeled with a number. This number is also marked on the iPad, so the students are consistently using their same iPad. Their iPad is the iPad with the number that corresponds to the number that the cooperating teacher assigned to them at the beginning of the year. This assures the one to one technology in the classroom. The teachers are then responsible for incorporating this into their classroom. They teach students how to use technology both efficiently and ethically.

Moreover, in Hathaway Brown’s IT Department, there is a Director of Information Technology, a Chief Information Officer, and IT Support Specialists. They also have three Library Information Specialists and a Computer Science Department. However, they no longer follow the technology integration model, which would have a particular person for that role. Instead, the teachers are asked to integrate technology as they feel appropriate. To help with this, the school offers technology integration grants to the teachers who want to pursue or try something new.

Additionally, the Technology Review Committee meets monthly to review procedures, policies, investigate possible new technologies, and discuss other technology-related questions and considerations. The committee consists of members from all the divisions. My cooperating teacher happens to be the representative for Prime. I am very fortunate that this is the case because she has been able to provide me with the most reliable and beneficial information. She is also grateful for the position because she finds it to be very interesting and meaningful to be part of a committee like this. The teachers, as well as the rest of the faculty and staff, also participate in monthly online security training. This training has greatly reduced information breaches through email and other outlets.

Further, the IT Director manages an advanced firewall system. However, the school does not block apps or websites unless they are inappropriate. YouTube, Netflix, and other streaming sites, for example, are not blocked. In addition to contacting my cooperating teacher, I went onto Hathaway Brown’s website to investigate their use and access to technology. There I found a list of apps and web-based services that are available to students, used in the classroom, and require student information to have functional access. These include Blackbaud, BrainPOP, Code.org, G Suite, Khan Academy, Lightspeed Systems Mobile Manage, Magnus Health, Microsoft Office 365, Naviance, Pear Deck, PlayPostIt, PowerSchool Learning, Recap by Swivl, Turnitin, and Typing Agent. These applications, however, are not specific to the Primary School. As I have mentioned in my previous blog post, students use apps and sites, including SeeSaw, Scan, Keynote, National Geographic Kids, Scholastic, and CountryKids while in Prime. They currently do not have email access, but the school planed on giving them individual access to Google Drive products moving forward. Either way, the students have access to the devices, applications, and websites that expose them to the world of technology and empower them to use it to their advantage.