A big digital leap for ARIS is due in the next Academic Year!

Over the past week, at ARIS Secondary School, after much planning and strategizing, Madam Alpana, Our Head of Secondary School, has started inviting Parents, to present to them on the ICT Integration at ARIS, in the coming Academic Year 2018-19.

The Central Idea of ICT Integration at ARIS is to make ICT an “integral partner” in the teaching and learning practices at ARIS. Learning to learn, in the 21st Century, is much more important than learning facts.

The Lines of Inquiry around the ICT Integration really take into factor the functionality of ICT Integration to not just the ARIS Mission and Vision but also the IB Mission of International Mindedness and Trans-disciplinary skills and concepts. Moreover, we looked at whether the ICT supports students’ inquiry, the way that ICT promotes reflection and action, and of course, a development of an ARIS ICT Policy.

With Technology, we are all Life-long Learners. The school will process the ICT Integration by looking at 8 domains – Leadership and Management, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Assessments (E-Assessments), Professional Development, Extended Learning Opportunities, Resources and Impact on Student Outcomes.

As far as the IB Approaches to Learning are concerned, as we practice at ARIS, ICT Integration plays a role in Creativity, Communication Skills, Social Skills, Research Skills, Thinking Skills and Self-Management.

SAMR Model is the one to remember, as we will soon introduce Samsung Tabs inside our classrooms: Substitution – Augmentation – Modification – Redefining.

From becoming a Samsung Smart School in 2014; we have come this far in successfully implementing tech tools, without changing the focus the heart of our Educational Model – Classroom and Teaching Practices. Our Admissions, Communications, Student Data Collection and other departments have had significant changes with the introduction of these tech tools. Classrooms have also grown into Personalized Learning and Collaborative Environments. Our aim is to make the Samsung Tab as a main learning tool to emphasize Personalized Learning through differentiated ‘out of the box’ approaches.

Before the shift, a clear policy will be put in place that takes into consideration the – Device Ownership and Care, Care of Equipment, Responsible Use and a Digital Citizenship.

We want to shape future minds that face the workforce with adaptability, in its rapid and ongoing changes. As Karl Fisch puts it “21st Century Education will be defined by a fundamental shift in what we are teaching – a shift towards learner-centered education and creating creative thinkers.”ac