Digital Learning
While today’s children have an almost innate ability to use and navigate new technologies, the use of technology also opens up a whole world of learning in its own right. Children now have access to create, connect and collaborate on a global scale at the click of a button. The reality is that when our pupils leave school, technology will not be relegated to the margins of their work but will be at the centre of what they do every day.
“Educators need to think of ways to train today’s generation to be responsible and ethical life-long learners of the digital age” – Christopher McGilvery
In an effort to best prepare these pupils, our role as teachers is to help them become responsible and ethical digital citizens. We need to teach them the how, when and why and promote inquiry-based exploration, along with creative and innovative thinking. At Kingswood, we want to utilize and implement technology in such a way that it enhances not only the way our pupils learn but also the way in which we teach.
From Grade 6 our pupils are expected to have a device, so that they may access e-textbooks and various other platforms designed to facilitate the transfer of information.
Our campus boasts an extensive Wi-Fi network across the entire school. Classrooms are all fitted with digital projectors and we also have four large computer labs. The use of technology is integrated into the curriculum right from the Junior School through to the Senior School.
- How to distinguish and use known and trusted digital resources.
- Understanding plagiarism and copyright laws when they themselves are creating, accessing, duplicating, and sharing information.
- Children interact with one another via social networks, chat rooms, blogs, etc. daily, and a transparent environment helps us to address things such as cyberbullying and encourage pupils to report it.
- Helping pupils understand their own digital self-image – children routinely share information about themselves online and they must understand the consequences of this.
Communication online is done on a variety of platforms, from social networks to email, and pupils must understand the different rules for each mode of communication.
Guiding pupils to be safer & smarter online with MySociaLife
To enhance our digital learning programme, Kingswood has partnered with Dean McCoubrey, founder of MySociaLife, the leader in digital life skills, online safety and social media literacy training in South Africa. The MySociaLife Program training runs through from Grade 4 to 11. They offer 10 modules in schools – critical thinking, digital identity, privacy, security, digital footprint, empathy, resilience, values, cyberbullying, and sexuality.