Technology in Our Schools
21st Century Skills
At Bend-La Pine Schools, we believe schools must address the challenges of today and align with what students need to know in the 21st Century. Careers demand not only digital skills, but also the ability to work collaboratively and creatively and engage in independent research — all skills that are enabled and enhanced by technology. To help achieve this goal, we issue all of our students an iPad for student use. Our research and pilot projects with iPads led to conclusions that digital learners are engaged learners and that expanded use of technology provides tools for staff to better meet the unique needs of their students.
Effective use of technology leads to creative and innovative experiences inside the classroom and helps enable students to become critical thinkers, collaborators and communicators, global learners and digital citizens.
What to expect in the classroom
High quality teaching is the number one influence on student learning. Our use of technology allows educators to level the playing field and provide every student with access to resources and the opportunity to develop the skills they need.
There will be times that iPads will be utilized exclusively for a project, times when iPad will blend with traditional methods and times when the iPad is not used at all. The goal is to provide students with a balanced assortment of learning options that best enhances their education.
At each level - elementary, middle, and high - technology is used and relied upon in different ways depending on the class, the assignment, or the learning goal.
Digital Citizenship
Engaging students in 21st Century learning requires teaching them responsible behavior when using technology - proper care of their device, legal use of content, establishment of an online presence, online safety and cyberbullying prevention.
At Bend-La Pine Schools we strive to provide our students with the skills to think critically, behave safely and participate responsibly in a digital world.
To ensure that technology is used in a safe, positive and responsible manner, we utilize the curriculum and lessons from Common Sense Media to teach digital citizenship concepts, which include:
- media balance and well-being
- privacy and security
- digital footprint and identity
- relationships and communication
- cyberbullying, digital drama and hate speech
- news and media literacy
Tools for managing screen time and student iPads
At home the parent/guardian is in charge. You have the right to make the rules as to when your child can use the device at home. Below you will find information on screen time, settings, and app management. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the best way to manage iPad's use.
Filtering
Bend-La Pine Schools have a system-wide filter for student iPads. Even at home, these iPads automatically connect to the internet through a VPN that forces them into a filtered content setting. Settings are different for students depending on their grade level, with K-5 being the most "locked down" and content being more open at the middle and high school levels.