How we equip students to thrive in a digital world

The Epiphany School community has experienced incredible growth and expansion in the realm of technology. Our collective deep dive into educational technology, along with the demonstrated adaptability of our school community, became two tremendous and significant positive outcomes of the pandemic. We nimbly responded to many new educational challenges, such as the need for periods of remote learning and for virtual collaboration within and between classrooms. Our learning community has flourished thanks to deep investments in teacher professional development, technologies for virtual collaboration, and digital devices for every student. As we all discovered, technology can empower students to feel successful as they progress at their own pace and to creatively express their individuality, identity, and voice.

This knowledge and experience continue to shape our approach to educational technology. Though we are all back on campus for in-person learning, we continue to rely on technology for collaboration between classrooms and grades. And long after COVID-19, educational technology will continue to be key to ensuring our students thrive as 21st century learners, equipped with the tools, skills, and mindset to confidently navigate the current and future world.

Part of the role of the technology team at Epiphany School is to strengthen staff knowledge about tech tools and teaching strategies. Our educators meet regularly to share experiences using technology for teaching and learning, to showcase a new tool, or to present an idea for deepening existing lesson plans with the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) standards. The more we talk about technology and share ideas, the more individual student needs are met.  

Educational Technology Highlights at Epiphany School

New Communication Techniques

Inspiring curious learners across campus

Tools like Microsoft Teams for Education and Seesaw allow our students to communicate effectively and express themselves creatively using different styles and formats of digital media. Student voices are amplified through devices, reaching peers across campus, families at home, and even grandparents in other countries! Cross grade-level buddies have made connections and communicated learning through a combination of live video, pre-recorded video, drawing tools, text, digital stickers, and emojis. With our educational apps’ multi-modal tools, students can respond to teacher prompts in the way that they learn best. This allows them to demonstrate their knowledge as well as their unique perspective and style.

The technical skills students acquire while communicating digitally are invaluable. For example, when replying to a post on Teams, students can alter text, bold, italicize, use GIFS, or emojis. They can also attach files, send acknowledgment badges, or incorporate various apps. Navigating these choices and utilizing specific features while connecting with peers and educators are skills students will continue to build on for the rest of their lives as communication evolves in a digitally connected world.

Personalized Learning and Increased Accessibility

Meeting the needs of every student

The built-in vision, hearing, cognitive, and mobility accessibility features that Apple and Microsoft include in their apps and devices—such as highlighting tools, picture dictionaries, and the ability to have text read aloud—make school more inclusive for all learners. By utilizing these technologies, teachers are able to reach and meet the needs of more students with social-emotional learning, allowing students to express their own interests, passions, and learning styles through their work. 

Digital Citizenship Skills

Helping students participate fully in their communities and make smart choices online and in life

All students need strong digital citizenship skills in order to take ownership of their digital lives. These skills align with ISTE Standard 2b for Online Behavior: Students engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices. Epiphany School students in grades 3, 4, and 5 utilize Microsoft Teams for Education as their digital classroom. This means their assignments, announcements, files, and work are located in one place online. Teachers make announcements or updates via posts in the class Team, and students engage by replying. Through this process, as well as through direct lessons about digital citizenship, students begin to see that what they say online has an impact and a digital footprint.