Learning and Teaching Technologies (LTT) offer opportunities to enhance the process and depth with which students acquire, share and demonstrate knowledge. Supporting a variety of learning opportunities and styles, LTT allow students to locate relevant and appropriate information, develop ideas and collaborate with others in ways not previously available to them. Students worldwide are learning to apply LTT skills to solve problems, conduct research, develop presentations, build projects and communicate what they have learned to their teachers and peers.

The University of California recently published a report on information literacy in a 1:1 programme. Their research clarifies the extent to which students benefit from learning within such a classroom, including increased autonomy and individualised learning and greater opportunities for in-depth learning. This report is just one of many research documents that we continue to draw on as we develop our own laptop programme. CDNIS has chosen an integrated model for Learning and Teaching Technologies.

Rather than have students learn basic technology skills in a distinct classroom separate from core curriculum, we are integrating the use of digital tools across the curriculum and across all grades. With this model, students will learn how to use relevant technologies specifically to advance their understanding of core curriculum expectations. To best serve this model, students require flexible and timely access to computers. CDNIS has responded to this ever-increasing need to access computers by initiating a laptop programme.

After two years of preparation, CDNIS will launch the initial phase of the laptop programme next week. Over the coming three years, all Upper School students will become involved in the 1:1 initiative. The first phase of the programme will include Grades 2, 7 and 9. Grade 2 teachers and students will no longer have to wait for a week to access computers – teachers will have a cart of laptops dedicated to their grade team, which they will be able to access when their curriculum dictates, rather than according to a computer lab schedule. Over the next two years, a similar arrangement will extend through Prep to Grade 4.

For students in Grades 7 and 9, the Laptop Programme is a 1:1 model (one laptop per child). This will allow students and teachers to take full advantage of all that a computer can offer the learning and teaching equation. All of the 7s and 9s either purchased their MacBooks in December or already owned one. They will receive their laptop loaded with course-specific software on either January 29 or January 30 – if you have not registered yet, please do so at http://notebook.cdnis.edu.hk. Over the two nights, we will be distributing 240 MacBooks. The two-hour event will be divided into two sessions. During one session, students will collect their MacBooks, log onto the wireless network, connect to home directories, download a file and sign the CDNIS Acceptable Use Policy. In the other session, students will listen to a presentation about how to keep their MacBook in excellent working order, how to get the most out of the battery and other basic care and safety issues. If you are a parent of a student in Grades 4, 5, 6 and 8, you will be hearing about the next phase of the laptop initiative shortly after the Chinese New Year break.