Technology

Upper School students and faculty make extensive use of technology. Technology is used in the classroom to help develop problem-solving, reasoning, and communication skills. Internet resources are used to bring the outside world into the classroom to bring the latest advances in science and technology, various perspectives in history and world events, as well as access to archives around the globe to our students.

There is computer access in every classroom in the Upper School, and several rooms are outfitted with enough computers so that students can use them individually during class. In addition, there is a computer resource room, where students can compose papers, check e-mail, and retrieve information from the World-wide Web.

• In mathematics classrooms, students use graphing calculators, educational software, and electronic blackboards. Of course, our AP Computer Science class relies very heavily on computers. 

• In both Russian and Chinese classes, computers are used to help students learn to read, write, and especially speak in these languages. Foreign language classes also make use of the aural and visual capabilities of computers, including the Web, to help students understand foreign cultures.

• Our AP Russian Program is piloting an Internet based Advanced Placement Russian exam and test preparation course.

• The Science classes use computers to gather and analyze experimental data. Students also use software simulations of experiments that may be too difficult or dangerous to carry out in the lab.

• In the Art Department, our photography course emphasizes digital manipulation as an important part of the imaging process. In music classes, the computer is used to aid in composition, arranging, and orchestration. We also have a video-editing course, which focuses on digital manipulation of movies.

• Our library gives incoming 9th-graders extensive instruction on how to carry out technology-based research. This includes the use of online databases to locate books and articles about topics of interest, the use of our electronic card catalog, and the research capabilities of the World-wide Web.

In virtually every academic area at the Upper School, technology plays an integral role in teaching and learning.