Developing ISC for 21st Century Learning

The school has undergone significant advancements in its digital infrastructure over the past three years, enhancing the learning experience for our students. With a commitment to technology integration, we maintain a 1:1 laptop ratio, supported by our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. The school provides and maintains 50 Chromebooks and 30 iPads to complement this initiative. Across the three IB programs—PYP, MYP, and DP—the school employs a diverse range of digital platforms to cater to the specific needs of each section. In the PYP section, Seesaw is extensively utilized due to its user-friendly interface, particularly beneficial for younger students, and its robust feedback tools. Moving to the MYP section, a combination of Google Classroom facilitates day-to-day communication on lesson content, while Managebac is utilized for sharing detailed curriculum plans. In the DP section, Managebac takes center stage for daily communications, leveraging its native support for the DP program. This platform is further enhanced with online textbooks and quizzes provided by Kognity, covering a wide array of subject areas. 

The school has also signed up for the following subscriptions;

Language:

Antolin, Raz-kids, Britannica

(use of technology to enhance differentiation delivery)

Mathematics:

Mathletics, Känguru Math

(use of technology to enhance differentiation delivery & measure with their peers)

Research Databases:

Britannica

JSTOR

AK Alpe-Adria Mediathek

Alpe-Adria University Library

Online Subscriptions:

BrainPOP

Kahoot!

Edpuzzle

Flipgrid

Digital Citizenship

As part of International School Carinthia’s mission to offer 21st century approaches to learning, we use technology as an instructional tool.  We believe that technology integration has the capacity to “excite, invite, support and extend learning in multiple ways” (IBO, 2018). 

To this end, ISC strives to provide appropriate and adequate technology to support instructional purposes.  Therefore, BYOD is applicable to students from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) 4 and 5 and up. 

Our ultimate goal is to support students at ISC to become lifelong learners, which includes learning how to be responsible digital citizens.  Our teachers strive to monitor students' use of devices at ISC to ensure they are being used for learning at all times.  Our overarching aims are for technology to engage, enhance, and extend learning and provide students opportunities to continue learning in meaningful ways outside of school. 

To support learners in becoming digital citizens, ISC works collaboratively with students to define and implement a shared understanding of appropriate digital practices, including:

• codes of conduct

• policies

• rights and responsibilities

• health and well-being

• protection.

By learning about these elements of digital citizenship, students not only become responsible users of technology, but they can recognize inappropriate technological behaviours that might impact themselves or others. (IBO, 2018)