Not Just Screen Time: Purposeful Technology Integration at Wilson

by Thad Falkner, Head of School

Parents frequently ask about classroom sizes and teaching styles when researching potential schools, but research suggests that they should add something to their list of important considerations: technology use.  
The more we learn about the impact of rapidly changing technology on our children, the more we recognize the crucial importance of handling it carefully.  While these “digital natives” have certainly benefited from many of these advances, they are being impacted in negative ways, as well. How do we make sure our children are empowered learners and active participants in our increasingly connected world without sacrificing their well-being?  If your child is a Wilson student, you may be assured that our technology program is designed to do just that.

For many years, Wilson has been a leader in enhancing learning across the disciplines with the innovative use of technology, and we pride ourselves in promoting responsible digital citizenship.  Thoughtful, developmentally-appropriate use of both devices and applications is essential to our integrated curriculum. We use technology only where it will enhance the learning process and student engagement, never for the sake of novelty.  We build on both our 100+ years of experience teaching children, as well as emerging research, to safeguard our students’ proper physical and social-emotional development. Our early childhood students are outside much more than in front of screens, and when they do use them, it is very intentionally. For example, our senior kindergarten students hike through Forest Park several times a year, noting changes in season, using iPads to photograph and document the transformation of a particular tree.  

We also equip our parents to make responsible technology use a family affair, sharing our expertise through workshops and communications, as well as bringing in visiting experts.

At Wilson, our students experience all of the benefits of integrated learning through innovative methods, always in ways that ensure they will continue to grow and thrive as they should.

Want to know more?

Wilson’s Technology Timeline
Early Childhood: Our youngest students are very much engrossed in imaginative play and making observations about the world around them.  At this age, technology is used sparingly and only to support their growth in these areas.
Primary: Our primary grade students are immersed in creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.  They use technology to tackle challenges imaginatively and to collaborate with students across the world.
Upper: Our oldest students are ready for exceptional work in computational thinking and digital citizenship.  They use technology to devise and test ways to solve all sorts of problems, to construct, share, and discuss their learning, and to make educated decisions about using technology that connects us all.

Questions to Ask About a School’s Philosophy of Technology

• In what ways is technology a benefit to your students? 
• Have devices replaced or changed traditional learning?  If so, how?
• How much time during the day will students use devices?
• Does your school use a digital citizenship curriculum to prepare students for using technology in class?
• How do you support the social-emotional growth of your students in light of their personal technology use?

Further Reading on the Developmental Impact of Technology on Children
New Strategies to Get Kids to Create Media, Not Just Consume It, by Christine Elgersma, Common Sense Media
Media and Young Minds, American Academy of Pediatrics
Five Ways to Transform Your Kids’ Screen Time by Devorah Heitner, Time