Teacher Tech Guide

2021

Tech Integration & Expectations

This is a brief guide to outline our vision of tech integration and support at TH School.
 Tech Support & Training

Our Director of Technology

This is currently Otis McFadden, who can be contacted at: omcfadden@thschool.edu.vn.

The Primary role of the Director of Technology is:

“To manage the purchasing, maintenance, and renewal of all hardware and software at the
school, to manage the training of teachers and staff across the school to use technology
effectively in enhancing teaching and learning, and to manage the budget and purchasing
of equipment and software related to technology at the school.”

The Director of Technology is available to assist departments in identifying units and

lessons each year for further tech integration or to offer departmental-specific training.

The IT Support Team offer technical support for hardware, software, and networking. They
are available from 8am-5:00pm every school day in H307 or by email at
its@thschool.edu.org

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 At TH School we believe that technology should...

● Focus on learning
● Empower students as digital citizens to lead happy, healthy & balanced lives
● Weave seamlessly throughout the curriculum
● Connect learners with authentic problems, global communities, and collaborative
opportunities
● Personalize learning in terms of content, process and product
● Provide access and understanding to meaningful information

Faculty Tech Integration

All TH School teachers are expected to use technology to enhance and innovate teaching
and learning.

● We seek to use technology to both enhance and transform learning experiences, not
to do the same things with new tools.
● This is in alignment with both the ISTE Standards for Students, as well as the RAT
(replacement, augmentation, transformation) technology model. To learn more about
how the ISTE Standards look in the classroom check out the ISTE Standards for
Students eBook. These links, as well as more links and articles on SAMR, can be
found under "Links and References" at the end of this guide.

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 Tech Prototyping
We seek to ensure that students and teachers have access to the technology that best
supports their learning. Licenses, subscriptions, digital hardware and other items are
tracked through the Director of Technology, IT Team and library.

Faculty and staff are welcome to prototype new software or hardware throughout the year,
where this is the potential for strong learning enhancement through the following process:

Purpose: Discussed with Director of Technology or Head of School and trialled on a small
scale. Are there other similar tools that are more effective or more affordable?

Review: Feedback from staff, students, and analytics. Evidence of learning

Continuation: Positive feedback from students & staff. Scalability for other teachers,
evidence of learning and impact on the curriculum. Does it still meet our needs? Does it
align with our school’s vision and priorities? Are there other tools that are more effective or
more affordable?

iPads & Laptops

● iPad apps may be requested through the IT team or Director of Technology if they
are paid
● iPads and Laptops can be booked through direct communication with the IT support
team
● For other hardware please contact IT Support (ITS@thschool.edu.vn) or Facilities,
depending on the item. Equipment for meetings is looked after by Facilities
(facilities_cb@thschool.edu.vn or facilities_hl@thschool.edu.vn)

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 Basic Tech Expectations: GSuite
TH School has a set of basic expectations for the use of key tech platforms to provide
consistency for students, parents, and colleagues.

We are a Google Apps for Education school and use GSuite extensively, but not exclusively.

We encourage all staff to complete the Google Educator Level 1 course to ensure effective
use of Google Apps for Education in the learning context.

● We have school mailing lists to support ease of email sending

to large groups. If you would like a new one set up then please
email the Tech Facilitator or IT Support.
● Outside of work hours use email to contact others regarding
work unless urgent.

● All faculty are expected to use Google Calendar so that others

can see when they are free or busy. This allows us to schedule
meetings efficiently.

● All institutional documents and folders should be part of the

school Team Drive folders. All documents in the Team Drive
folders are viewable by the relevant group.
● Always check the sharing settings of sensitive documents

● Google Docs should be used where appropriate to facilitate

collaboration. If work requires particular features of MS Office,
that may be used to supplement.

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 Basic Tech Expectations: Class Dojo

For the current academic year we are using both engage and Class Dojo to communicate
with parents directly about behaviour within the classroom. Staff are expected to set up
each of their classes on Class Dojo and award relevant behaviours (positive and negative)
as necessary. Staff can choose to set up their own behaviours, although ‘late to class’ and
‘no homework’ should be included.

Basic Tech Expectations: Engage

At present we complete attendance registers, record and track grades, fill out daybook
forms for behaviour, manage ECAs, book parent teacher conferences, and communicate
with parents through the engage portal.

The Engage portal has a vast array of data management capabilities. We can import historic
data, create forms for almost any purpose, manage staff and student documents, and keep
detailed records. If you or your department feel there is something you would like to do with
Engage but we currently are not please contact the Director of Technology to discuss it.

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 Digital Literacy at TH School

At TH School we define digital literacy as the “efficient and effective use of technology”. All
teachers are expected to support students in developing appropriate digital literacy skills.

At TH School we have identified a general set of digital literacy skills that we feel are
necessary for them to be successful in their classes and beyond school in work and life.
These skills are developed from the aspirational ISTE Student Standards and represent a
digital “floor” that we feel all students need to have.

Use our Digital Literacy Scope and Sequence to identify in general what sorts of digital
literacy skills students have at each grade level.

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 Digital Citizenship at TH School

The purpose of digital citizenship is to help us all be healthy, safe, and balanced as we
navigate between the physical and digital worlds. Teachers need to model digital citizenship
for students as mentors. If students are struggling with issues that teacher mentors do not
feel able to address themselves, these issues should be brought to the attention of the
School Counsellor or Technology Facilitator.

Our Digital Citizenship programme follows Common Sense Media from K-12, which covers 8
key areas for our students and wider community. We have been accredited as a Common
Sense School for 2018-2020.

Our curriculum covers the 8 areas of internet safety, privacy and security, digital footprint
and reputation, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, information literacy, and
creative credit and copyright.

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 Modelling Digital Citizenship
We expect our faculty to abide by the following guidelines in terms of digital media.

1. Personal Responsibility

● TH School staff are personally responsible for the content they publish online. Be
mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time - protect your privacy.
● Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and
consideration that you use face-to-face.
● Remember that blogs, wikis and podcasts are an extension of your classroom. What
is inappropriate in your classroom should be deemed inappropriate online.
● When contributing online do not post confidential student information.
● The TH School network should be used for educational and professional purposes.

2. Copyright, Fair Use and Creative Commons

● Respect copyright and fair use guidelines, including obtaining permission before
using or uploading media content.
● All reasonable efforts should be used to find and use content under Creative
Commons or similar open sources.
● Appropriately acknowledge your source of information.

3. Use of Social Media

● Make sure your personal online activities do not interfere with your job performance.
● Think carefully about the content of your comment, online conversations and what
you are uploading and consider if it consistently represents your professional image.
● Staff are advised not to “friend” current students in their own personal social
networks.
● Staff are advised to use discretion before accepting former students or parents of
students as friends.
● Use your professional email when dealing with students/parents.

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 Links & References

ISTE Standards for Students https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

ISTE Standards for Educators https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

Article of SAMR by Dr. Puentedura http://hippasus.com/blog/archives/354

Kathy Schrock’s Guide to SAMR http://www.schrockguide.net/samr.html

Library Catalogue (Destiny) http://library.thschool.edu.vn/

Digital Literacy Scope & Sequence https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q

GUAdyOEPmWOQA5fn2W_OFgILi6quoVMbN
OsC_9kFh0/edit?usp=sharing

Current list of iPad Apps https://sites.google.com/thschool.edu.vn/ths

chool-cb/edtech/ipad-apps

Digital Use Policy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RGsuFlEVy3

gzw-IlFWxgmh3R9Jhf9iC2/view

Creative Commons http://search.creativecommons.org/

TH Faculty Handbook https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uTKi

HeJmD-HtFhsv8_RhqN5cgledC0M5vmOpUTp
9XLg/

3SYS http://10.0.9.10/3Sys/Login/ManualLogin?Re
turnUrl=%2f3Sys%2fHome

EduPage https://thschool.edupage.org/

The Hub https://sites.google.com/thschool.edu.vn/ths

chool-cb/home

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