Technology
We believe that intentional use of technology can enhance learning, deepen our understanding of subject matter, expand our creative pursuits, increase efficiencies, and connect us to both people and places.
We use technologies to encourage teacher innovation and experimentation supported by researched-based, age-appropriate best practices. The school is committed to flexible and robust technology infrastructure supporting all of its learning environments.
Framework for Digital Technologies
We’re committed to having a robust and flexible technology infrastructure that supports every learning environment. We use these technologies to:
- Ensure access so that daily learning can be enhanced and transformed.
- Help students navigate the ever-changing digital world knowledgeably, critically, and empathetically.
- Support students in selecting resources to support their own learning needs.
- Provide opportunities for discussion and the practice of digital literacy and citizenship principles.
- Encourage teacher innovation and experimentation supported by research-based, age-appropriate practices.
- Beginning/Lower School Technology
- Middle School Technology
- Upper School Technology
- Third Party Tools & Services
Beginning/Lower School Technology
Beginning School
For our youngest learners, there is an intentional decision to limit digital device use in the Beehive. Our focus is on developing the whole child including character, creativity, intellect, physical skills, and ability to contribute as a community member. The relationships and experiences that are needed to develop these areas cannot be replaced digitally or in a virtual environment.
We do use digital technology to expand and document the students' experiences and thinking. Teachers use, present, and encourage discussion about digital content where developmentally appropriate. There will be many, many opportunities for your child to develop and engage in digital content and skills throughout his or her Catlin Gabel journey.
Lower School
Lower School students are gradually introduced to technology in age- and developmentally appropriate lesson plans. Lower School student are each assigned an iPad for in-school use. The Lower School uses Seesaw to display student work in one place and share with families.
1st & 2nd Grades
In 1st and 2nd grades, technology use primarily takes the form of student self-assessment as they demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of their own learning through the creation of videos and digital portfolios. Discussion of good digital citizenship principles including applying our own Lower School rules of "Be Safe and Be Kind" online are discussed and practiced frequently.
3rd Grade
In 3rd grade, in addition to self-assessments, students begin skill-based learning. This includes keyboarding with iPads using Typing Pal. Using iPads allows students to explore and record their learning both on campus and off. Students are also introduced to Google Apps for Education for writing and classroom projects.
4th Grade
In the 4th grade, students receive their Catlin Gabel email account. They also begin to access the learning management Google Classroom for daily coursework and homework assignments. Developing digital literacy and digital citizenship continues in full force as students begin to more deeply explore the online world.
5th Grade
By 5th grade, students are fully immersed in using technology for many aspects of their coursework. Students blog, manage research projects, tell stories with a variety of digital tools, and curate portfolio content. Critical assessment and selection of digital resources and online content, along with appropriate copyright use, are emphasized.
Laptop Requirements
Students are not required to purchase a laptop in the Lower School. By the 3rd grade it may be necessary for a student to have access to a computer to reinforce keyboarding and math skills.
In 4th and 5th grades, access to a computer for homework completion is required. The school does not purchase hardware for Lower School students.
Middle School Technology
In the Middle School, emphasis is placed on guiding students through the intricacies of what it means to create a digital footprint. Digital citizenship and digital literacy skills are repeatedly practiced in a wide variety of environments.
An iPad and stylus is provided to every Middle School student for content creation, research, and digital exploration. Middle School students use applications like Google Classroom, Procreate, and Notability to further enhance their classroom experience and grow skills in digital creation. Teachers may also assign additional software as needed to enhance the learning experience of the classroom.
Students are not expected to purchase their own iPads, but will be treated as owners of the technology hardware they’re assigned. This will involve keeping track of and maintaining the hardware to teach them responsible tech ownership skills.
Upper School Technology
All Upper School students are required to have a laptop that they bring to school each day. This can be a laptop you already have available or a new purchase. Most students bring a Mac laptop, and small percentage choose to bring a PC laptop.
Laptops are used throughout the curriculum for research projects, writing, working on complex math problems, design, media arts, modern language acquisition, and collaboration in a wide variety of ways.
Laptops should be brought to school daily in good working order and fully charged. If your child is having hardware or software difficulties he or she should stop by the technology office in the lower level of The Barn for technology support.
Students are expected to check their school-provided email account regularly throughout the day for the most up-to-date information.
Laptop Models
The recommended models for the Upper School laptop program are either Apple or Dell laptops.
Apple: Most students use an Apple laptop. We recommend the 13-inch MacBook Air with an M3 processor, 16GB RAM and at least a 256GB Solid State Drive. Please note the default RAM offered by Apple is less than our recommendation, and that the 256GB drive may require some careful storage management over time. You can purchase Apple products at a discount through our Apple Custom Store. Be sure to use links on the main page rather than the links located in the top menu.
Dell: If you or your student prefer a Windows computer, we recommend a Dell XPS 13 with an Intel i7 processor, 16GB RAM and a 512GB Solid State Drive. Please note that the specific configuration linked to above is available as of May 30th but is subject to availability.
The school does not purchase hardware for students, however laptop financial assistance is available. For more information, please contact the enrollment office at enrollment@catlin.edu.
Third Party Tools & Services
At Catlin Gabel, we integrate a variety of carefully selected third-party applications and web-based services to enhance our educational offerings and provide a more engaging and effective learning experience for students. These tools are used for a range of purposes, from facilitating interactive learning and collaboration to enabling personalized instruction and assessment. Below are the top 20 tools the school uses.
To ensure the privacy and security of our students, each of these platforms complies with our strict data protection policies, whether they require individual student logins, utilize generic access credentials, or store any form of student information. We are committed to leveraging the latest in educational technology to support our students' learning while prioritizing their privacy, safety, and security online.
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Book Creator is a digital tool that enables students to create and read multimodal digital books. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Canva is an online graphic design app for creating social media graphics and presentations. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Desmos is an online advanced graphing calculator. |
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Draw Your Game is an application that allows students to create their own video games. Privacy Policy |
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Duolingo is an educational language learning application. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Edpuzzle is a tool used to place interactive content into pre-existing videos. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Epic is an online digital library geared towards young students. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Flip is a free video discussion app. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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GarageBand is an application that allows students to create music or podcasts. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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GeoGebra is an interactive math application, intended for learning and teaching at all school levels. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Google Workspace is a collection of productivity and collaboration tools students and teachers use for various projects. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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iMovie is a video editing application. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share, and play games. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Loom: Screen Recorder is a video messaging tool that lets students create and share videos. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Microsoft 365 is a collection of productivity and collaboration software including Excel, Powerpoint, and Word. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Microsoft Outlook is an email software system and part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Padlet is an educational cloud-based collaborative platform that allows students to organize and share content with each other. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Procreate is a raster graphics editor app for iPad. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Quizlet is a web tool that improves student learning through many study tools including flashcards and games. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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SAM Studio is a web-based application used to create STEAM and coding lessons. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that lets young students create their own interactive stories and games. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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TinkerCAD is a free web-based 3D modeling program. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
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Hypatia Create helps math teachers create digital lecture materials, handouts, and assignments. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service |
Click on this link to further explore the comprehensive collection of educational software the school utilizes, including apps and online tools, designed to augment student learning experiences.
