INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Hong Kong Academy is pleased to offer first-rate technology. The impact of technology in our world today is enormous. Understanding that impact and being able to effectively use the tools of technology are important skills for all of us: students, teachers, staff, and parents.

Technology provides us with a valuable link for communication between home and school. All parents are provided with the means to access our school intranet through an application called FirstClass. FirstClass provides documents, contact lists, newsletters, calendars, videos, online lessons, mail lists, and of course e-mail. Parents are encouraged to use it and become active participants in our intranet community.

Hong Kong Academy is equipped with both a wired and wireless network system that enables easy use of notebook computers anywhere on campus. Primary classrooms have a desktop computer and multiple notebook computers. Additional notebook computers are available in a lab setting or can be checked out and used wirelessly in the classroom.

We feel that technology is not an end in itself; it is a means to facilitate learning and communication. We teach hardware and software skills integrated through the curriculum. Teachers use many effective tools and methodologies to meet educational needs. Some of these tools are digital devices. With technology-integrator support, teachers are becoming proficient at planning, using, and instructing with these devices. The classroom teacher and technology-integrator increasingly develop class projects in collaboration. Such projects teach technology skills in a more integrated way.

We are particularly pleased with the launch of our new middle school program: Formula 2. Each middle school student now has a dedicated laptop for personal, educational use. Middle Schoolers use their laptops in class during the day, and take them home for use each night. This program enables us to take advantage of recent leaps in educational technology and the new Web 2.0 communication tools for learning and sharing.