The Technology program at Orchard House School is focused on providing up-to-the-minute skills and to ensure that our students know how to learn and adapt to new technologies that emerge in the future. Given the rapid pace of change, it is our belief that skills rather than content should be emphasized in the Technology program.
Computers, tablets, and handheld devices have changed the way we live. Information gathering and sharing is at our fingertips, and the way we communicate, educate, work, shop, and even socialize has been transformed. We teach our girls to utilize the latest technology expertly, efficiently, and responsibly. However, technology is about more than computers and computer literacy; it is also about engineering and problem-solving.
The curriculum for the Technology program divides into two distinct components. The first is the Computer Toolbox, the main focus in fifth and sixth grades. This component concentrates on the traditional electronic “tools” including networking, databases, page layout programs, graphics, on-line publishing, and other productivity software as well as information literacy and fluency. The second is the Solutions Factory, the main focus of seventh and eighth grades, which concentrates on helping students to identify problems and their solutions using technology and engineering.
Our Technology program is closely integrated with other courses like English, History, and Science to ensure that students apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. Compelling and relevant projects that teach the skills of technological fluency are ongoing throughout the year. By the time a student graduates from Orchard House School, she is able to apply information and technology in all subjects and disciplines and embrace new technological innovations with minimal fear or anxiety. She understands the basic principles of programming and simple engineering, and as she gains technological literacy she also heightens her analytical, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills.