3.1.

Information technology (IT) facilities that will support the MYP Describe what IT facilities the students and teachers will have access to in order to support the MYP and indicate where they are located. a. IT in classrooms If the answer is yes, describe them. The Technology Director of Okinawa International School has decided to capitalize on the relatively compact scale (size and number-wise) of our newly-established Middle School by fully committing to a robust Web 2.0 (and beyond) environment. To that end, we have established iFly -- the keystone of ICT-based learning at our Middle School. It is a learning initiative (now fully supported) kicked off from April, 2012 in which all stakeholders work together to leverage take-home 1:1 iPad technology ubiquitously to empower our digital natives. OIS students will be increasingly enabled by this initiative to investigate, create, communicate, collaborate, and organize as responsible 21st century citizens in the spirit of IB. Yes X No

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b.

IT laboratories

Yes

No

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If the answer is yes, describe them (include number of computers/laptops, internet connection, student access to the laboratory, and so on). iPads 1:1 ratio for this device, one for each student. Laptops 1:4 ratio for this device. Desktops 1:5 ratio. Internet connection (wireless: school wide 5Ghz, and wired hikari fiber) fastest and most robust commercially available in our geographic location. Student access Our students, since they are using 1:1 iPads, are constantly able to access ICT, from the morning bell, to when classes end. Total emersion.
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c.

Other comments on IT provision (Note: A description of the IT provision in the library/multimedia centre will be included in question 5 below.) Comments: It is the position of our Technology Director that traditional IT Laboratories -where rows of students sit silently typing at rows of computers and are taught IT by a specialist who is not a classroom teacher -- have long become anachronistic. Only portable, personalized, 1:1 technology (iPads, laptops, etc.) can properly support the kind if inquirybased, constructivist pedagogical environment that IB demands. Therefore, at Okinawa International Schools Middle School, we are interested in creating a seamless, integrated, and blended ICT environment for our students. Our ideal ICT environment maximizes the elements of Web 2.0 ICT (as mentioned above), while at the same time incorporating (recontextualized) elements of more orthodox ICT labs. Thus, our old labs have been purposefully broken up and re-distributed around the Middle School, with formerly isolated computer terminals installed pervasively into classrooms, our library, our communal study lounge, etc. This allows students to benefit from more socialized

form of learning. Since our 1:1 iPad initiative, iFly, is a completely new way for our school to do education, weve all got a lot to learn -- that includes students, as well as parents and teachers. OIS will be offering integrated, comprehensive support for all stakeholders. In order to support and educate one another, well set up and maintain real and virtual communities of learning as an integral part of our initiative. Through orientations, workshops, networking, and other kinds of regular meetings, both formal and informal, well be constantly learning how we can help each other to help OIS students. Lending everybody a helping hand in our communities of learning will be our team of Educational Technology Trainers and other members of the newly established Department of Educational Technology (DET). We are not interested in putting IT Specialists in contact with our students. We are interested in putting Technology Integration Coaches behind our teachers, and having our teachers both guide (and be guided by) our digital natives. In summary, OIS is undergoing a paradigm shift in ICT, and we are looking forward helping our students fly high on digital wings, all around the world!
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