Technology Provision

Students and staff at DESS are able to use ICT and technology to access and research online information globally. They are encouraged to understand how the real world works and engage with different cultures in a digital format (both within the UAE and overseas). Students are learning how to conduct research and are able to record their findings.

Most students have access to a digital device (whether it is their own BYOD tool or hardware provided by the school in learning areas). Students also use a range of digital applications to record their research findings and online research is vital. Research findings are presented as documents, video content, animations, presentations and sound files.

Technology-driven research is encouraged at DESS

We are confident that technology is offering students a wide-ranging spectrum of research opportunities that can be used to enhance their teaching and learning activities. Research can be conducted at home or in the classroom. Wi-Fi coverage is excellent and is regularly reviewed to ensure its effectiveness. This provides DESS students with coverage in all buildings.  

Students are encouraged to use search engines such as Google.ae that provide information in both Arabic and English.

In Years 2 - 6, students are required to take part in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). The school has a range of apps that it recommends ensuring consistency across devices and lessons.

DESS Tech Leaders

The DESS Digital Leaders are a group of innovative, creative and enthusiastic KS2 students who have a strong interest in technology and want to be able to share their skills with the wider school community. They are given training and support to develop specific areas of expertise. Regular meetings empower the students to provide meaningful support to teachers and peers throughout the school, as well as educate others about online safety.

Being a Digital Leader helps children to develop confidence and leadership skills. Typically, some of the tasks performed by a Digital Leader could be;

  • Supporting the use of iPads and computers in school to support learning
  • Sharing their skills and expertise with other pupils, classes and teachers
  • Assisting teachers and other pupils in understanding coding applications
  • Setting up equipment in classrooms for teachers
  • Supporting teachers in using technology in the classroom
  • Having a good understanding of how to stay safe with technology and share that with others
  • Providing first-line technical support in school
  • Attending training sessions when they are arranged both in and out of school

Considering the rapid change in technology over the last 20 years; schools may just feel like they are getting to grips with one aspect of technology when another emerges. The change from ICT to a new Computing curriculum does not alter the fact that children need to experience and use a wide range of technology to support, extend and transform their learning. The Digital Leaders look ahead at how they can support both staff and students, driving technology in the school and being future-ready.

Using Technology to enhance learning

Classroom Teaching

Technology is an embedded part of teaching and learning at DESS. Children use laptops, iPads and interactive screens across the curriculum; from squiggle in FS1 to Microsoft Teams in Key Stage 2. Technology has helped facilitate greater collaboration, independent research as well as assisting the feedback process in becoming even more instant and much more powerful.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is actively encouraged for Years 2-6 so technology is available whenever it is required. The development of our website and Learning Hub has also meant learning resources and tasks are more accessible, including for parents.  

Learning Zone

To support our inclusion policy and to ensure all children are supported and receive personalized learning, the following apps and technology based programs are used to enhance the teaching and learning of our SEND children:

  • iPads - Dexteria App to support manual dexterity and fine motor skills and early years phonics apps. Nessy Learning Programme (Early Birds Club) and one to one teaching to support consolidation of spelling rules and patterns. 
  • Wordshark - very specific use to support reinforcement of specific patterns taught with children with SpLD e.g. dyslexia. Numbershark supporting children with SpLD e.g. dyscalculia and Dynamo Maths - group resource three sessions per week in ICT Suite with Children from Years 2-4 to cement numerical foundations. Mastering Memory to support working memory.
  • Clicker 7 is a word processing writing tool, to support emergent, developing and struggling readers and writers. 
Arabic

Technology is an integral part of modern Language teaching. We use it daily in our classes and have our own 25 iPad departmental trolley. We use iPads for both vocabulary acquisition, grammar skills and research.

Speaking and listening skills apps: Book creator - Puppet Pals - Tellagami - Chatter Kids - Green Screen technology.

Writing and reading skills: Quizlet website - Plickers -  Explain Everything - Book Creator - Zee Arabic alphabet - and some Arabic educational websites like ASL.

We use the Classdojo website as our departmental reward system and use air server in Assessment for Learning, showing good examples of student work as examples to follow or using lower level work for up-levelling. The use of technology in Arabic has enhanced teaching and learning by making learning more engaging and accessible to the children. 

Arabic Learning

Islamic Education

Key areas where technology has made an impact in Islamic lessons, has been through the use of various apps for memorisation, reading and listening of the Quran such as Quran explorer, Tafseer, Hadith library and Muslim kids series. The impact has been greater interest from the children and improved retention of the Surahs they are learning. The introduction of the departments own mini iPads and charging station has ensured that these are an integral part of each lesson.

The quran pen, a digital assistive reading device used with headphones, enables the children to track as they read, and listen to specific pronunciations of words.

The learning hub is a great resource to access a variety of tools during the lesson.

For research, various websites are used, including Prophetic timeline, Mount Hira, Islamic playground and Muslim Kids TV.

Islamic Education

French

Apart from direct teaching, technology is used for vocabulary acquisition through two main apps: Linguascope and Quizlet. These provided pronunciation, translation, aural and written games which all help retention. They also have a competitive aspect that the children love. Green screening and videoing are used to make learning closer to real life. The app Explain Everything is used for either Assessment for Learning (replacing the old visualiser) or for posting Flipped Learning videos on the language Hub through our MFL YouTube channel. Explain Everything is really practical for MFL because it can take a picture of a child’s work and project it on the screen. It allows misconceptions to be identified, corrections to be overwritten, etc. Flipped learning videos are also very successful in differentiating learning for both  support or challenge.

French

Performing Arts

In Performing Arts, technology is used mostly for direct teaching. We regularly use PowerPoints in lessons to assist with teaching and show the children examples of chord positioning, song lyrics, notes and staves. We also make use of interactive music games and quizzes to enhance the children’s learning of music theory. These include musictheory.net, Music Theory Fundamentals, Music Tech Teachers and Pro Profs Quiz Maker. iPads are also used to record performances, at group, class and whole school level, to review performances and give feedback to improve standards.

Performing Arts

PE

Technology is used in PE to assist staff in accurate timings and recording, as well as for recording data on children's progress and standards. The children use technology to record themselves and review their technique and all round performance. Video clips, such as from YouTube, as well as those made of each other, are used to demonstrate the skills required. This is very powerful when giving feedback and setting expectations.

Physical Education

Seesaw in the Classroom

Seesaw is a platform for student engagement. Here at DESS, teachers use it to empower students to develops key 21st Century kills; such as collaboration, problem-solving, creative and critical thinking skills across the curriculum. Students “show what they know” using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs and web links. Each child has their own digital portfolio where they can save their work in one place and share in real-time with their families. Teachers approve all work before it is shared. 

In FS1, teachers use the platform as an assessment tool, evidencing student’s learning and progress. From FS2 onwards, both students and teachers use it to share learning. 

Through the use of Seesaw, children are more engaged in learning and take greater ownership of their work. Using technology appropriately and responsibly, digital citizenship skills are also developed. Knowing their work will be shared with their families, the quality of children’s work is improved; as is the family engagement which ultimately leads to a stronger home-school community. 

Microsoft Education

The world is changing faster than ever – as are the skills students will need to be life-ready by the time they graduate. Each student in KS2 in given an Office 365 account which allows them to install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook on up to 5PCs or Macs and Office apps on other mobile devices. With their account includes 1TB of OneDrive storage, so that children have an online platform to collaborate, save and share their learning. Using Office 365 in our classrooms empowers students to be independent and creative learners, preparing them for their futures. 

ClassVR

ClassVR is a versatile platform using the power of Virtual and Augmented Reality for education in the classroom. Educational content for students of all ages can be used to bring the curriculum to life and to deepen knowledge and understanding. From visiting far-flung corners of the world to holding the human heart in your hands, ClassVR makes these experiences possible!  

From Foundation Stage to Y6, children learn through experiences and can benefit even further from immersive 360 environments by; 

  • Developing speaking skills 
  • Enhancing real-life experiences 
  • Opening up opportunities  
  • Enriching literacy 
  • Placing learning in context 
  • Improving retention 
  • Supporting specific educational needs 
  • Increasing engagement