By Katrina Austin, Associate Director of Admissions

One of the most frequently asked questions Angela and I receive on Admissions tours is about our collective school philosophy on technology. As a parent of three in our Chinese program, I know the question well. If you’re anything like me, then you want your kids to learn to use technology thoughtfully. You want them to be exposed to purposeful technology and savvy about it but at the same time mindful about the amount of actual screen time they receive. 

ISDenver Education Technology Specialist, Steven Lamb, shared technology’s role in our educational philosophy at the International School of Denver.

At ISDenver, we view technology as a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the learning experience. Our approach is rooted in the belief that students should be active creators of content, not just passive consumers.  We encourage the use of digital tools that foster collaboration, communication, and differentiated learning, supporting our students in their target languages and individual learning journeys.

We are mindful of screen time and its impact on different age groups. Our technology integration is carefully designed to align with developmental stages, ensuring a healthy balance between digital engagement and other essential learning activities.

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom

Another question we receive, and certainly one apropos to academia right now, is around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. Whether you already are a savvy user of AI or it is still new to you, AI is here to stay. At ISDenver, we’ve taken a proactive and thoughtful approach to AI in the classroom. Lamb advised,

As AI continues to advance, we believe it's crucial to equip our students with a strong foundation in critical thinking and digital literacy. Before introducing or using AI tools, we focus on teaching the fundamentals of information evaluation, source credibility, and bias recognition.

One engaging way we plan to demonstrate these concepts is by turning our classrooms into living AI models. Students become the "experts" on chosen topics, and their peers develop prompts to query their knowledge. This exercise highlights that AI-generated responses are based on existing information and can reflect particular viewpoints, underscoring the importance of discerning bias and potential disinformation. It removes the mystery of AI as a “cool robot” that gives all the right answers and writes papers.

Technology is a Tool for Empowerment

When we visit the Primary School Design Lab on tours, Lamb often likens the integration of technology in the classroom like wielding a pencil as he speaks to prospective parents like you. A pencil is a tool used to create art, to solve math problems, to ideate on a creative design, to journal our conceptual understandings of a lesson. Technology, too, is a tool. It is not instructed at ISDenver merely to teach the use of the technology itself or as a replacement to traditional teaching methods but, rather, to amplify student learning, creativity, and collaboration.

Ultimately, our goal is to leverage technology as a positive and empowering force in the classroom. By fostering a thoughtful and balanced approach to technology integration, we aim to prepare our students to navigate the digital world responsibly and confidently.

- Steven Lamb

I’d love to show you the thoughtful integration of technology in the classroom. Email me at isdenver.org/admissions to join us for an upcoming Open House or campus tour.

Steven Lamb is a multiple award-winning educator, TED talker, and father who believes in making ludicrous brainstorming ideas into positive and impactful learning experiences. He was a classroom teacher for 13 years and joined ISDenver as a Technology Integrator. Steven and his wife Rachel travel the nation speaking on a variety of educational topics. 

He has also written extensively on professional growth in educational technology integration; read his latest piece here.