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Educational Technology

Mark McElroy
Director of Educational Technology

Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational. 
— George Couros

Our Commitment to Technology

As a school, VIS is committed to providing:

  • Equitable access to devices and digital tools.
  • Coaches and teachers who model best practices and integrate technology with intention.
  • Ongoing professional learning so our educators can design challenging, personalized, and future-focused learning experiences.

Together, we aim to ensure that technology at VIS is always used with purpose—to inspire, to empower, and to prepare our learners for a sustainable and connected future.

 

School-Issued Device Program

To support this vision, VIS provides all learners with access to state-of-the-art digital learning devices:

  • Early Years – Grade 2: Shared Apple iPads to support exploration, creativity, and foundational digital literacy skills.
  • Grades 3 – 5: A 1:1 Apple iPad program that empowers learners to personalize their learning and develop independence.
  • Grades 6 – 12: A 1:1 Apple MacBook Air program that enables students to research, collaborate, create, and communicate with confidence.
  • Teachers: All classroom teachers are issued Apple MacBooks to support their teaching and professional work.

In addition, every classroom and presentation space at VIS is equipped with digital displays and wireless projection. These tools are used daily by teachers to enhance instruction and provide opportunities for students to share their learning, collaborate with peers, and present their ideas to authentic audiences.

Empowering Learners Through Technology

At Vientiane International School, we see technology as more than just a set of tools —it is a powerful catalyst for learning, creativity, and connection.  Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that technology, when used with purpose, makes learning authentic, meaningful, and accessible for all students.

We believe that technology empowers students to:

  • Construct knowledge and solve problems in innovative ways.
  • Communicate ideas creatively and across multiple media.
  • Personalize their learning journey, following multiple pathways to success.
  • Collaborate openly with peers, teachers, and the wider world.
  • Access equitable opportunities through inclusive and assistive technologies.
  • Develop curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking as lifelong habits.

Looking ahead, our long-term vision is that every learner at VIS will leave our school equipped with the skills and dispositions to use technology confidently and responsibly. This means that students will apply digital literacy to consume, create, and communicate information in diverse and responsible ways, and they will be able to demonstrate their understanding through authentic, culturally responsive experiences. They will engage as responsible digital citizens who make informed and ethical choices in an ever-connected world. They will learn to harness technology to design innovative solutions and adapt to emerging tools and challenges. And, importantly, they will build AI literacy—understanding how artificial intelligence works, how it can be used ethically, and how it shapes the future of society, learning, and work.

Educational Technology Philosophy at VIS

At VIS, we believe that:

  • Technology is most powerful when it is used in authentic and meaningful contexts that connect learning to the real world.
  • Technology empowers learners to be knowledge constructors, creative communicators, and problem solvers, able to design solutions and express ideas in innovative ways.
  • Technology provides multiple pathways for learning and success, supporting personalization, collaboration, and equity through inclusive and assistive tools.
  • Technology is a dynamic medium that both reflects and shapes our ever-connected world. As such, it is a tool for interpreting, understanding, and influencing the world responsibly.
  • Technology inspires us to be curious, critical, and creative thinkers who can navigate complexity with resilience and courage.

Long-term Transfer Goals
Learners will be able to use their understanding of digital literacy and technology to:

  • Apply technology flexibly to consume, create, and communicate information in diverse and responsible ways.
  • Personalize their learning and take ownership of their growth as independent and collaborative learners.
  • Demonstrate learning and problem-solving through authentic, culturally responsive, and creative experiences.
  • Engage as responsible digital citizens, making ethical and informed choices in a global, interconnected community.
  • Harness technology to design innovative solutions and adapt confidently to emerging tools and challenges.
  • Develop AI literacy to critically and ethically use artificial intelligence, understanding its possibilities, limitations, and impact on society, learning, and the future of work.