The Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees is looking to update the technology policies across grade levels.
Trustees recently received an in-depth look at how the district is integrating technology into classrooms to enhance teaching and learning across all grade levels.
District administrators are required to develop appropriate guidelines to govern the use of technology and implement measures and safety rules.
During the board meeting, Howard Bissell, the district’s director of instructional technology, presented a series of belief statements that reflect the district’s philosophy on technology in education. These statements were developed over several months and shaped by feedback from teachers, students, administrators, instructional coaches and support staff.
Bissell said that, regardless of grade level, teachers remain at the core of instruction. He explained that technology is viewed as a tool to support educators and help them better adapt instruction to meet individual student needs.
“We don’t use technology for everything,” Bissell said. “But when it’s the right fit, it can accelerate learning or make something possible that wasn’t possible before.”
For students in kindergarten through second grade, technology is used sparingly to begin building the foundation. Instruction remains teacher-directed and the tools support creativity and digital habits through guidance. Students additionally partake in short digital learning sessions lasting approximately 10 to 20 minutes a few times each week, always under teacher supervision.
In third through fifth grade, technology use expands to reinforce foundational skills supporting independence. Technology helps foster creativity, critical thinking and problem solving as well as building skills in research and collaboration. The goal is for fifth graders to gradually learn to manage their device responsibilities.
Bissell pointed out that by the end of third grade, students in South Carolina are required to take standardized assessments online. Early and consistent exposure to digital tools is vital, he said, as unfamiliarity with the testing platform could hinder performance.
However, the district has found a platform that mimics what the standardized tests platform will look like, so they understand the design and are familiar with the layout.
In middle school, technology begins to play a greater role in developing students’ critical thinking skills. Digital tools are increasingly used for collaborative projects, assignments and research while still engaging in meaningful discussions with peers.
By the time students reach high school, they are using technology more independently and being challenged to evaluate services and produce original work. Additionally, students will have projects that mirror real-world tasks through advanced media tools.
Chairwoman Katie Henson mentioned that having teachers trained with artificial intelligence and technology is important as well. Bissell agreed and said the district has a professional learning series focused on AI literacy, which is aimed at equipping educators with the knowledge and tools they need to know.
In the upcoming months, the administration will bring forward recommended revisions to board policies related to technology usage.
