Digital Literacy and Technology
Our Digital Literacy and Technology curriculum is rooted in the convictions of our foundress, Cornelia Connelly. She recognised that not only should ‘the wants of the age’ be met, but also that the girls be educated for the future. The DLT curriculum encompasses three strands: Digital Literacy, Computing and IT, which give our girls the toolkit to meet the needs of the digital age. Young people today have grown up in a world with technology all around them and this exposure allows them to develop naturally into competent users and operators of IT. However, our aim is to take this process further and help our girls develop an understanding and awareness of the underlying processes involved, as well as ensuring they can apply skills safely and ethically, resulting in digitally literate and active participants in the digital world.
The digital world offers enormous benefits and advantages; however, without proper use and understanding of technology, it can be overwhelming. At Mayfield, our aim is to ensure that every pupil understands a range of ways to use technology safely, respectfully, responsibly and securely. We give girls the knowledge of how to protect their online identity and privacy, recognise inappropriate content, contact or conduct, and know how to report concerns.
Computing teaches pupils design, logical reasoning and problem solving. By using computational thinking, the girls will learn how computers and computer systems work, design and build programs, develop their ideas using technology and create a range of content. At Mayfield, we deliver lessons both ‘plugged’ and ‘unplugged’. These skills give our girls the necessary foundation needed to understand and use technology effectively.
Effective use of Microsoft Office applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations etc are essential skills that are necessary in many different subject areas. To develop their understanding, girls undertake creative projects that involve selecting, using and combining multiple applications, to achieve challenging goals, including collecting and analysing data and meeting the needs of known users. There is also an emphasis on trustworthiness, design and usability when creating, re-using or re-purposing digital artefacts for a specific audience. In addition, we teach Lower School girls to touch type, which will be as beneficial to future careers as learning to write legibly with a pen.