Beaver is a pioneer in the EdTech space. Our teachers and students have the dedicated resources, space, and support to develop their tech skills and take their knowledge to the next level.
What’s most important about technology at Beaver is our mindset around it. We teach technological literacy not as a standalone class, or through specific hardware or software, but as a tool embedded into each class. The use of technology in the classroom supports us in understanding and expressing ideas. It is infused into every part of our curriculum and campus. Being comfortable with technology and its rapidly evolving state means Beaver students have an advantage in their toolkit. It’s a means for them to explore, visualize, and solve problems while giving them the ability to craft something of their own.
We view technology as a tool to enhance learning. When it makes sense to use, we use it.
The Beaver mindset around technology
Here’s what this means to us:
At Beaver, we feel strongly every student should have access to all of the spaces and tools on their very first day.
At many schools, if you want to use the laser cutters or the 3D printers, you have to be taking an engineering class or be a member of the Robotics team. If a student comes to Beaver with lots of experience in areas like coding and 3D-modeling, that’s great! We’re excited to help that student keep learning new skills. If a student has little experience with technology, that’s great, too; each year, we love helping students get started with all of the different tools we use for researching, designing, and creating.
From 1:1 laptops to incorporating coding across our curriculum, technology is integrated into all our classes (similarly to how it’s integrated into all our lives).
Our teachers embed hands-on projects throughout the curriculum—everywhere from math to chorus to Spanish, and they have the resources, space, and support to do so. Students are often able to make choices with their learning; on a given assignment, one student might decide to create a series of infographics while another student in the same class might decide to film and edit a debate. This system creates frequent opportunities for students to learn about new strategies, new tools, and new ways to share what they’re learning with the rest of the community.
Women and people of color are still underrepresented in STEM fields; we feel a responsibility to address that issue.
We’re dedicated to making our spaces inclusive and offering a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved in research and design. Our Research + Design Team collaborates with student clubs, parents, alumni, and local organizations to constantly examine Beaver’s practices and look for new ways to fight against stereotypes and ensure all students feel included.
We have a dedicated team of experts who support all of the exciting projects that are happening around the school.
Any time a class needs help editing videos, an expert is available. Any time a student wants to learn more about designing a VR experience, an expert is available. Any time a teacher wants help designing a new project that incorporates elements of the design process, an expert is available.
We strongly believe all students benefit from developing a research and design mindset.
While some Beaver graduates will definitely go on to pursue careers in fields like engineering and computer science, many will choose other fields. All students should have opportunities to experiment, play, innovate, and iterate. All students should learn how to conduct an interview, critically evaluate media, and build quick, rough prototypes. Our system ensures that each Beaver student gets plenty of opportunities to build a creative problem-solving mindset and receives plenty of support along the way.
Tools, Resources, & Spaces
Here is a sampling of the tools, technology, and resources available to students.
- OverDrive subscription (ebooks and audiobooks)
- Full access to the New York Times and other news sources
- 50+ research databases covering history, science, and culture
- R+D Center website
- Two laser cutters
- Six 3D printers
- CNC router
- Jewelry station
- Two recording studios
- Four Oculus VR headsets
- Two vacuformers
- Prototyping supplies (hot glue guns, duct tape, sticky notes, etc.)
- Materials library (where students have access to everything from fabric samples to salvaged stereo equipment)
- Software (OnShape for 3D modeling, Adobe Photoshop for image editing, p5 for coding, etc.)
The BVR Research + Design Center—which opened in 2017—is a state-of-the-art building located at the center of our campus that provides our students from 6th to 12th grades the resources and support to create, innovate, explore, and build. The space includes two audio and video recording studios; a design workshop; presentation spaces; a materials library filled with an ever-evolving collection of “stuff” (fabrics, resins, malleable metals, wood, etc.), and an entire floor dedicated to research.
All students have access to the Research + Design Center (aka R+D Center), and we see a wide variety of classes using the space and the tools.
