GvP school

ICT AND STEAM SKILLS

DIGITAL LITERACY AND SKILLS

Since school year 2022-2023 the GvP School increased the lesson hours for ICT and organizes special workshops and project weeks about digital literacy and the use of (social) media. Enabling students to become digitally literate means they can understand, work with, and benefit from a range of digital media, software applications, and hardware devices such as computers, mobile phones, and internet technology. It is important students can critically understand digital media content and applications and have the knowledge and capacity to create with digital technology. As students become digitally literate, they will be better able to participate fully in a competitive global economy and to become responsible citizens in a dynamic world. Our curriculum will help students to develop some fundamental skills and competencies (such as critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and the ability to do research, communicate and collaborate) that will help them to take a full and active part in social, cultural, economic, civic, and academic life. Further, the curriculum will enable students to create, use, remix, and share content in a manner that is respectful of the rights of other users.

 

RESOURCES

The increased use of digital programs and tools, and CXC’s itinerary to full online examination per 2025, requires that the school improves its soft- and hardware facilities. All students should have access to a laptop and all teachers should have a smart board in their classroom. Positive steps have been made in this direction during school year 2023-2024. For the school year 2024-2025 the GvP School will continue to work on upgrading its ICT facilities and services.

 

STRENGTHENING TECHNICAL ARTS AND STEAM SKILLS

To properly prepare our students for the labor market and/or further education, we apply a strengthened approach to mainstreaming our students’ skills. This includes social, study and life skills, as well as the development of the so-called STEAM skills: critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, communication, and collaboration. STEAM education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The GvP School opts for strengthening the technical arts and a sustainable and school-wide use of STEAM education. The technical and STEAM education in the lower forms (CCSLC) are the foundation for the technical and STEAM education as offered in the CVQ and CSEC programs. This corresponds with our vision on the importance of technical education in all years at GvP School and the preparation for smooth transitioning to (technical) further education.

 

TECHNICAL ARTS IN PRO AND CCSLC

Students are immersed in technical education from the first year at GvP School. Form 1 and Form 2 CCSLC-students have 2 lesson hours Technical Arts per week. The PrO 1 and PrO 2 students have 4 hours per week. From the 3rd Form, the PrO students choose their sector and the CCSLC students get acquainted with the various technical areas and subjects through projects and extracurricular activities. At the end of Form 3 the CCSLC students choose their upper school program and elective subjects. Students are actively encouraged to choose subjects from both the vocational and academic program.

 

TECHNICAL ARTS IN CSEC AND CVQ

Together, the CSEC and CVQ programs cover all STEAM components. Math, English, ICT and Arts are mandatory subjects for all CSEC and CVQ students. The Science subjects and Visual Arts are choices in CSEC and Technical Arts and Engineering are offered in CVQ. In school year 2024-2025 the CVQ program includes four STEAM-programs: Food Preparation & Cookery (FPC), General Construction, Welding and Early Childhood Development. We are dedicated to offering our students more options that not only matches their interests but also meets the demand on the labor market for employees with specific (technical) skills (possibly after completing tertiary education). From 2025- 2026 we anticipate offering programs such as Electrical Installation, Furniture Making, Data Operations/Robotics, and Crop Production.