Mid-Pacific was recently honored with EdTech Digest's 2019 EdTech Trendsetter Award for the school's innovative technology program.

The EdTech Awards recognizes people in and around education for outstanding contributions in transforming education through technology to enrich the lives of learners everywhere. Featuring educational technology's best and brightest, the annual program shines a spotlight on cool tools, inspiring leaders and innovative trendsetters across the K-12, higher education, and skills and workforce sectors.

Mid-Pacific is the educational leader in innovative teaching methods that infuse the latest technology as part of classroom practices to enhance student learning and build empathy. Technology is a language woven throughout the curriculum whether students are developing computer animation skills in the classroom with industry expert instructors, or sharing their Mid-Pacific School of the Arts dance performances with family members via Virtual Reality.

"The Mid-Pacific approach to education has truly helped with the adoption of our innovative technology model," said Director of Educational Technology Brian Grantham. "We have an administration that sees technology as a language, and teachers who are willing to experiment with technology in their classrooms, resulting in outcomes that positively affect student learning."

"Most schools have a technology department that services both educational technology and information technology," continues Grantham. "At Mid-Pacific, we have an educational technology department that is supported by our information technology team, but works with its own purpose. We hired dedicated people with an educational background to partner with Mid-Pacific teachers to facilitate technology use in our classes. Every teacher at Mid-Pacific has an assigned 'tech buddy.' Our educational technologists understand what it's like to be in the classroom and regularly go into classes, working with teachers and students where they are every day to assist with technology delivery."

In 2012, Mid-Pacific was the first preschool through grade 12 school in Hawaiʻi to offer the 1:1 iPad program. Students have access to the latest in Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and 3D scanning technology that is built into the classroom and viewed as a language that must be honed for mastery, skill and application in the real world. Computational thinking is learned as a problem-solving method that can be applied in any industry.

"It's an honor to be recognized by EdTech Digest," said Mid-Pacific President Paul Turnbull. "Mid-Pacific's immersive technology program is only one part of its technology vision -- a vision that asks, 'How can technology enhance the human experience, not drive it?,' Our answers led to a best-in-class program that surrounds students with outstanding faculty and resources in digital storytelling, engineering, and computational thinking. We couldn't accomplish these goals without our faculty and technology team."

Mid-Pacific President Paul Turnbull was also recently honored as a Top 100 EdTech influencer in education by EdTech Digest and joined a list of prominent innovators across the world who are transforming the field of education through technology.

For the complete list of EdTech Award winners, visit: https://edtechdigest.com/2019-finalists-winners/