CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IN JAPAN
Christian
Academy
in Japan
Growing in Grace & Truth:
Insights from Nate Rudd, Technology Department


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“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Godʼs grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Peter 4:10-11)

We have seen the Lord bless us with gifts this year in the technology department. Not only have we been focusing on the gifts of our talents but also on how we can use the gifts of technology to His glory.

The Lord has brought together a very talented technology team to serve at CAJ this year. We have three returning staff, one new member, and two staff who have worked in other roles at the school and joined us as we’ve seen their potential in technology instruction and support. And we’ve gotten right to work this year.

One of the big initiatives is our implementation of Google Classroom. Our technology integrators have been working with teachers to get their Google Classrooms set up, enabling better communication between teachers and students inside and outside the classroom.

Having more staff has also enabled us to provide more personalized support to our staff. For many staff, we have been able to straighten out small issues or teach them something they have been wondering about. We have found that it is very beneficial for our students when our staff is more comfortable with the technology they use.

God has also blessed us with new technology this year: A new wireless system that promises a faster connection and more features, new laptops for 10th graders that they will use throughout the rest of their time in high school, and new Chromebooks, improving student access to computers in middle school.

However, it is not just about having more technology; we want to focus on how we can use these gifts to bring glory to God. Last year our staff worked on developing a digital citizenship curriculum. This year the tech staff has been working with homeroom teachers and other relevant classroom teachers to weave these lessons in with our current curriculum. With topics ranging from cyberbullying, to copyright laws, to how to do an effective web search, we desire to help students learn healthy, responsible, and effective technology habits.

One way we are teaching responsibility is through holding students accountable in how they are using their devices. Installing software on all of our school-owned devices has enabled us to see what students are doing and help remind them to stay on task. This frees classroom teachers to more effectively teach without having to constantly be concerned that students are on task.

God has definitely blessed CAJ with an abundance of technology tools, a technology staff that is striving to use the school’s resources and their talents for His glory, and wonderful students who are learning how to use this technology.

About the Author
Nate Rudd is the IT Director at CAJ.  He has been working in the technology department at CAJ since 2004 and has been IT Director since 2015. The technology department manages over 900 laptops/desktops/iPads/iPhones and works hard to make sure that staff and students know how to effectively use that technology.



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