I am delighted to join Epsom as the Director of Digital Technology and to become part of a community that values innovation, creativity and forward-thinking education.
With nearly 20 years of experience in education, including more than eight years within the IB, I have had the opportunity to work across Digital Technology, Design Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics and emerging technologies. Throughout my journey, one belief has remained constant: technology is most powerful when students are not simply using it, but creating, questioning and solving problems with it.
My vision for Digital Technology at Epsom is to give students meaningful opportunities to explore coding, artificial intelligence, design and engineering, digital creativity and responsible technology use. As technology continues to evolve rapidly, we need to prepare students not only to use today’s tools, but also to develop the curiosity, adaptability and critical-thinking skills they will need for the future.
I strongly believe that students understand technology best when they can connect it to real-life situations. Through hands-on experimentation, testing and problem-solving, students can experience technology for themselves, explore both its benefits and drawbacks, and make informed decisions about how and when it should be used. Learning should also be enjoyable; giving students the freedom to experiment, make mistakes and try again. So, they can turn technology into something they are genuinely excited to explore.
I am particularly interested in how AI can enhance learning while keeping creativity, academic integrity and human thinking at the centre of education rather than simply using new technologies because they are available. I want our students to question their use of technology:
How does this work?
What problem does it solve?
What are its limitations?
How can we use it responsibly?
Most importantly, I want our students to become confident creators, thinkers and problem-solvers, rather than simply consumers of technology.
I look forward to working alongside our students, teachers and the wider Epsom community as we prepare our learners not simply for the digital future, but to help shape it.
Mrs Dana AlQaddoumi
Director of Digital Technology