Various opportunities exist to integrate technology into all aspects of learning at St. Louise. Our goal is to help our students become proficient using technology to enhance all aspects of their lives and enable them to become 21st Century learners.
The St. Louise de Marillac School computer lab is a state of the art classroom with iMac computers and a SMARTboard for teacher instruction. There is also a Windows based PC laptop pod equipped with 28 laptop computers available for classroom use. In addition, there are computers in every classroom to integrate technology into everyday learning and instruction.
Skills and concepts that students learn in the computer lab can be used across the curriculum or at home on both operating systems. Students in grades K-5 use the computer lab weekly and develop skills which will be used in their classrooms and home.
Students in grades 6-8 attend computer/technology class twice a week. There, they learn basics of using wikis, blogs, collaborative websites, and web 2.0 tools throughout the year. We are in the process of rolling out Google Apps for Education school wide. By the 8th grade, all students will have experience using the following software, hardware, and equipment:
- MS Office Applications: Word, Excel, Powerpoint
- KidPix (Drawing and Multi-Media presentations)
- Type To Learn 4 (Keyboarding program)
- Website design
- Multi-media software (Discovery Education/Learn 360/AIU3 Media Services)
- Digital cameras (still) and digital video cameras
- Audio recording devices and editing programs
- SRD (Student Response Devices) “clickers”
- CyberSmart & Common Sense Media (for internet safety and digital citizenship.)
All students are required to sign an Acceptable Use Policy and will be introduced to Internet Safety and Digital Citizenship.
We will have opportunities for project based learning with cross-curricular activities in all subject areas. We will be podcasting, livestreaming events, participating in virtual visits, and collaborating with other classrooms. Parents and students have access to RVS Grade Book and will be able to access assignments and upcoming events through the SchoolNotes and a new Google site. The computers in the lab and laptops are incorporated into every curricular area through web quests, research, writing, publishing, and multi-media.
Our wireless capabilities allow students and teachers flexibility for lessons and all media services using the classroom computers and the laptop pod school wide. All classrooms have a data projector that can be used by teachers to project lessons and content for classroom use. Most classrooms are equipped with interactive SMARTboards for hands on lessons. Teachers also have access to document cameras, video and still cameras, and a set of student response devices for more interactive learning.
