iPads for every Burke student this fall
GOSHEN — Lugging heavy backpacks full of textbooks will be a thing of the past at John S. Burke Catholic High School this fall when each of its students will be outfitted with Apple iPads as the college preparatory school launches a new digital learning system called Enlighten.
Burke Catholic officials believe the revolutionary technological advancement, launching this September, will provide vast benefits to students, parents and teachers.
“We live in a technologically advanced world," said Principal John J. Dolan. "In order for our students to remain competitive now and in the future, it’s our responsibility to make the most of these innovations. With a digital learning system, Burke Catholic will be on a technological par with some of the best schools in the country and two years ahead of most of the Orange County Schools. We have also begun to work with local catholic elementary schools to assist and train them in rolling out a digital learning system to benefit the county’s younger students as well.”
The new digital learning system Burke Catholic selected will:
Include a complete up-to-date digital textbook library
Replace other printed material
Allow for organized note taking
Provide an on-line research tool
Give access to homework, class assignments, quizzes and tests
Permit access for parents to review assignments and grades
Include a platform for video or audio copies of lectures
Provide a method to access library and other academic resources
Several months ago, Principal Dolan and his administration began researching various digital learning systems and received input from internal and external advisors. They also visited schools where this technology was already in use. Dolan continued, “Administrators, students, faculty, and parents at these schools were enthusiastic about its usefulness, ease of implementation and ultimate benefit to students.”
The new technology at Burke Catholic is not meant to replace the essential interaction of teachers and students. However, it offers a way to boost traditional methods of teaching and learning. Tests, quizzes, homework and class assignments can be done directly on the iPad and graded in mere seconds. Results can then be easily and quickly accessed by students and parents. School officials are still in the implementation stages and working on policies to address such issues as iPad loss or damage, and how to incorporate existing iPads that students may personally own already.
Board Member Donald Beeler has been instrumental in helping to establish the digital learning system at Burke Catholic. Beeler said, “This digital learning system is an integral part of preparing today’s students for the technology-dependent world they’re in. Teachers will be able to leverage the multimedia aspect of the system to provide increasingly meaningful instruction in their lessons.”
Security and the temptation to wander the internet in class on the iPad will be controlled by the system’s ability to be ‘locked’ by a teacher to a digital text page or section. Students will be unable to access inappropriate or disallowed materials.
Burke Catholic Board President Dr. Jim Oxley stated, “We are so thankful to the John S. Burke Catholic Foundation which has graciously agreed to underwrite most of the cost of improvements to our technology infrastructure.” The Foundation will also help subsidize costs to the parents to make it highly cost efficient and affordable.
Dolan said teachers have already started training on the Enlighten system. Burke officials expect students to rapidly and openly embrace the advanced technology. An informational meeting for parents and a demonstration of the new digital learning system will be held in September.
This year, the Chester school district went all-digital when it adopted Chromebooks: see story at http://bit.ly/1rlg6V7.