Technology at St. Barnabas
We recognize the important role of technology in the classroom. St. Barnabas promotes the concept of a Technology Enhanced Curriculum. We want our students to not only understand how to use technology, but when to use it. Technology is a powerful tool that promotes progress and learning and will be an important skill for higher education and future careers. Our school remains focused on using technology is this important context.
St. Barnabas utilizes numerous technologies throughout the school. Some examples include:
Chromebooks - Every student in 8th grade down to 3rd grade is issued their own personal Chromebook.
Students in 2nd to Kindergarten have access to Chromebooks via a classroom cart. Students and teachers leverage tools in the Google for Education Suite to enhance classroom projects.
Drones - Through a grant from the GAR Foundation, we received a set of drones that the students are able to program and fly. There are many uses of these drones that the students will be using.
Virtual Reality Cart - The school added a cart of 30 VR headsets. Classes use these to watch immersive VR videos and go on virtual field trips using Google Expeditions. Students visit far away places, learn about historic events, see science come to life, and even learn more about possible careers by looking into the day in the life of an occupation.
Interactive Boards - Classrooms are equipped with Mimeo boards, ViewSonic boards, or other high definition displays. The interactive touch screens and displays enhance student engagement and learning.
3D Printers - Students have access to 3D printers to create custom parts and encourage knowledge of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Programming - Students write and execute code to program their computer to perform tasks. Basic programming start in Kindergarten and 1st grade.
Document Cameras - Classrooms utilize document cameras to project science experiments, review written assignments, and look at things that may otherwise be too small for everyone to see at once.
Network Infrastructure - In 2022 the school updated the network infrastructure and access points ensuring that each classroom could easily connect to the internet. Our school news broadcast, SBTV, is now sent out in HD.
Maker Space - The school's Dream Den opened at the start of the 2018-2019 school year. This versatile space is reconfigured for various STEM activities. Students can build 3D parts, film and produce videos, put programming into practice, and much more using dedicated areas to brainstorm concepts and put ideas into practice.
Emerging Technology
Beyond what is available today, the school technology committee continues to monitor emerging technologies. This ensures that St. Barnabas students remain competitive and best prepared for their future.
Our school Maker Space allows us to introduce new technology for students. We are always on the lookout for ways to enhance the learning experience. A recent example is Robotics. We purchased both VEX IQ Robotics and Lego Robotics kits. This is cutting edge technology that may change the way students learn. Building and programming robots to perform simple to complex tasks is the goal and learning experience that will enhance each students' curriculum.