When the new school year begins in August, the Seventh Day Adventist School (SDA) in Cole Bay will be the next DigiKidz school after the first pilot at Hillside Christian School Asha Stevens Campus.
DigiKidz envisions bringing ICT in St. Maarten primary schools on the island through joint efforts of the public and private entities. This project focuses on a modern physical ICT infrastructure and includes 21st century learning and teaching. The project aims to increase and improve the use of technology among students and staff at the primary school level, acknowledging the fact that education does not stop after school closes.
The Digikidz project rolls out a comprehensive ICT project for elementary schools, including hardware with laptops/tablets, wired and wireless network, and professional development for staff for those schools that are motivated to teach students innovative 21st century learning skills.
Through an initial commitment of The Windsong International Foundation in the US/Anguilla, St, Maarten might be able to receive funding. Nearly US $200.000 already has been invested in the first pilot school and Philipsburg Jubilee Library’s future DigiKidz Media Lab.
Currently, preparations are underway at SDA to install the basic network infrastructure. CaribTech recently finished all the cabling for six datalines per classroom, cabled connections for the offices and public spaces.
CaribWork as the local sub-contractor for Skool N.V. will install the wireless infrastructure, the network structure and install SkoolControl a Learning Management System that controls the use of all ICT in the school.
“This is a very helpful tools for management, teachers and student as it helps them to easily navigate and get access to educational programs and website and allows the schools to be in control of their IT infrastructure,” President of the Foresee Foundation Jose Sommers Verscheuren said. Foresee is the initiator of the DigiKidz project.
She said SDA has been very cooperative by building a server room with air-conditioning in a safe place at the school. With the network and SkoolControl in place, Foresee Foundation in collaboration with SDA will order the additional hardware: laptops for teachers, digital boards, educational tablets for students and other technology equipment.
The plan is to have everything ready for the start of the school year. Teachers will be trained in the week before school starts and will get the opportunity to learn about the new technology implementations. The IT team of SDA will be the innovation team and in collaboration with Foresee Foundation – DigiKidz will guide staff with the implementation
