New technology enhances learning at St. Benedict
Plans call for interactive boards in each classroom
BY JACQUELINE HLAVENKA Staff Writer

HOLMDEL — Chalkboards and dusty erasers will become a thing of the past at the St. Benedict School in Holmdel.

Eight wall-mounted SMART Boards were installed over the summer for the 2009-10 school year.

The interactive whiteboards, which mimic the design of a movie screen, contain a projector, control panels and speakers that connect to a laptop.

From there, teachers can digitally program their lesson plans using videos, interactive graphics, photos and moving text.

"It really engages every type of learner," said Jasmine Pillari, a second- grade teacher at the K-8 St. Benedict School. "The children are already so experienced with technology, like with video games, so it comes naturally to them. They have the technology at home, and now they have it to benefit them in the classroom."

The SMART system features touchrecognition technology, which allows students and teachers to move objects, erase and write on the board all with the touch of a finger. No outside applications or tools are needed.

Second-grade students interact with new SMART Boards at St. Benedict School in Holmdel. The boards were installed over the summer for the 2009-10 school year.

"It's definitely worth it," Pillari said. "This way, I don't have my back to the kids when I'm teaching. I get to interact with them."

According to a press release, the St. Benedict School board allocated $70,000 for new technology throughout the building.

New laptops for the teachers and desktop systems for the computer lab were also purchased.

"Christmas in September is an apt description of the excitement among our faculty and students over several major technology improvements that we've been able to accomplish through the auspices of our school board," Principal Mary Ellen Lilly said in a statement.

A total of nine more boards were ordered for the school and will be installed by the end of the month.

In the future, the school hopes to achieve the goal of having one SMART board per classroom.

Inside Pillari's second-grade classroom, the boards are already making a difference.

The students can take virtual quizzes and play math flash cards to reinforce their knowledge from the regular curriculum.

"It's really great for all types of learners," Pillari said. "Whether you're a visual learner or an auditory learner, there is something for everyone here."

When using the SMART board, sounds play and a check mark is displayed when a student selects the correct answer.

On Oct. 8, the students reviewed the anatomy of a flower by dragging and dropping the correct word to different parts of a plant during an interactive science lesson.

In the future, Pillari said, the students would have the opportunity to write stories based on characters and scene settings that are displayed on the board.

"The possibilities with it are endless," she said. "All the students want to get up and participate. It really makes learning fun."