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Ottawa Catholic Schools - Learning Technologies
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Learning Technologies Department

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The Learning Technologies Department works to ensure that staff, students and parents have access to the latest technology tools to help foster student success and meet the diverse needs of 21st Century learners. In an organization with more than 10,000 computers, 4,000 staff members, 40,000 students, and well over 100 applications being actively used on a variety of computer types of varying ages by users of varying levels of expertise, there is always a great need for a variety of types of technological support. The Learning Technologies Department also provides hardware and software support through a variety of methods. 

Today’s students are different from the students that our system was created to educate. The new digital learners are immersed in technology and they expect to use digital tools as part of their educational experience. Brain based research provides evidence that today’s generation of students are “wired” differently than previous generations. Instructional strategies are evolving to reflect the needs of 21st century learners. The question we need to ask is not about what equipment to purchase or install, but rather what skills do our students need to succeed. The class of 2020 is currently sitting in our primary classrooms. These students will graduate from a learning environment and culture that espouses 21st century skill sets and tools. 

The Ottawa Catholic School Board is a leading school Board in Ontario with a clear focus on student and staff success. We continue to innovate and adapt to reflect the changing needs of 21st Century learners. We recognize that we are no longer preparing students for the world that we grew up in; we are preparing them to be contributing digital citizens in a new 21st Century environment.We are making the right strategic moves to implement the necessary changes that will ensure that our students are well prepared to be contributing digital citizens when they graduate.

SMART Boards in our Schools

SMART Boards are beginning to replace dusty chalkboards in all of our schools, and our students and teachers are reaping the benefits. These interactive whiteboards are touch-sensitive and use a projector to display the image from a computer screen. Software, images and text can be manipulated right on the screen with the touch of a fingertip! The use of this technology has proven to improve student engagement, motivation, and attendance, while accommodating different styles of learning.

SMART Boards are another example of how our Board is keeping pace with the needs of our 21st century learners. School teams receive intensive training on how to use the boards and incorporate them to enhance student learning. Over 500 more SMART boards will be sent to schools over the next five years.

Snapshot of Current & Future Projects - Transforming Digital Learning

In order to create a learning environment that engages our students we are in the process of updating our infrastructure, introducing new tools, creating professional learning communities, building capacity, and removing procedural barriers. Here is a snapshot of where we are going: 

  • Updating our network infrastructure to ensure that it is reliable and stable
  • Increasing bandwidth to allow for the increased use of media and resources
  • Implementing a secure wireless learning environment at all school sites
  • Offering blended learning experiences for students through a learning management system
  • Creating a data-warehouse and data dashboard to improve access to data
  • Changing our policies and practices to eliminate barriers for student engagement
  • Using web applications (such as Google Apps) to improve collaboration and creativity
  • Re-tooling our classrooms, replacing chalkboards to SMART Boards
  • Building capacity to provide improved technical assistance to our school community
  • Improving workflow by creating a centralized searchable document repository

As part of our Board’s 21st century learning and teaching priority, the majority of our schools have adopted a “Bring Your Own Device” practice. In addition to school provided devices, students can take advantage of school wireless access to connect to a rich collection of  digital resources. In the 2010-2011 school year, we transformed several of our school library spaces into Learning Commons, which include more comfortable and flexible furniture, the addition of mobile devices for student use, and a focus on the development of 21st century skills including: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving.

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Contact Us

Phone: 613-224-4455 ext 2523
Fax: 613-224-0793
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Learning Technologies Department
570 West Hunt Club Road
Nepean, Ontario K2G 3R4

 

"Our vision is one where all staff and students in the Ottawa Catholic School Board have the skills they need to excel in the 21st century. We will achieve student success by meeting the diverse needs of 21st century learners."

Learning in the 21st Century

Students attending any of our high schools have an opportunity to learn in a 21st Century Learning environment where wireless access is available for all students, staff, and visitors. This environment provides access to a variety of rich digital learning resources. All high schools have a high-speed connection to the Board's network. In addition to Board supplied equipment, students are permitted to use their own devices to access our network as long as they follow the Board and school acceptable use guidelines. The infrastructure and policies in our Board enable learning to continue beyond the classroom walls and into a more global learning environment.

Blackboard Learning Portal

Our Board implemented the Blackboard Learning Portal in 2011, working towards engaging our students in exciting new ways. We are reaching them on their terms and devices—and connecting more effectively, keeping students informed, involved, and collaborating together. The new learning portal has helped streamline processes, automate tasks, empower teachers, boost parental involvement, and engage every student with personalized learning experiences. We are still customizing the experience for our school community as we bring everyone on board, and are looking forward to implementing additional features which will help us communicate more effectively with one another.