Information Technology at St. Louis

Information Technology has become an integral part of the learning experience of students in this school. We have adopted a two strand approach to helping students, on the one hand to cope with the integration of computers and technology into individual subject syllabi, and on the other to develop research and presentation skills for project work. At senior level students have timetabled computer classes which ensure that they become very familiar with the basics in word processing, databases, spreadsheets and the Internet. Many students in transition year have the opportunity to study for, and complete, the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) programme.

Information technology also plays a very important role for Leaving Certificate Applied and for students pursuing the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme in the development and presentation of their work portfolios.

In St. Louis 2nd year students have timetabled class in one of the two computer rooms. The aim of this programme is to help students familiarise themselves with the technology to overcome any inhibitions about using technology and to develop a basic level of skills. Many of the revised syllabi at Junior Certificate level, including Home Economics and Business Studies now require students to be familiar with information technology and to use the computer as a learning tool.

The school has developed excellent IT facilities over the past few years: three networked computer rooms with broadband access to the internet. Many specialist rooms are connected to the network including the science labs, careers, technology, art and home economics rooms.

It is planned that most classrooms will be provided with network points this year. The World Wide Web has become an important source of information for many of us over the last few years. For many schools it has become an important tool for communicating with students and parents and for developing links with other schools at home and abroad. We plan to continue to develop and build our school website. We hope to use this forum to publish educational information of relevance and interest to our own students and parents to celebrate the cultural and sporting achievements of our students.

E.C.D.L. in St. Louis 2009/10

To date a total of 280 students have received their E.C.D.L. Certificates from completing the seven I.C.T. modules during Transition Year. This is a widely accepted certificate for competency in computer applications and is an added asset to any curriculum vitae.

In the present school year there are seventy Transition Year students completing the training and testing for E.C.D.L. and this year the school has moved to the automated version.