09 Oct 2011
by Amanda Perry
CATTAI Public School has joined the ranks of tech savvy schools across the State which now have video conferencing facilities. Students were last week enthralled with their new "connected classroom", which enables schools to interact with each other, sharing information and lessons, and opens up various other possibilities such as online field trips. Cattai Public's principal, Todd Miladinovic, said students from Kindergarten through to year 6 had been excited to see the technology in action. He envisages that it will be used for such things as public speaking competitions, and it could also prove to be a convenient way for the principals of various schools in the region to hold video linked meetings. The school plans to hold one of its first connected classroom lessons this week, when students will link up with Colo Heights Public and share information about each of their schools. The Connected Classrooms Program is an initiative of the State Government, with $158 million invested in rolling out the technology over four years. The Program aims to equip every NSW public school with an Interactive Classroom, which includes an interactive whiteboard and video conferencing facility. The direct video links allow online field trips to places such as the State Library, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the National Museum of Australia, and provides opportunities for collaboration between students, teachers, classes and schools right across the State.
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