Technology News

April 26, 2006

The technology team met with Robert A. Richards, the Vice President of Publications at William H. Sadlier, Inc., the publisher of our vocabulary workbooks. We are working with all of the publishers of our textbooks so students with tablets will have access to some version of the digital copy of the textbook next year. 

In attendance were: Greg Martin, English Teacher; Greg Saelens, Academic Dean; Fran Romweber, Principal; Margie Matthews, Deputy Director of Technology and Kim Henninger, Director of Technology.

Mr. Richards began by describing what Sadlier was doing to make it's product available in a digital format. On-line games and activities are available online now and sound files, a digital test generator, and a digital version of the workbook will be available soon.

The group discussed ways that St. Ursula could collaborate with Sadlier to provide the best product possible with the future of educational technology in mind in light of SUA's new one-to-one Tablet PC.  St. Ursula will assist in the development of new products by providing ideas and beta testing the digital products.     

Additional comments from Dr. Martin:                        
I might add that while this is clearly an interesting venture for the English department, it is also a partnership that will be beneficial to our educational community in general.

I could also point out to my English colleagues that the points which interested me were:
1) the way Sadlier has moved toward SAT directed words, exercises, etc.
2) the potential benefits of using audio to help students learn vocab
3) the fact that my students regularly ask about games and other forms of activities for learning vocabulary words
4) that I'd like to do more of the vocabulary for comprehension, vocabulary in context, and grammar in context sections of the book that I'm not already using