St. Paul's School Links to Manila

In the spring of 1994, students from grade 7 and 8 in St. Paul's School, Yorkton, Saskatchewan were involved in an interactive conference with students from Ateneo College in Manilla, the Philippines. The following report was printed in the Yorkton This Week & Enterprise.

St. Paul's Linked to Schools around the Globe

Computers are becoming the pathways of information among schools.

That's certainly the belief of Ben Appell, principal of St. Paul's School in Yorkton. Appell was instrumental in adding the school the UNIBASE computer network with links schools around the world.

From Appell's perspective learning by networking with other students via computer is at the cutting edge of education.

There are "four pillars" to education, says Appell: literacy, problem solving, communication and technical skills. The computer system addresses each one.

"At the moment I don't know if there is a better tool to domonstrate those skills," he said.

Leigh Calnek, owner of UNIBASE Network in Regina, has been working on the concept of linking schools via computer for several years.

This year, 13 schools, from New York to Singapore and including St. Paul's School in Yorkton, were part of the network.

"It's not highly orchestrated" said Calnek. "Each system is independent."

The system is unique in that individual computer stations within the school are linked to a single telephone modem which hooks the various schools together, he explained.

The result is a school can utilize the system for mor than one student at a time.

"Kids inevitably get excited doing this thing," he said. "They're our best supporters.

Appell can also be listed amon the system's ardent supporters.

"I see it being a very positive type of learning," he said.

But at present the system at the school is simply a pilot project, one Appell hopes is mainteained and expanded to other schools in the city.

At this point it's a pilot project for people to understand the potential out there for learning in a different form," he said.

The students are afforded various opportunities to use the system, both for direct learning and for reinforncing certain skills, said Calnek.

For example, students at St. Paul's School can ask questions of students in Singapore for a project by tuyping them into the computer system. "What makes it so great for kids at the elementary level, while they're talking to each other (via computer) they're doing reading and writing, and they come away excited having done it," he said.

In addition, Calnek says the system is being used for subject teaching. A school on the Cowessess Indian reserve is learning about energy through the system along with a school in the southern part of the province, said Calnek.

This June, Calnek plans to add schools to the system from Bangkok and Manila, which will lead to a history project next year. School from North America will be asked to have students prepare reports on local historic sites and then pass the informaiton via computer to other schools, where they will use it in a report for other students.

Calnek admits as the number of schools grow, so too do the opportunities.

"The more schools you have on line, the more minds you have to use it," he said.

The biggest drawback to expansion is funding, with an initial package, not including wrok terminals, costing about $7,000, said Calnek. There are also telephone costs whenever the system is used.

Appell says the important thing to recognize is the learning that comes with the system.

Even the teachers at the school are using it in contacting teachers in other schools to discuss how discipline is handled, he said.

Once teachers recognize what they can learn from their peers they begin to understand the potential for students to learn from their peers, said Appell.

Students happy with system Students generally agree with Calnek that the system is worthwhile.

"You can meet other people from other places," said Samir Datta, a Grade 7 student at St. Paul's School.

"I think it has been a positive experience," said Perry Schafer from the Golden School Division (Maple Creek) when interviewed via modem. "The computer has made learning a more fun experience."

For Grayson student Tammy Hubred, the system allows immediate access to current information.

The system is positive, "because computers have the latest information on many subjects," she said. "I think we get to conference with other people around the world and get to learn about their culture. The computer is a fun way of learning because it's a hands-on experience.

Students also suggest the system improves both their reading and writing skills, and prepares them for a life where computers are likely to play a major role.

"You can get programs that help you learn to spell and when you type you get more practice," said Schaver.

"The computer has imporved manyu skills such as spelling, faster typing and social skills because we use them on the computer," added Hubred. "It is important to learn in earlier grades because computers are going to be the main focus of teaching in the future."

Mindy Criddle of Grayson agrees learning computers now is a solid step.

Computers will become an important asset in our careers later on," she said.

"If you learn it an an early age you'll use it throughout your life," added Eric Exner of Grayson.

The skills learned can be a benefit in other subjects, added Lisa Monette, a Grade 7 student at St. Paul's.

"We can use it to write up a project for school since we know how to type," she said.