Technology Use in Catholic Liberal Education

One of the fundamental pillars of Catholic Liberal Education is the notion that any innovative program or development should be evaluated, tried and tested based on its contribution to human flourishing. New advances in technology should be considered and placed within appropriate parameters of use in order to provide the greatest benefit possible.

St. Thomas Aquinas counsels that the good must be taken where it is found. Digital technology has offered many goods such as the connection of peoples separated by distance, access to wider sources of information and skills as well as the ability to support learning in ways never before thought possible.

Technology should be considered for what positive value it can offer to students who must be taught to be discerning digital consumers.

Technology therefore must play its part in the formation of the human person. It must be mined for its benefits, with students being taught to use it within appropriate parameters. Temperance is not practiced in a desert, and temperate technology use must be taught in an environment which is both open yet mindful of the benefits and effects of technology use.

St Peter Chanel Primary School endeavours to utilise technology for its benefits, whilst constantly discerning its impact on student wellbeing.

The following practices are dynamic and flexible according to the good of students:

• Kindergarten – Year 2 will be device free
  • Grade sets of iPads will be available for student use when necessary
  • Teachers will also limit exposure to screen time in their teaching practices
• Years 3-6 will utilise school chromebooks
  • Chrome books will be used as replacement for textbooks in KLAs in order to diversify learning tasks and provide internet access for research
  • Use of the internet will be explicitly taught and guided by teachers
  • Chrome books will be used for Naplan preparation and for sitting the Naplan and other standardised tests
  • Chrome books will be used to create presentations and other assessment materials
  • Students will not have access to messaging sites or social media platforms
  • Years 3 will have a grade set of Chromebooks
  • Years 4-6 will have a class set of Chromebooks

Aristotle taught that virtue is a “golden mean”, existing between two extremes. As such, digital technology will function as part of the learning process at St. Peter Chanel Catholic Primary but will be closely monitored for its effectiveness and impact on student wellbeing.

Please note that St Peter Chanel is phasing in this approach to technology over the next few years.