Pius X Receives Grant from the Dillon Foundation to Fund Technology
A new mobile iPad computer lab will be added to Pius X High School’s technology resources this coming year, thanks to a generous grant awarded to the school by the Lincoln-based Dillon Foundation. The $30,000 grant will be used to purchase 30 new iPads, a mobile cart, a printer, and support devices. Funds remaining from the grant will go toward security improvements in the school.
At a time of increasing enrollment, the addition of a mobile computer lab equipped with 30 iPads and printer will increase availability and reduce wait time for teachers and students. “Each mobile computer lab we add reduces the number of teachers trying to share the devices,” Pius X Principal Tom Korta explains. “This reduces the time lost to transitioning from one teacher to the next, allowing for increased instructional time.”
At Pius X, the new mobile computer lab will be used by students in a number of ways throughout the day, including:
- Researching information on educational websites for projects and class discussions;
- Taking practice tests and quizzes;
- Creating maps, graphs and charts in math and science using educational programs and applications;
- Writing papers, articles and typing notes during class; and
- Participating in class reviews in advance of tests and exams.
The benefits and impacts of using technology in the classroom across all curricula are well known to educators for a number of factors. Technology increases students’ active participation and engagement. Unlike a solely teacher-led classroom, students participate in gathering and analyzing information. The more active students are in this process, the more they are likely to engage in the lesson and retain more information. In addition, because technology is so abundant in college and in the modern workplace, students who learn to use computer programs and devices in the classroom achieve higher levels of college readiness and improved skills for their future employment.
“We have been blessed by the generous support of the Dillon Foundation many times over the years,” Korta reflects. “This latest grant will provide our students more opportunities to utilize technology to enhance their learning.”
