Our 21st century classroom space, iCatholicEd, is dedicated to innovation in Catholic education. This expansive learning space allows us to offer our juniors and seniors a blended virtual theology curriculum. The state of Florida mandates that our students take a virtual course before graduation and this class will fulfill that requirement. For more than half a century, online (virtual) courses have been available to students. More than ever, we are seeing significant growth in both the number of online courses being offered and the number of students taking those courses. More than one third of all college students report taking online courses. Our students will be ahead of other students around the country.
The theology courses will provide a different classroom experience. The configuration of the space and the presentation of the material will engage our students in a new kind of learning. As the first generation of digital natives (those who have not known a world without the internet) enter our classrooms, we are embracing the new ways they learn by offering different learning experiences to help prepare them for college. The iCatholicEd learning space will help to unlock the ability of every student to personalize and customize learning while focusing on collaboration and project-based learning, both of which will play key roles in the future of education and in the future of our students.
Technology at Archbishop McCarthy
Archbishop McCarthy’s advanced technology provides students with the tools they need for the future. Our students can utilize two state of the art computer labs consisting of Apple iMacs and Dell PC’s. Wireless Internet connectivity is available throughout the classrooms, and allows teachers and students access to technology wherever needed.
Archbishop McCarthy is the first school in South Florida to have initiated a school-wide 1:1 iPad program. Each student is educated with the assistance of his/her own iPad which will be used throughout the curriculum as an invaluable learning tool. This was the first step toward Archbishop McCarthy High School becoming an iPad school, a learning environment in which students and teachers have 24 hours, 7 days a week access to the tools and resources of the 21st Century classroom. Our school boasts a state of the art wireless environment allowing our teachers to utilize their iPads as a teaching tool. In addition, our teachers have been, and continue to be involved in an intensive faculty professional development program that enables them to engage students in a truly digital environment. We are very aware that students in the 21st Century learn most comfortably and enthusiastically when they are able to access, analyze, and synthesize information using digital tools. Archbishop McCarthy provides those needed steps toward helping our students achieve and be successful in a fully digital learning environment.
As technology continues to evolve, we continue to update our technology. All of our classrooms now have cutting-edge interactive displays. The goal of the interactive touch display is to create a seamless experience between technology and education, catered to the modern student. Each classroom is outfitted with an interactive display to optimize the learning experience. Teachers are able to mirror their iPads, annotate over any content and play 4K videos.