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Almost 800 new computers have been installed in schools across the province, providing Island teachers and students with better access to modern technology, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Alan McIsaac.

“Our world is changing and education systems around the world are shifting,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Alan McIsaac. “We need to ensure our teachers have access to technology that will help meet the needs of our students, and better prepare them for success in a technology-based knowledge economy.”

Over the summer months, the first wave of new computers were deployed and installed in elementary schools and most intermediate schools across the province, replacing existing hardware. Throughout the next phase, additional computers will be installed in high schools.

This major investment is in addition to the $8 million commitment Government announced last June to replace the Education Network. The Education Link project provides all schools with equal and unlimited access to the Internet, which benefits student learning in schools across the province.

“The opportunities available for students today are far beyond what we could have imagined 10 or 20 years ago, said Finance, Energy and Municipal Affairs Minister Wes Sheridan. “These significant investments in technology will ensure all Island schools have access to cutting-edge classroom resources.”

As part of the EduLink project, great strides have been made to improve the network infrastructure across the province. Thanks to the phenomenal work by Information Technology Shared Services (ITSS) and the site staff at schools, a significant number of hours were spent over the summer to bring the project near completion, with only a few remaining sites left.

“This significant investment will assist educators and will have a positive impact on student achievement,” said McIsaac. “This is another step forward in improving access to technology in Prince Edward Island schools.”

Backgrounder on Education Link PEI

Last Spring, the Government of Prince Edward Island entered into a partnership agreement with Eastlink that saw the technology infrastructure at all 65 school sites upgraded to equivalent standards, ensuring all students have equal access to modern technology now and into the future.

The new infrastructure will provide teachers with the flexibility to adapt to changing needs in learning and teaching. Teachers will be able to better communicate from school to school and, with the increased capacity of the Education network, they will have greater access to online digital teaching resources and tools.

There will be improved access to applications, such as Students Achieve. High speed Internet access will also allow for job embedded professional learning development for teachers and the use of collaborative web conferencing learning tools.

Interactive technology has an important impact on learning, including raising the level of student engagement in the classroom, motivating students and promoting enthusiasm. Technology also supports many different learning styles, including students with hearing and visual impairments.