Ulidia Integrated students will be '˜Learning for a Digital Life'

Ulidia Principal Michael Houston with lower sixth students Chloe Buchanan, Eoghan OHara, Cameron Wilson and Chloe Welsh.

From this September, all sixth form students in Ulidia Integrated College in Carrickfergus will be doing away with their traditional paper school planners and will be loaned an iPad instead as they embark on the '˜Learning for a Digital Life' strategy.

Principal Michael Houston said, “It is important that we train our sixth form students for university life and careers where digital technology is intrinsic to workflow. They will have learned the skills of planning and preparation in years eight-12 and we believe that traditional paper based diary skills are still vitally important. However, we also know that A level work requires a significant amount of research, time management and portfolio work and one of the best ways to manage that is through use of an iPad.”

The iPads will sit alongside the traditional textbooks and exercise books, they are not intended as a replacement. The purpose of the initiative is to make students’ study time more efficient, autonomous and engaging - whilst relieving pressure on the IT infrastructure across the school.