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St. Joseph’s Academy Embracing technology as an education tool

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The statements provided herein are for informational purposes only and may be amended or altered by Fujitsu America, Inc. without notice or liability. Product description data represents Fujitsu design objectives and is provided for comparative purposes; actual results may vary based on a variety of factors. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Copyright© 2014 Fujitsu America, Inc. All rights reserved.1) MIL-STD-810G test results are not a guarantee of future performance under identified test conditions, nor does it imply that it will meet the contract requirements of Department of Defense. Accidental damage

is not covered under standard international limited warranty. Testing currently underway to validate the achievement of these design objectives.2) Battery life tested using MobileMark 2007 and Windows® 7 operating system, and may include audio muted and power saving utility enabled. Battery

life will vary depending on the product configuration, product model, application loaded on the product, power management settings on the product, Operating System, and the product features used by the customer. As with all batteries, the maximum capacity of the installed batteries will decrease with time, usage, and how often the batteries are charged by the user.

Learn something!Wouldn’t it be great if students were given educational tools that made learning fun?Today’s students live in a fast paced interactive world where technology provides instantaneous immersion into an exciting digital universe.

Wouldn’t it be great if students were given tools that made education just as exciting? Then (with a little guidance) they could be turned loose in an academic world where learning something is as exciting as discovering the hottest social media post. Does this sound too good to be true?

Fujitsu customers have embraced technology and are discovering new ways to stimulate students’ inquisitive minds every day. How do they do it? Thanks to Fujitsu technology:

■ Students are always connected, wherever, and whenever ■ Their mobile computers run all day on one battery charge ■ Their tablet PCs are designed to withstand tough environments ■ Industry leading displays provide crystal clear viewing ■ Excellent security protects their device and data ■ Integration and compatibility with their academic environment is easy

Realizing the critical importance of education, Fujitsu is designing the tools students need to enhance their learning experience. Here are four examples:

Model Display Weight Toughness Battery life

LIFEBOOK® T904 Premium Convertible Tablet PC Ultrabook™

13.3 inch WQHD display 3.31 pounds Built MIL-STD-810G Tough1

Can be configured for 9 hours 30 minutes battery life

LIFEBOOK T734Tablet PC with Flexible modular bay

12.5 inch HD display 3.86 pounds Built MIL-STD-810G Tough1

Can be configured for 16 hours 20 minutes battery life

STYLISTICQ704Hybrid Tablet PC

12.5 inch FHD display Can be configured to 2.16 pounds

Built MIL-STD-810G Tough1

Can be configured for 16 hours 20 minutes battery life

STYLISTIC Q584Tablet PC

10.1 inch HD WQXGA display

1.4 pounds Built MIL-STD-810G Tough1

Can be configured for 11 hours battery life

To learn more about student friendly computers, education focused solutions and the Fujitsu commitment to learning, please go to http://solutions.us.fujitsu.com/

St. Joseph’s Academy - Embracing technology as an education tool 1

When I walk into a school today, I am overwhelmed by just how much the classroom has changed. The traditional text books, dusty chalkboards and notebooks I remember from my childhood are quickly being replaced by laptops, tablets, smart devices, electronic whiteboards and a profusion of software and high-tech tools to organize, track and enhance a student’s educational life. As a techie, I welcome these advancements with great enthusiasm. But I also appreciate that staying ahead of (or even alongside) the technology curve is a never-ending journey that requires long-term commitment, significant investment, lots of patience and a real love of learning.

Despite the challenges of integrating technology into the classroom, the administrators, teachers and students at St. Joseph’s Academy somehow make it look easy. The school’s technology program, which started back in 1994, is pushing the boundaries of education to deliver a learning experience that truly prepares students for a productive, independent future. To be sure, this future will be full of changes, so the school is doing a great service to evolve with an extraordinarily fast-paced technology landscape.

With its long-standing and deep commitment to serving the education sector and promoting a rewarding and prosperous future for society, Fujitsu has a particular fondness for St. Joseph’s, and we are proud to celebrate their story in this special Fujitsu spotlight. I hope you enjoy reading the insightful, first-hand perspectives from Principal Harvison, the talented teachers, and their bright students, who are not only the beneficiaries of the technology-enhanced curriculum, but they also are the team of professionals driving the entire program.

This story about St. Joseph’s Academy is not just a feel-good story; it is a powerful testament to the importance of preparing a future generation of leaders.

Bob Pryor President and CEO Fujitsu America, Inc.

Management message

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About St. Joseph’s Academy St. Joseph’s Academy has a long-standing mission to “educate young women as responsible and unifying members of the world community.”  This philosophy permeates every aspect of the Academy and serves as a driving force that guides their every decision, where administrators and teachers alike begin every discussion with the question: “What’s best for our girls?”

Part of developing young women who “keep their eyes open, ears attentive and sleeves rolled up for service” is the Academy’s earnest desire to develop independent women who are capable, contributing members of the global workforce. Their teaching strategy, therefore, is not limited to the letter of the curriculum, nor is it confined to the brick and mortar institution of the school. As student Sarah Christian says, “It’s about

St. Joseph’s Academy Embracing technology as an education tool

Names: (Top Left) Linda Harvison, Principal | Dawn Burton, English Teacher | Hugo Andricain, Theology Teacher | John Richardson, IT Director | Nicole Lane, Arts Teacher | Stacy Rennhoff, Fine Arts Teacher | Sarah Christian, Student Lizzie Vukovics, Student

Challenge: Staying on top of technology to empower students to be the leaders of tomorrow

St. Joseph’s Academy - Embracing technology as an education tool 3

developing a love of learning, and exploring material beyond the bounds of a traditional classroom that ultimately prepares us for the future.” It is this passion for exploring new territory, and their courage to delve into the unknown, that sets the Academy apart from other schools.

To foster a trailblazing attitude, which has become part of the fabric of student life, and indulge students’ natural curiosity, the Academy has introduced a formal technology program. “Students cannot succeed in their educational endeavors or in the marketplace beyond without an expert, working knowledge of technology,” says Linda Harvison, principal at St. Joseph’s Academy. This program has come to play a vital role in delivering the enhanced learning experience the Academy aims to offer and that students need to tackle the challenges of an ever-changing world.

The Fujitsu pen and touch tablet solutionUnderstanding the Academy’s deep commitment to providing an enriching educational experience through its integration of pen and touch into their teaching and learning programs, Fujitsu stepped in to provide every student with a pen and touch convertible tablet for use during their time at the Academy. Teachers and students have a fondness for Fujitsu products due to their durability and quality, especially with a user group like young students that can be particularly hard on equipment. As teacher Dawn Burton aptly puts it, “Their machines are very sturdy, which is critical when you have more than 1,000 girls!” They also tout that Fujitsu products easily integrate with other technology and programs, highlighting that teachers can use programs like PowerPoint, Dyknow, Lync, active-boards, e-beams and Moodle (the school’s online learning platform) to facilitate a more interactive classroom experience.

During their latest refresh, the Academy selected detachable tablets, which give teachers a tremendous amount of flexibility, whereby students can seamlessly establish a traditional workspace or a more portable set-up depending on the activity. Pen and touch input allows students to intuitively find and enter data, and input hand-written notes right on the screen and convert them to text, supporting a more paperless, green institution.

“The pen and pencil was once the tool of choice. Technology is today’s,” says Harvison.

To be sure, Fujitsu and the Academy have a special relationship that spans well beyond simply supplying hardware. Fujitsu’s executive sponsorship, industry knowledge, available resources and commitment to the Academy’s long-term success has been instrumental in helping the school evolve to where it is today. “We’re not in this strictly for the products; this is about transforming the future of our girls, and we know that Fujitsu gets that,” says Harvison.

Enhancing the learning processAs recipients of both traditional and non-traditional teaching methods – and in the school’s ubiquitous use of technology, in particular – St. Joseph’s Academy students are being educated in ways that truly accommodate a wide variety of learning preferences across a varied student body, helping each student to meet her full potential. Simply put, there are just more ways for teachers to teach nowadays.

Through technology and active teacher facilitation, students are courageous in trying, touching and testing new solutions. Harvison says, “Our girls are not afraid to try something and say, ‘Oops, that didn’t work. Let’s try something else.’” Student Sarah Christian agrees that her education has become a far more interactive, student-centered experience. “I have noticed in my own classes that instructors encourage us to independently explore the material we are studying and truly understand every aspect of it rather than simply memorizing it.” In this sense, the students are undertaking more of a “learning process,” whereby they research, criticize, utilize and apply the information they discover, enriching the learning experience beyond rote memorization and recitation. “Fujitsu pen and touch technology allows us to broaden their knowledge and bring different world points of view,” says Nicole Lane, Art teacher. In doing so, students are exposed to a much broader array of information and divergent points of view, which ultimately enrich their critical thinking problem-solving processes.

“In my classroom, I have no hesitation to allow students to look up information or challenge a point made in class by getting another source,” says Theology teacher, Hugo Andricain. In fact, Mr. Andricain encourages students to use all forms of technology in presentations and to use their research and conclusions to debate any given topic with their classmates. “They have even shown me a few things,” he says.

Collaborative learning: anywhere, anytimeToday, St. Joseph’s Academy students are always connected, communicating with their teachers, fellow

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students and even the principal, regardless if school is in session. The school’s IT Director, John Richardson, is always looking into the latest educational technology trends and harnessing the increasing availability of these tools to deliver quality education to the students. Harvison appreciates not only the accessibility to her students but how open their lines of communication are. “I communicate with the girls daily, and they are always very willing to ask questions and seek information,” she said. Having various channels for interacting has fostered that transparency, and has even acted as a fill-in on days when school can’t be in session due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. “Sometimes, we have ‘virtual school days’,” Harvison says. “When that happens, we are particularly reliant on our technology to maintain the continuity of education.” 

“Missing a lot of days of school for illness or being out of town on a school trip will no longer mean stressful amounts of make-up work,” says student, Lizzie Vukovics. Living in a connected world also means students are less likely to lose an important document or forget a homework assignment at home, because documents are often posted online and homework assignments are also turned in electronically. “The excuse, ‘the dog ate my homework’, will rarely be heard in the future,” Vukovics quips.

Their connectedness also allows students to collaborate in a much more effective, engaging way. Through technology, the students are able to work together on projects and assignments – both in and out of school – and conduct more interactive classroom presentations. Recently, the school deployed a tool that allows teachers to organize and track group work (including co-authored documents and presentations), all while monitoring individual contributions and performance, solving one of the biggest objections to group work: understanding individual achievement within a team setting.

What’s best for the girls? The girls!Perhaps one of the greatest attributes of the Fujitsu solution at St. Joseph’s Academy is their student-run Help Desk, which has empowered the girls to be in charge and learn in the process. Students manage

all tablet maintenance including intake, diagnosis, changing parts and quality-checking the work.

Students are fully trained and work side-by-side with the Fujitsu team to ensure they can effectively troubleshoot issues and provide timely support. And they even teach Fujitsu a thing or two. When the school became the first recipients of a newly released Fujitsu product, they provided valuable feedback on the product and functionality, which beautifully demonstrates how the partnership truly is win-win for both the school and Fujitsu. “Fujitsu really understands the education sector and their important role in delivering an enriched experience to our students,” Harvison says. “We are one team.”

Further, all new students image their own tablets and take coursework on software programs and the various network and email accounts. They also learn a great deal through mandatory training on internet security and principles of etiquette. Student Vukovics says that the school’s commitment to teaching students how to use technology and use it responsibly has helped the girls be more respectful, mindful and accountable global citizens. “St. Joseph’s requires students to be hands-on managers of their own lives,” she says. “Technology fosters that sense of responsibility, independence and leadership.”

1:1, a winning scoreLinda Harvison believes her students are at an advantage based on the school’s integration of pen and touch technology into their teaching and learning programs, and that they are already leaders in the world of technology. “As our students graduate and move into the next chapters of their lives, they will become leaders who will stake their places in the world and hopefully, use their gifts to empower other young woman,” says Harvison.  

To be sure, the technology ship has sailed. “We certainly can’t go backward. We can only move forward and continue to give our students every possible technology tool to enhance their learning and education,” says Stacy Rennhoff, teacher of Fine Arts. Over the long term – or at least as long as the “age of information” persists – the Academy’s technology program will continue to be a top priority, where the school feels a real sense of obligation to ensure their girls and the world continue to benefit from that contribution. “Technology changes so quickly, and we will remain committed to changing alongside it,” says Harvison. “…to unite people around the world in a virtual classroom.”

Behind the scenes, Fujitsu is creating a more connected society. Harnessing the power of technology to improve the lives of people around the world.It’s an approach we call human centric innovation. Together we can make it happen.Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo and “shaping tomorrow with you” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright© 2014 Fujitsu America, Inc. All rights reserved.

Creating a more connected society

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Fujitsu and the Fujitsu logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

The statements provided herein are for informational purposes only and may be amended or altered by Fujitsu America, Inc. without notice or liability. Product description data represents Fujitsu design objectives and is provided for comparative purposes; actual results may vary based on a variety of factors. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Copyright ©2014 Fujitsu America, Inc. All rights reserved. 14.0801