Whitney Institute?s new online curriculum is paving the way for a fresh approach to teaching in Bermuda.

And the system may be introduced into more schools if proved successful at Whitney Institute.

Deputy principal Gareth Davies, who has been in the education system for more than 30 years, said yesterday: ?This is the best thing that could have happened to Bermuda education in 35 years.?

The Ministry of Education has decided this year that Whitney can run the online curriculum as a pilot programme. Depending on its success, other Government schools may adopt the curriculum, said Mr. Davies.

The new online curriculum is differentiated to cater to different learning styles ? providing the same lesson at three different levels, he said.

The lessons are placed onto a computer server and then made accessible to all classrooms, said Mr. Davies.

?In addition, the resources to support the lessons can be found on the server,? Mr. Davies added.

Tests, video clips, quizzes, and films are also available on the programme.

If other schools adopt the system, information can be shared with everyone, he said.

Asked if it was an improvement from last year?s curriculum, Mr. Davies said: ?No question. It is far preferable.?

Five skills are exercised when using the curriculum: interpersonal, problem solving, maths, language arts, and technology, said, Mr. Davies.

?The integration of skills is not left to chance ? students will get the skills from using the programme,? he added.

Mr. Davies said the programme uses teachers? time efficiently ? making it more beneficial to learning because teachers have more time to actually teach instead of spending time drawing up lesson plans and looking for teaching aids.

In the classroom teachers operate the online curriculum from a laptop and the lessons are projected onto a large screen. Classrooms are also equipped with computers for the students to access the programme.

M3 student Cameron Harris said that new programme made learning more interesting and fun.

He added that not as many papers were needed with the new online curriculum ? making learning easier.

The programme was up and running yesterday at Whitney?s open house. Guests were able to watch students and teachers use the programme.

They also witnessed the school?s very first TV broadcast, delivered by student, Dayla Burgess.

The broadcast was projected on TV screens in a number of different classrooms.

Ms Burgess read the school?s sport statistics and introduced the new broadcast, which will be aired every day for about ten minutes.

Students Debra Curley and Taylor Steede agreed the online curriculum made classes more exciting and made students pay more attention.

Teacher and Whitney Institute parent Kali Douglas said: ?It engages students by using technology.

?It is more visually stimulating and is easier for instruction. This is the way we should be going for all schools,? she said.

Whitney Institute principal Freddie Evans, said he was introduced to the online curriculum while working in Texas as an assistant principal .

When he became principal of Whitney he sent some Whitney teachers to Texas to learn about the curriculum.

?They came back and were very enthusiastic and wanted to know if it was possible to bring here,? he said.

Mr. Evans said he hoped the curriculum will be adapted in all schools.

He added that the server Whitney purchased is big enough to run all the middle schools.

The Bank of Bermuda, AWAC, Renaissance Re, XL Foundation, ACE Foundation, BTEC, Bermuda Telephone Company Ltd., and the Bank of Butterfield have donated $730,000 to the Whitney Online Curriculum Project.