Al Noori Muslim School in southwest Sydney is partnering with BenQ to implement innovative interactive panels that enhance teaching and student engagement from Kindergarten through to Year 12.
Celebrating its 42nd anniversary this year and recognised as the first Islamic school in New South Wales, Al Noori Muslim School has embarked on a significant journey of digital transformation that is reshaping the learning landscape.
Spanning a single campus in Greenacre with over 2,500 students from K-12 and 180 staff members, Al Noori is a pioneering force in modern learning.
“We’re more than just a school,” says Ms Joumana Dennaoui, Director of Education, “we’re a community committed to excellence.”
Operating as an independent, NESA-registered institution, the school delivers the standard New South Wales and HSC curriculum with a twist: an extra hour of daily instruction dedicated to Arabic or Islamic studies.
The school’s academic rigor is evident in its consistent performance, ranking in the top 50 for HSC results. Operating from 8:00am to 4:00pm, the extended day allows for comprehensive learning that integrates both traditional academic subjects and cultural studies.
With a highly selective admission process, Al Noori attracts top students through entrance tests for key entry points in Kindergarten and Year 7, ensuring a competitive and academically focused student body.
The school’s digital transformation began in 2019 with the catalyst being the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, Designing for Deep Learning Initiative. Inspired by educational thought leader Michael Fullan, the initiative represents a transformative approach to education.
“It focuses on the six global competencies, embedding communication, collaboration, citizenship, character, critical thinking and creativity directly into the curriculum,” Ms Dennaoui says.
The initiative prompted the school to critically examine how technology could support more dynamic, student-centred learning experiences. For Al Noori, this meant leveraging digital technologies to create more interactive, collaborative classroom environments.
This vision set the stage for a transformative partnership with BenQ that would fundamentally change how teaching and learning occur.
Mr Bilal Taha, the school’s Chief Technology Officer, recalls the meticulous process of selecting the right technology. The search wasn’t merely about replacing the school’s obsolete projectors and whiteboards but finding a comprehensive solution that would enhance the entire educational experience.
“It took me about three months to find the right product. We knew it was going to be a big project, something we’d implement for the long term,” he says.
The solution emerged in the form of BenQ’s RP Pro Series interactive panels – a technology that has now been deployed across nearly 100 classrooms, libraries, and meeting rooms.
What distinguished these panels was their seamless integration with the school’s existing Microsoft ecosystem, Mr Taha says.
“We are a Microsoft school, so we wanted something compatible with our system. The single sign-on feature was critical for us.”
The interactive panels have turned traditional teaching paradigms on their head.
The RP Pro Series 4K screens provide a cinema-like experience for every lesson, while features like InstaShare allow effortless content sharing.
“Students can easily project their session when it’s their turn, without the usual technical hassles of USBs and plugging things in,” Ms Dennaoui says.
For teachers, the transformation has been revolutionary, she adds.
“They have absolutely loved it. It’s simplified their workload and made the classroom more engaging. It’s become a student-centred classroom, and they feel less pressure on themselves.
“They love the 4K screen. When you have a whiteboard and whiteboard markers running out, they never have that problem anymore. They don’t have to plug in speakers when they want to watch a video.”
Remote learning capabilities have been particularly transformative for students.
“If students are sick or away, they can virtually attend classes,” Mr Taha explains. “Teachers can share the entire lesson. Students can view everything happening on the board, and even contribute via the EzyWrite feature.”
For ICT staff and the school executive, BenQ’s device management system has been a game-changer. Instead of manually walking around the school to ensure equipment is turned-off at the end of the day, they have control at their fingertips without needing to leave their desks.
“At 4:30pm, I can see who’s online, who’s offline. I can even turn off panels for teachers who might have forgotten,” Mr Taha says.
This level of technological integration extends beyond convenience – it’s about creating a more efficient, secure educational environment. The panels integrate with Microsoft 365, providing robust data protection.
“Teachers using OneDrive can be assured of secure access. If they leave the school, they won’t be able to access the data without proper authentication,” Mr Taha says.
The investment has been strategic and measured, with the school implementing the technology in stages, initially starting with 13 BenQ RP Pro Series panels.
“Budget-wise, we worked to prioritise classrooms that needed replacement,” he says.
“It was more like a pilot for us. Once we were satisfied, we started to roll it out over four stages, with 100 panels ultimately installed.”
Mr Kevin Ly from BenQ sees the partnership as more than a technology sale.
“We’re a global company with innovative solutions,” he says. The company has even developed unique software for Islamic schools, including a notification system for prayer times, demonstrating a deep understanding of specific educational needs.
Looking forward, the school continues to explore innovative technologies. It’s currently investigating BenQ’s desktop screens with health-conscious features, including blue-light control and flicker screen technology to help reduce eye strain.
For the school leadership team, there is no doubt that Al Noori’s classrooms have become a student-centred learning space.
“The panels have made life so much easier. It’s become less about the technical stuff and more about creating an engaging, collaborative learning space,” Ms Dennaoui says.
